How to Reduce Your Plastic Use

Plastic is everywhere. Some of it necessary, some of it not. Regardless, much of it is destroying our ocean and that’s why we’re assessing how to reduce your plastic use in the most practical way possible!

Grocery stores feature walls of plastic covered snacks, meat and produce. Shelves on shelves of neatly packed and sealed plastic. Just on the other aisle, you can find stacks of single-use plates, cups and silverware for your next get-together. Jump to the coffee aisle, K-Cups, plastic to-go mugs, red plastic cans of coffee line the shelves.

And much of it ends up in the ocean.

In some respect, it’s inevitable – you simply can’t crush out all the plastic use in your life. And that’s okay. Plastic does a lot of good for the world. After all, we wouldn’t have access to all that delicious, fresh food in the grocery store if it wasn’t for plastic.

But that’s not to say we can’t take steps to reduce plastic use. Some of it is unnecessary and can easily be swapped out. An eco-swap, if you will.

The rest of this page details products and tips to help you reduce your plastic use. At the end, we feature our most recent articles about plastic reduction to help save our oceans.

Reducing Plastic Navigation

• Quick Answer: Reducing Plastic Use
• 12 Eco-Swaps to Help Reduce Plastic
• 7 Helpful Tips to Reduce Plastic Use
• Recent Blog Posts on Reducing Plastic

This resource page is regularly updated to help you stay current on the best products, tips, and companies working to reduce plastic use.

Quick Answer: Reducing Plastic Use

Below are useful links to products we use to reduce our plastic use. Check them out or scroll below to find out more about each one!

Plastic Product	Eco-Swap
Sandwich Bags	Stasher Bags Silicone Bags
Grocery Bags	Reusable Grocery Bags Cooler Bags
Produce Bags	Mesh Bags
Plastic Food Containers	Glass / Bamboo
Silverware	Bamboo Cutlery
Straws	Metal Straw
Coffee Cup	Yeti Tumbler
Water Bottle	HydroFlask
Toothbrush	Bamboo Toothbrush
K-Cups	Reusable Cup
Cleaners	Tablet Cleaners
Party Cups	Silipint

12 Eco-Swaps to Reduce Your Plastic Use

These are the easiest plastic products to reduce in our every day lives.

1. Plastic Sandwich Bags

Plastic sandwich bags account for a large chunk of plastic use in the home. Check out these alternatives:

PRO TIP: we use our reusable bags for everything: frozen meat, snacks, leftovers. Keep a well-stocked drawer of them. They always come in handy!

2. Grocery Bags

A simple way to reduce plastic use is bringing your own reusable bags to the grocery store!

PRO TIP: keep a steady supply of reusable grocery bags in your car. That way, you’re never caught off guard if you need to quick stop at the grocery store.

INTERESTING NOTE: studies show organic cotton reusable bags need to be used over 22,000 times to offset the carbon emissions of one plastic bag. Be mindful of which type of bag you’re purchasing and reusing.

3. Produce Bags

You know, the little baggies in the corner of the produce section? Somewhat unnecessary, if you really think about it. However, if you want that extra security of bagging your produce, consider bringing a reusable mesh bag (easy to wash) to the grocery store.

PRO TIP: the same goes for the reusable mesh bags – keeping a healthy supply in your car so you’re always ready for a stop at the grocery store.

4. To-go Containers / Plastic Tupperware

To-go containers from restaurants produce a ton of excess plastic. When possible, try to bring your own! Or, at the very least, you can swap out your existing plastic Tupperware with glass and/or bamboo alternatives.

PRO TIP: a well-stocked cabinet of glass and bamboo containers can reduce your plastic use immensely.

5. Plastic Silverware / Cutlery

Plastic spoons, forks and knives are constantly washing ashore from our oceans. Packing your own reusable set will go a long way to reducing plastic.

PRO TIP: We carry a set or two in all of our backpacks and coolers where we go. Work, the beach, or the boat – we’re always ready with reusable cutlery.

6. Straws

Not using plastic straws went mainstream a few years back in a #savetheturtles campaign. And rightfully so, it’s an incredibly easy alternative to plastic commonly found in the ocean.

PRO TIP: Keep a stash of these in your silverware drawer at home. Additionally, stow a few away in coolers, backpacks, and lunch boxes to be ready on the go.

7. Coffee Cups

To-go coffee mugs are typically made of plastic of cardboard. Either way, it’s an easy thing to say no to when you bring your own coffee mug.

PRO TIP: Again, keeping an extra tumbler in your car or backpack will go a long way in reducing plastic.

8. Water Bottles and Caps

It’s 2021 and you haven’t purchased your own water bottle yet?! Not to mention, you’re probably dehydrated all the time! Get with the times and get yourself an eco-friendly water bottle from Hydroflask.

PRO TIP: We bring a water bottle or two everywhere we go. Stay hydrated. Stay plastic free.

9. Toothbrushes

Not many people think about this one but it’s legitimately a problem. Used, plastic toothbrushes wash ashore all the time from the ocean. Bamboo toothbrushes are more sustainable and will eventually break down, if need be.

PRO TIP: Listen to your dentist on this one…

10. K-Cups

Ever since the introduction of the Keurig, plastic use in morning coffee routines increased. Good thing they have a reusable K-Cup to put your own coffee grounds inside.

PRO TIP: Grinding your own coffee is a great way to reduce packaging for your morning coffee.

11. Household Cleaners

This is, by far, the trickiest eco-swap. It took me awhile to get the hang of it and where to even find the correct products. However, once you get them, you’ll save an immense amount of plastic from being used.

12. Party Cups

One of our favorite eco-swaps is replacing plastic party cups with Silipints. These things are just so dang cool – we recommend owning an entire assortment of them!

PRO TIP: You’ll be the talk of the party with a nice collection of Silipints.

7 More Helpful Tips to Reduce Your Plastic Use

Consider these other tips to reduce your plastic use day to day.

1. Reuse Grocery Bags as Trash Bags

Inevitably, you’ll forget your reusable bags and need to take some bags from the store. No big deal. A good way to be eco-conscious is to reuse them as trash bags.

Not only does this cut down on overall plastic consumption (you’re not buying the bulkier, thick trash bags), you’re saving money AND reducing carbon emissions. A win for all!

2. Wash and Reuse To-go Containers from Restaurants

In many states, and in the day of COVID, it’s illegal to bring your own containers to a restaurant for to-go food.

Easy fix, simply wash and reuse the ones they give you! Admittedly, half of my food containers in the cabinet are from restaurants!

3. Buy food in bulk

Food packaging accounts for a large percentage of plastic found in the ocean every year. By visiting the bulk foods section of certain grocery stores you can use your own reusable bags to fill it with your desired food.

Not only is the price usually cheaper, you’re also reducing overall plastic use!

4. Buy local food!

The same goes for buying at local farmer’s markets, butchers or roadside stands. The more local, the less plastic and carbon emissions it takes to get that food product to your plate!

5. Reuse Plastic Containers

Such as milk jugs, juice bottles or yogurt tubs. All of the above could make a great flower pot, planter, or even a frozen ice pack!

6. Buy aluminum / glass over plastic bottles

If possible, when purchasing a soda or juice, aluminum or glass containers are much more eco-friendly than their plastic counterparts.

7. Hunt your own food

Easier said than done, right?! Not entirely!

Hunting your own food is possibly the best way to reduce plastic use in food packaging and beyond. Not to mention, you know the animal was treated ethically and in an evironmentally friendly way.

For ocean lovers like ourselves? Our favorite way to hunt our own food is removing invasive lionfish from the nearby ocean. To learn more about how to do it, head to our resource page here.

Reducing Plastic Use

Our tips are not the end all be all by any stretch of the imagination, but they should be helpful! Our ultimate goal is the reduce the amount of plastic entering our oceans and every little thing we can do to help is beneficial!

More Posts on How to Reduce Plastic Use

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