Embracing Sustainability: 10 Tips for Living a Plastic-Free Life

Living Well

Wed 5 June 2024

In today’s world, plastic has become ubiquitous from our grocery bags to our food packaging. The sheer scale of plastic waste in our oceans and clogging landfills is so overwhelming that it is easy for one to feel helpless in the face of it. But small changes in our habits can make a significant impact over time. And when joined by others committed to reducing plastic waste, our collective efforts become a powerful force for positive change.

While plastic seems omnipresent, many single-use items are unnecessary and detrimental to our planet. The convenience of plastic comes with a hefty environmental cost – it is time to rethink convenience and prioritize sustainability for the sake of our planet and for the generations to come. At Symbeeosis we take this seriously as our zero-waste packaging and recycling and composting practices show.

Fortunately, there are simple yet effective steps we can take to reduce our plastic footprint and live more sustainably.

Here are ten tips to help you transition to a plastic-free lifestyle:

1. Reusable Shopping Bags

Swap single-use plastic bags for durable and reusable cloth or tote bags. Keep them handy in your car or purse for impromptu shopping trips. Cloth bags are also better for direct storage of fruits and vegetables in the fridge, allowing them to breathe and keeping them fresher for longer.

2. Refillable Water Bottles

Invest in a reusable water bottle made of stainless steel, glass, or BPA-free plastic. Carry it with you to stay hydrated on the go and avoid disposable plastic bottles as much as possible.

3. Replace plastic with Eco friendly options

Plastic is very prevalent in our daily lives in many small ways that add up. It is important to find ways in which we can swap these out for more eco-friendly options. Some of these include using bamboo toothbrushes instead of plastic ones, using natural sponges in place of plastic and metal dishwashing scourers, using ceramic utensils as opposed to Teflon coated ones and opting out of using plastic ear buds for bamboo ones.

4. Composting

Start composting your organic waste, including fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and tea bags to turn kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich soil and reduce landfill waste. Symbeeosis’ tea bags are a 100% biodegradable and are made from natural fibres. They decompose fully in soil and water without releasing any pollutants and are fully compostable.

5. Reusable Containers

Instead of using disposable plastic bags or containers, opt for reusable containers made of stainless steel, glass, or silicone for packing lunches, storing leftovers. All of Symbeeosis’ Honey jars are made of glass with easily removable labels, for just this purpose.

6. Bring Your Own plastic-free Utensils

Carry reusable utensils, such as a fork, knife, and spoon, in your bag or purse to avoid using disposable plastic cutlery when dining out or grabbing takeout. Purchase your own to-go coffee cup, to avoid single use plastic cups. – such an easy one to apply in your daily life. Added bonus, many coffee shops offer a discount if you bring your own cup.

7. Beeswax Wraps

Replace plastic cling wrap with beeswax wraps or reusable silicone lids to cover food containers and keep food fresh. They’re washable, reusable, and biodegradable. Avoid clingfilm and aluminium foil as much as possible as these may take anything from 100 – 400 years to decompose.

8. Reusable Straws

Ditch single-use plastic straws in favour of reusable alternatives like stainless steel, bamboo, or silicone straws. While we agree that paper straws do indeed go soggy after a few sips, we recommend that you carry a metal straw with you. It’s a small change that will have a big impact.

9. Plastic-Free Alternatives

Choose products packaged in paper, cardboard, or glass instead of plastic whenever possible. In alignment with this, Symbeeosis’ paper honey cartons are made from wood harvested from responsibly managed forests and are 100% recyclable. To further avoid plastic packaging visit the greengrocer instead of the supermarket or go to the local farmers market near you – just remember to take your reusable cloth bags with you.

10. Spread the word

It is important to encourage friends, family and colleagues to join you on your plastic waste reduction journey by having conversations to foster awareness to motivate others in order to spark a chain reaction for impactful change.

By implementing these tips into your daily life, you can significantly reduce your reliance on plastic and contribute to a healthier planet for future generations. Small changes add up, and together, we can make a big difference in reducing plastic pollution and embracing sustainability.