Plastic-free July: Tips and Ideas

Our staff eco-champions have put together a useful list of ways to ditch plastic and be greener, from changing how we shop and the food we eat, and to even home DIY - take a look and see what you can implement. 

• Some of the easiest products to buy plastic-free are your cosmetics, hand and body soap bars, shampoo bars, deodorant and cleaning products, cloths, gloves, bottles. The great thing about this is the lack of harsh, toxic chemicals applied to the skin or breathed in, and they often come in cardboard packaging - James and Catherine
• I have ditched fruit and veg covered in plastic from supermarkets. I now buy from Riverford Organic Farmers who use nothing or compostable materials. Organic vegetables taste way better than chemically sprayed veg - James
• When buying loose fruit and veg, make sure to take along a reusable paper or net bag instead of the clear palstic bags provided at supermarkets - Tina
• My toilet roll, kitchen towel and tissues all come from Naked Sprout, no plastic and no nasties. Did you know toilet paper is bleached to make it white? - James
• Did you know there could be plastic in your clothing? There are a number of clothing companies that do organic cotton, bamboo or hemp clothing as a way to remove plastics. It is an emerging market, so mainly underwear and t-shirts but I have a few hoodies and a plastic free waterproof - James
• Beeswax wraps are a great alternative to clingfilm as they are reusable - Tina
• I have used organicnaturalpaint.co.uk to remove plastic from my walls - James
• Make sure you bring your Bags for Life when you go food shopping - John
• Take a look at utensils and cutlery you use and see if you can swap to metal straws and resuable items where possible - Tina
• Taking your own containers to cafes/restaurants/takeaways avoids unnecessary packaging - John
• Get writing to companies who produce excess plastic, for example magazines with plastic toys, fast food chains with plastic cutlery etc. - John and Cheryl
• Take your own cup to coffee shops and cafes so you don't need to use a single use cup. Some places even give discounts when you use your own cup - John
• Strive to go paper free, whether at home and/or work - that negates the need for plastic binders, folders and separators - John
• Make use of local markets (e.g. Newbury on Thursdays and Saturdays), as well as the 'special' markets -(e.g. Newbury Artisan market on the last Sunday of the month), or vegan markets, etc. You could take your own containers to get meat, veg, or reuse egg boxes. There is also the Sustainhuble market in Hungerford and Wash Common - Cheryl
• Thatcham refillables are a great local company where you can fill up your own containers with products - Cheryl
• Bulk buying can sometimes result in less packaging, so consider this when buying household essentials - Tina
• Where you can, try and support  shops/ companies that provide bring-back schemes, such as LUSH and Boots. Some companies will give you rewards for doing so - Helen and Cheryl