We can’t ignore the fact that plastic is bad for our health! And not only for humans: the damage this material does to the environment is such that tens if not hundreds of species have already gone extinct because of it -animals in the land, air and sea choke when they ingest it. Not to mention the Seventh Continent -a floating island made entirely of plastic particles, coming from the world’s waste…. So, to benefit from better health and a clearer conscience, try out these healthy and durable alternatives, as ingenious plastic replacements. You’ll save money too!
In the kitchen, plastic is omnipresent: plastic bags, food processors, cake moulds -it’s hard to escape its clutches! However, with a little organisation and one step at a time, it is very easy to remedy this. But the kitchen isn’t the only affected area. Discover our tips to help you change your daily habits, and finally start living more conscientiously!
1/ Use glass jam jars to replace plastic containers.
Always try to buy your food in glass containers if you can, which you can keep afterwards to store other foodstuffs (flour, dried fruit, sauces, cereals, etc.). You can also use them instead of Tupperwares to keep your lunch in the fridge or the freezer and bring them to work with you. 100% resealable, they will protect your food from bacteria and insects, while keeping in odours. Choose models with steel lids.
2/ Replace plastic bags with bags made from pillowcases
By cutting up your old pillowcases and sewing them to make tote bags, you can get rid of plastic bags for storing and carrying fruit and veg, bread and other foodstuffs. You can also buy them in health shops or online.
3/ Replace cling film with a cloth or a waxed fabric
Cling film is an aberration of nature! Who needs to keep their food vacuum packed? No studies have proven that foodstuffs stay healthier because of this… However, if you still prefer to cover them, if only to keep in odours, you can wrap things like cake tins or salad bowls with a clean towel to protect your salad or sandwich. Certain shops also sell reusable food wrapping in waxed fabric, which you can also make yourself:
4/ Replace gift wrap with a Furoshiki
Many types of gift wrap contain plastic. Instead, use a piece of pretty fabric, which the Japanese call Furoshiki, to wrap your gifts in style! You’ll make a sensation.
5/ Replace plastic Tupperware with glass ones
Go for glass containers for storing your food: it is the healthiest material and the most airtight. There are plenty types of Tupperware available: limit the damage by going for glass ones. The food you reheat in the microwave will be kept plastic free.
6/ Use a home made toothpaste rather than a shop bought one in a plastic tube
The toothpaste you buy in the shops is often kept in a plastic tube, which you throw out every month and replace without giving a second thought to the disastrous consequences for the environment, but also for your health: the majority of commercial toothpastes, even those sold in pharmacies, contain triclosan, reputedly very toxic for your body. Make your own with with this delicious recipe using coconut oil -it’s both practical and economical.
7/ A rope or a branch and a few wooden pegs to dry the washing
Do you have a garden or a terrace? Why not hang some natural rope or the branch of a tree to dry your laundry, like in the old days? This prevents you from having to clutter your home and fiddle around with a plastic clothes rack, that will never fold back up for you! Don’t forget to go for wooden clothes pegs, and not plastic ones, of course.
