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We have been working on ways to reduce plastic in our home this year, so I thought I would share some of what we are doing. When you really start to pay attention to how much plastic we use/buy/bring into our homes on a daily basis, you start to see and realize what a major issue it really is! From the grocery store and take-out, to coffee shops, cleaning supply bottles, and ziplock bags — it’s A LOT. Here are some major changes we try to make, why it’s important, and how you can join in!
Ways to Reduce Plastic

Ways to Reduce Plastic

Now I am not an unrealistic person. It’s going to be nearly impossible (sadly) to really reduce plastic usage fully, but with some effort, we can make changes that we feel good about and ones that are do-able and realistic for our lifestyles and our families!
I do love that others are taking action: many grocery stores are no longer doing plastic bags and are switching to paper, and many coffee shops and states are actually getting rid of the use of plastic straws! Bravo! Now, let’s do our part!

How Can You Reduce Plastic Use

  1. Reusable water bottles
  2. If you buy plastic water bottles because of the quality of your tap water, purchase a high quality filter and install it on your sink
  3. Glass or stainless straws
  4. Silicone bags
  5. Opt out of plastic produce bags in the grocery stores, and bring your own grocery tote bags
  6. Opt to buy cartons or glass versus plastic when possible
  7. Switch to glass food storage containers and glass mason jars
  8. Avoid plastic containers or plastic bags of food
  9. Use cloth napkins or reusable towels in the kitchen – to avoid extra trash (plastic garbage bags)
  10. Reusable coffee mugs or a mason jar to the coffee, juice or smoothie shop (bonus: you often get a discount when you bring these
  11. Purchase and eat less packaged foods (bonus: you’ll be eating less processed foods along the way)
  12. Seek out or find local “Buy Nothing” groups to pass on your unused stuff to avoid waste
  13. Make your own household products like cleaning sprays, body scrubs, etc.
  14. Shop in the bulk section of the grocery store with your own reusable bags

What I Personally Use

See other items I’ve swapped on my Amazon Storefront.

Ways to Reduce Plastic

Why is Plastic Bad & Why It’s Important

  1. Plastic can release harmful chemicals into our planet. Which can then seep from the soil into groundwater or other surrounding water sources and the ecosystem.
  2. Our environment is seriously impacted. 91% of plastic isn’t recycled and over the last ten years, we have produced more plastic than during the whole of the last century.
  3. Toxic load. I work hard to reduce the toxic load in my environment for a many reasons, but one of the biggest reasons is that Mike and I both have the MTHFR gene mutation and don’t detox properly. So when I’m exposed to plastic and heavy metals, they hang in my body unless I work hard to detox and remove them. The amount of toxic load we are consuming and putting in our body is alarming, detox issues or not!

How YOU Can Get Involved

  • JOIN ME! Tag me with what you’re doing and using to make changes! I can’t wait to see what you’re doing to reduce your plastic consumption!!!
  • Remember: Be prepared! Before heading off to work, grab your reusable water bottle and coffee mug. Meal prep in glass containers to avoid take out. Remember your tote bags for the grocery store!
  • Gift it! This Holiday Water Bottle/Travel Mug (2-pack) is an awesome gift for family members, friends, co-workers, or a neighbor!

P.S. There are other things I’m doing in my home to create a healthier environment, like removing harmful ingredients from products we use, like PEGs, Parabens and Phthalates. These ingredients that we’re exposed to in makeup, shampoos, home cleaner and more contribute to human and animal illnesses and environmental pollution. Parabens, for one, are in almost every topical product and contribute to everything from hormonal disruption and rising infertility rates to water pollution. Read here about other swaps I’ve made!


This post is sponsored by Ello Products. All thoughts and opinions are always 100% my own! I love the integrity of their products and think you’ll love them too. Thank you for continuing to support LCK and the brands I work with!



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Comments

  1. I was just checking these out! I use glass storage containers, stainless steel cups and straws (the ones you listed on Xmas ideas), glass cleaning bottles- everyone in the family has made a change 🙂

  2. We make our own cleaning products, buy the supplies in bulk to reduce waist…we use cloth napkins, and towels…we are working hard to replace the plastic Tupperware with glass – we plan to keep the plastic in a cabinet for when friends come over and want to take something home!

  3. Reusable grocery bags including reusable produce bags, and ALWAYS bringing my own water bottle everywhere I go!

  4. We try to carry it steel water bottles wherever we go so we aren’t tempted by to buy plastic bottles while we’re out!

  5. I need to get better about bringing my tote bags to the grocery store! Such an easy one. Thanks for the opportunity Lexi!

  6. Moving towards using reusable plastic bags and trying to move away from packaged foods which will get me away from processed foods as well!

  7. I use reusable containers for my kids lunches, I take my own bags to the grocery store, and have switched to glass containers instead of plastic.

  8. I have started switching out my plastic meal prep storage containers for glass ones! I am loving the ones I just brought! I also carry around a reusable water bottle everywhere I go!

  9. We use reusable water bottles and straws in our house. We also switched from plastic storage containers to glass. Next up is reusable paper towels!

  10. Silicone Stasher bags have replaced zip locks and organic cotton bags for bulk dry goods at the store! Loved this post!!

  11. Awesome post and so important right now! We use way too much packaging for things.
    I’d love to use less and less packaging next year.
    Debs

  12. My water and reusable totes go with me wherever I go and were one of the first habits I adopted. This year I have added reusable produce bags and have started buying in bulk. A big one for me is buying the giant tub of yogurt and dividing it up myself in glass containers.

  13. I LOVE my glass Tupperware from ello. It’s amazing and washes so well in the dishwasher.

    Also reusable bags for groceries are a double win for me because it means less bags for me to carry up my apartment steps since they’re bigger than normal grocery bags.

  14. I started this school year off by purchasing waxed fabric food wrappers and bags for school lunches! My son beams with pride when he can say he not only brought them home, but proves he ate his lunch! We also save every plastic container with a lid to re-use! Just like grandma did!