4 Ways To Reduce Your Plastic Use

With the nationwide ban on plastic bags in full swing, we’ve been looking at other ways we can help reduce the amount of plastic we’re bringing into our homes. From the packaging on your fave snacks to the plastic on your toothbrush, it can feel like no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to escape creating plastic waste.

If you’re looking for a few tips to help you make baby steps towards a zero waste life, here are a few things we’ve adopted so we can keep Mother Earth thriving and start earning that eco-babe status.

Shop at bulk bin stores

Want to go all in on being 100% plastic free? Bulk bin shopping is the way to go.

Grab all your insta-worthy mason jars and head to your local bulk bin shop to buy all of your must-haves. Most bulk bin stores stock nuts, flour, lentils, pasta, dried fruit, cereals, herbs, sweets and more! If you’re a peanut butter lover, you may even find a few stores where you can make your own spread.

If you’re in Auckland, you have access to more bulk bin stores then you’ll ever need but if you’re not, the eco-movement still has you covered.

Bin Inn– more than 35 stores nationwide
GoodFor– 4 stores in Auckland: Ponsonby, Parnell, Takapuna and New Lynn + nationwide shipping
Paper Bag Pantry– Nationwide shipping
The Source Bulk Foods– 2 stores in Auckland: Kumeu and Milford, and 1 store in the Mount: Bayfair

Shop at local farmers markets

Not only does shopping local help your fellow Kiwis, it also gives you a chance to package your goodies up in whatever way you want. Take boxes, jars, containers, bags or whatever vessels you have and full them up with fresh food.

Side note, if you’re also looking to find new organic foods, freshly baked breads/pastries, specialty meats/cheeses and try some great plant-based meal options, you’ll find a bevy of options at your weekend farmers market.

Get your hands on produce bags

We feel like we’re personally keeping rethink.nz in business with the amount of bags we’ve been buying over the last few months. Available in small and large sizes, you can fit almost any fruit or veg in these bags.

There are a tonne of great NZ owned eco-businesses who stock produce and bulk bin bags but to save you a Google search, here are a couple that the Her World babes shop from religiously.

Also, if your favourite part of the supermarket is the deli, Countdown now lets you take your own containers that they’ll eco-wash and fill with your fave salads and cold meats.

Invest in reusable accessories

Coffee cups

If you’re anything like us, you budget for at least one coffee a day and if you aren’t taking in your own cups, that is a lot of waste you’re creating. Do yourself a favour and get your hands on a reusable/travel coffee up. It’s safe to say that 95% of all coffee shops nationwide now accept BYO travel cups with many selling their own versions, but if you’re on a budget, you can easily find travel cups that range from $4 all the way through to $40.

Drink bottles

A girls gotta stay hydrated so ditch the plastic and invest in a reusable drink bottle. These bottles are everywhere now so whether you’re heading to Kmart to grab a few bottles with a palm tree design or you’re wanting to replenish your energy with a crystal water bottle like the ones from Rebalance, there really isn’t a reason to hang on to those old plastic bottles you’ve had for years.

Beeswax wraps

Did you know that beeswax wraps can last up to a year? Whether you’re wrapping sandwiches or you need to cover bowls of food, investing in reusable wraps is a great way to cut-down on your plastic while still keeping your food fresh and tasty.

What’s your top tip for going plastic free?

See more:

Written by Monique Renee

Usually barefoot and deep in wanderlust mode, Mon loves binging Netflix, cuddling babies and stalking through Instagram looking for boho decor inspo and hotties with man buns. You’ll usually find her on holiday, planning a holiday or thinking about holidays.

Favourite Instagram to follow: @hotdudesreading