Plastic Free July has come to an end, have you created any new habits? It takes 21 days to form a habit so some of you may have decided to continue the plastic free lifestyle beyond Plastic Free July! And props to you! We thought we’d put a list together of a few items which we found extremely helpful in curbing plastic waste:

Avoid single-use coffee cups by making the initial investment

Reusable coffee cups might seem expensive at first. But truthfully speaking, they’re worth every penny. If the average person orders 5 coffees a week, then that adds up to 260 coffee cups tossed away per year! Eek! BUT, if you’re using a Reusable Coffee Cup, you could completely eliminate this waste because you’re sipping, rinsing, washing and repeating. It’s the little things that count!

BYO containers everywhere you go!

Organization is key when it comes to the plastic free lifestyle. Whether you’re bringing lunch to work or ordering take out, use your container from home. Our greatest tip is to ask your local café or restaurant if they would accept your reusables, and same with your local bakery or butcher! This way, you won’t be bringing home any more plastic items and that’s what we REALLY want!

Bring reusable bags and produce bags when shopping

One of the best ways to avoid bringing plastic bags home is by bringing your own bags from home TO the shops! Think about it, a trolley half-filled with essential grocery items uses 3-4 plastic bags. Not to mention, a plastic produce bag for loose apples, another for potatoes, another for broccoli, and the list goes on! It’s time to create a new habit by BYO shopping bags and produce bags, even if that means reusing a plastic bag!

Shop Organic Cotton, Organic Cotton Muslin and rPET Mesh Produce Bags here!

Stop wrapping leftover foods with plastic wrap!

A set of Reusable Wax Wraps goes a long way! Whether you’re after the beeswax-based kind or the vegan kind, our online store has both! These wraps are essentially organic cotton material covered in a waxy coating which makes them pliable so you can press it against the edge of a bowl or fold it around a sandwich. All it needs is the warmth from your hands to give it its shape and it’ll stay put!

Purchase from brands that use plastic free packaging

There are so many brands out there that offer great products, but how many of them are completely plastic free and use plastic free packaging (if you’re ordering online)? Not a whole lot!

At The Eco Warrior, we swear by plastic free packaging, reusing cardboard boxes and plastic free products! We use scrunched up newspaper or scrap paper for stuffing; reuse cardboard boxes from our suppliers or source them from around our homes; and all our products are packaged in glass jars, recycled cardboard and cardboard tubes!

Take a look for yourself here!

Make your own skincare or cleaning products at home

Do you have a bottle of vinegar sitting in the pantry? Perhaps also some baking soda and a lemon? There are so many common household ingredients that can be used to make DIY cleaning or skincare products and the best part is that they cost next to nothing! So don’t run to the store next time you’re out of your favourite cleaning product, get creative!