For a while now I’ve been thinking about ways to reduce the amount of plastic we use as a family. I’ve got to admit – it’s not a simple solution for us. Nowadays plastic is part of our life whether we like it or not and we don’t have money to spare so how do you make maximum impact with the money you have?
How to be eco-sensitive on a budget:
Go for quality items. As my mother always used to say “We’re too poor to buy cheap” and she was right, there’s no point to spending less money on something cheap if it’s just going to fall apart soon after. Buy good quality items that are going to last. You can use a good quality razor instead of a disposable and a good quality dish sponge or cloth will last far longer than a cheapy.
If it’s too expensive then wait! You’ve just watched a documentary where they’ve pulled a sheet of plastic from a whale’s stomach, watched a vet empty plastic from the gullet of a dying sea bird and saw a straw pulled from the nostril of a turtle. You’re quite rightly horrified and decide “That is it! I’m ridding myself of this evil substance.” So you start searching online for substitutes and before long your baskets are brimming with bamboo, organic cotton and beeswax food wraps, however when you go to the checkout the ‘Total’ appears… and all of a sudden you’re feeling frivolous, downhearted and self indulgent. Don’t despair. Just save them to your wish list and take your time! Prioritise what is on your list and buy them bit by bit or look for cheaper alternatives.
Prioritise by values. Prioritise what is most important to you. Frequency with which it will be used? What you can afford? The impact it will make on your plastic consumption? For example you may always use plastic bottles and sippy cups when you’re out and about so perhaps a drinking bottle is first on your list. If you throw away a lot of straws then maybe you want stainless steel ones. Frequency. If you want to make a big impact on your plastic consumption then you would possibly go for shampoo bars, reusable food wraps or toiletries in metal containers. If you’re on a tight budget you may choose something cheap like reusable shopping bags, usable factory seconds or preloved items – even avoiding heavily packaged food when you’re shopping all helps!
Shop about. Yes, it’s that obvious. If you like the look of something on a website then do a web-search and compare prices and shipping costs. Look on the manufacturers website and see if they sell ‘seconds’ that are still excellent quality but have some aesthetic damage that makes them cheaper. Look for similar items of different brands, some big brands are more expensive because of their popularity and may seem to dominate the market but keep looking and the competition will be out there.
Read blogs and reviews. If you want to go plastic free then read a blog by someone who’s already done it! If you want to start using shampoo bars look for a blog where they explain how to use them and which conditioners to try. If you want to go “No-Poo” read a blog or join a ‘No-poo, low-poo.’ Facebook group. Read reviews on products before you buy them too.
Reuse – Repurpose – Recycle. Don’t just throw out your plastics. The whole point of being eco-sensitive is to limit your impact on the environment. Throwing all your straws in the bin and chucking out your plastic food containers isn’t going to help with the problem. Try using your straws then washing them and putting them in a craft box for your kids (they make great spider legs). If you’re worried about your food containers leaching hormone disruptors into your food then why not store non-food items in there. Even your clothes can be passed on, made into something else or sold instead of going to landfill.
Use washable nappies and reusable menstrual products. You can buy cloth nappies for your baby that you wash in your washing machine. You simply use a liner to catch any solids which go into your toilet then you put the nappy in the wash and dry it ready to be reused. They are super pretty and you can buy them pre-loved if you’re on a budget. You can sterilise them using nappy sanitiser or similar products and they are super good for the environment. You can also buy cloth menstrual pads, cloth tampons, cloth underwear with built in protection and cloth nursing pads which work in the same way. If that’s not your thing then you can try menstrual cups (like the Moon Cup – Google it) LilyPadz nursing pads or other similar products. There’s also elimination communication for babies if you don’t want to spend any money at all!!
(I got the sandwich bag half price in a clearance sale & the stainless steel containers were ‘Seconds’ due to slight surface scratches.)
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