Ditching Plastic by Wendy Paton

Tonight we had a discussion with Wendy Paton about her journey to ditch plastics. She gave us 40 ideas on what we can do to do our bit for the environment. Here are a few of them.

Look for plastic free packaging toiletries.

There are now a few companies around offering plastic free shampoo bars, toothpaste, deodorant and toothbrushes. You can buy toothpaste in glass jars, or in chewable tablet forms. Also you can buy toothbrushes made from bamboo, and a mineral salt deodorant in the form of potassium alum.

You can also make your own shampoo. Use a tablespoon of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) dissolved in 1 mug of warm water. Pour this over your wet hair and rinse off immediately. Then rinse your hair with a solution of 1tbsp of cider vinegar mixed with 1/2 a litre of cold water.

In the kitchen.

If you can’t live without clingfilm, instead of using the traditional plastic variety, now there is a compostable option. There are also bees-wax wraps that can be used to wrap sandwiches, bread, cheese and other food that you don’t want to leave exposed. You can even try to make your own.

Cleaning.

For washing up dishes, you can use natural sponges made of walnut shells or coconut husks.

Soda crystals are good for limescale removal and toilet bowl cleaning. Use white vinegar for cleaning windows and mirrors. And sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is a good all round cleaner too.

Food shopping.

Try to buy food without packaging. More zero-waste shops are opening up around London, you bring your own containers, and fill them up with the produce that you want to buy. If you are buying meat or fish, also bring your own containers to the butchers or fishmongers, or ask them to wrap it in wax paper.

Feminine hygiene.

There are a few different options here, a menstrual cup, washable sanitary liners with wings that use a popper button to attach to your underwear, or period pants. There are multiple brands offering various versions of all of these products.