• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The Flexitarian
  • Recipes
    • Recipes by Course
    • Recipes by Ingredient
    • Recipe Collections
    • RECIPES BY DIET
    • Seasonal Food
  • Shopping List
  • MY BOOK
    • My Cookbook: Less Meat, More Plants
    • DOWNLOAD a FREE Preview Copy
  • Flexitarian
    • The Flexitarian Diet
    • Why Go Flexitarian?
      • Meat & Health
      • Meat & The Environment
      • Animal Welfare
    • Tips & Hints
      • How To Cook Veggie
      • Cooking With Less Meat
      • Beginners’ Guides
      • Do It Yourself Recipes
      • How To Cook Without A Recipe
      • Left Over Recipes
  • Eco Living
    • Health & Nutrition
    • Green Living
    • Eating Out
    • Fighting Food Waste
    • Competition
    • Eco Travel
    • Fitness
    • Grow Your Own
    • Gift Guides
    • Product Reviews
    • Cookbook Reviews
  • ABOUT
    • CONTACT ME
    • In the News
    • Privacy Policy
  • SHOP
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
The Flexitarian Logo

The Flexitarian

The Flexitarian Diet - A Flexible Vegetarian Diet

  • Recipes
    • Recipes by Course
    • Recipes by Ingredient
    • Recipe Collections
    • RECIPES BY DIET
    • Seasonal Food
  • Shopping List
  • MY BOOK
    • My Cookbook: Less Meat, More Plants
    • DOWNLOAD a FREE Preview Copy
  • Flexitarian
    • The Flexitarian Diet
    • Why Go Flexitarian?
      • Meat & Health
      • Meat & The Environment
      • Animal Welfare
    • Tips & Hints
      • How To Cook Veggie
      • Cooking With Less Meat
      • Beginners’ Guides
      • Do It Yourself Recipes
      • How To Cook Without A Recipe
      • Left Over Recipes
  • Eco Living
    • Health & Nutrition
    • Green Living
    • Eating Out
    • Fighting Food Waste
    • Competition
    • Eco Travel
    • Fitness
    • Grow Your Own
    • Gift Guides
    • Product Reviews
    • Cookbook Reviews
  • ABOUT
    • CONTACT ME
    • In the News
    • Privacy Policy
  • SHOP
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
The Flexitarian » Lifestyle » Green Living » 6 Ideas To Reduce Single-Use Plastic

6 Ideas To Reduce Single-Use Plastic

 organic cotton mesh and oranges

Single-use plastic has become the plague of our time, polluting rivers, oceans and the environment. It has become such a danger to wildlife and sealife that it is believed that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the planet’s oceans.

Such is the extend of the problem that microplastics have been found in human stools for the first time suggesting the tiny particles created when plastic decomposed may be widespread in the human food chain.

Just over 100 years, that’s how long it took plastic to take over our lives. In fact the first mass consumer plastic-based products only appeared in the 1940s. Light and versatile, with the added bonus of not being easily breakable, plastic quickly came to replace glass and ceramic containers. Convenience, of course, also played a major role in the expansion of the use of plastic.

Avoiding plastic all-together can be tricky and maybe also counter-productive. For example, reusable storage containers such as Tupperware can be used for years and avoid food waste. It is worth noting, though, that there is a wide range of health arguments for avoiding some of the constituents of plastic, such as around BPA or phthalates, which I have talked about before here and here.

Reducing the amount of single-use plastic though is a pressing issue.  Avoiding over-packaged products is a good start, but we can all limit the amount of plastic in our lives thanks to a host of products (some available from our eco online shop By Nature), services and tips.

 

  • SHOP FOR LOOSE PRODUCE

Forget individually wrapped cucumbers, bananas shrinked wrapped on polysterene trays or whatever other nonsense, overpackaged formats shops use to sell fresh fruit and vegetables. Head for the loose section and use produce bags such as the ones below instead. Washable and reusable, they are perfect for small and bigger produce. Made from organic cotton mesh, so that the cashier can easily spot what’s inside at the checkout.

produce  organic cotton mesh
  • PACK A STYLISH REUSABLE SHOPPING BAG

Since the 5p charge was introduced in the UK, single-use plastic bag usage has dropped 85%. Still, there are occasions where personally I am still caught out by not carrying a reusable bag while shopping. And on those occasions, I get really mad with myself. First, because I end up having to take a plastic bag, second because I hate wasting money.

Here are some of my fail-safes to always have a reusable bag with me:

– Keep one in my handbag.
– Keep one in my work bag / backpack.
– Have one in the glove box of the car.
– I literally add “reusable bags” to my shopping list so I remember to take them: yes, I do get that frazzled at times ?
– Any kind of reminder works (phone, sticky note on the fridge etc..)
– As soon as I have unpacked the shopping, I gather some up next to the front door ready to go back in the car.

Envirosax Optimistic
  • BRING YOUR OWN CONTAINERS WHEN SHOPPING

While many people have been using their own containers when shopping at their local zero-waste shops, did you know that most supermarkets now encourage shoppers to do the same at fish, meat and deli counters? While it takes a bit of pre-planning, using  your own containers greatly reduces the amount of single-use plastic packaging.

You might be confused about what type of containers to use. Personally I find reusable plastic containers such like the ones below from Addis really practical when picking up groceries from zero-waste shops. They are light and easily stackable and less likely to break than glass containers.

Addis Meal Prep

 

  • FORGET CLING FILM

Instead of cling film, wrap left over food with a reusable alternative such as the beeswax wraps below. For a vegan alternative, look out for soy wax wraps or rice bran wax wraps.

Wax wraps are flexible and slightly adhesive so they can easily be shaped around food and bowls or folded into packages to store food at room temperature or in the fridge. They are generally made of (organic) cotton or hemp, with the wax added, and can be composted at the end of their lives.

beeswax wraps
  • REUSE YOUR MILK BOTTLES
Milk and More

Have you ever thought of how many plastic milk bottles you dispose of every week? Why not switch to re-usable glass bottles instead. Since last year we have been using Milk & More to get organic milk delivered to our doorstep. The milkman picks up our empty bottles when delivering. Each bottle can then be reused on average 25 times before they are recycled. Conveniently Milk & More also delivers Plenish Dairy-Free Milk, organic fruit and vegetables, as well as fresh orange juice in glass bottles and organic porridge in plastic-free packaging.

  • BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH CONTAINERS

Earlier this year, environmental charity Hubbub found that with many people now having their lunch on the go, “the average person generates 276 pieces of rubbish each year – from sandwich boxes, to crisps and napkins” alone.

Packing your own lunch, whether for work or school, is a great way to reduce this unnecessary single-use plastic waste. Hubbub suggests that, if you do buy lunch, you can take your own container to the shop and ask them to fill it.

Some containers like the one below from A Slice of Green even include compartments and stackable trays so that to combine different dishes or snacks.

slice of green lunch box

Other things you might like

  • 5 Ways To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
  • Waitrose & Partners Encourages Customers to Use Reusable Containers
  • Eco Living – Ditch Plastic Bags For Good
  • Fed Up With Plastic Waste? You Can Now Bring Your Own Containers To Tesco’s Fresh Counters + Get Paid To Recycle Plastic Bottles
  • World Environment Day: 10 Tips To Ditch The Plastic In Your Life
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Green Living September 7, 2019 · Created by: The Flexitarian Leave a Comment

Previous Post: « Le Salin de Gruissan: Salt, Oysters and Wildlife Haven
Next Post: Aubergine Roll-ups »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate This Recipe




Primary Sidebar

* GET MY COOKBOOK *

Available from:
UK/IR
Blackwells
Amazon UK

US/CAN
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Bookshop.org
Additional Retailers

Hello, I am Annabelle!

Welcome to The Flexitarian.
I am passionate about food and the environment.
I hope my vegan and vegetarian recipes and eco tips will inspire you to embrace "more of" a plant-based diet and green lifestyle.
More About Me …

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Newsletter


* FREE E-BOOK *


LATEST RECIPES

Pizza Bagels

Tortellini Pasta Salad

Asparagus Pasta

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Butter Bean Salad

Leek Tart


* SPONSORED LINKS *

PromFormal

OUR ECO BOUTIQUE


Footer

The Flexitarian

Less Meat, More Plants

  • Amazon
  • Facebook
  • Goodreads
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Threads
  • TikTok
  • YouTube

Newsletter


* SPONSORED LINKS *

PromFormal

MY COOKBOOK

Copyright © 2025 · The Flexitarian · Privacy Policy