When trying to cut down my plastic use, I started with the great advice I’d been given by a friend: start paying attention where I buy or use plastic each day. Then, when I need to replace that item, instead of buying plastic, buy a version which doesn’t use plastic, whether it’s paper, wood, metal or glass. Do that room by room, item by item. Over the course of a few years, you’ll no longer be using plastic.
Its really hard to become completely “zero waste” – where we don’t have any garbage at all – but every single piece you prevent from going to landfill counts.
Related: EXPLAINER: What Is the Zero Waste Movement?
Every time you switch from an item that uses plastic to one that doesn’t, you’ve made a decision which helps your local area’s environment but also helping prevent a future where climate refugees are the norm.
So, I’m not completely “zero waste” yet. This is a process and I’m learning too. But I am trying to actively make swaps to reduce my single-use plastic use.
I started one room at a time. And for me, I started with the bathroom.
I’m going to share with you how I’ve become (almost!) plastic-free in my bathroom.
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No plastic toothbrush
Not only is this toothbrush plastic-free, but it looks absolutely gorgeous. I feel like I am staying a fancy hotel every time I use my bamboo toothbrush.
No shampoo or conditioner bottles
We all go through masses of shampoo in a bottle, right? It’s not the only way! I discovered shampoo bars and I haven’t gone back. Just like soap, you rub it in your hair to clean your hair.
Some also come as shampoo and conditioner combo bars, or you can DIY an apple cider vinegar rinse.
Get in on the shampoo bar action here.
I particularly love shampoo bars because they also avoid using travel shampoos if you are travelling.
No more body wash
I confess, I was hesitant to switch to soap from body wash. I remembered cheap soap from my childhood drying out my skin and smelling like chalk. Then I just bought nicer soap!
When I switched to soap and a loofah, I used a soap that was plant-based. I currently have a clear soap that is lavender based and it is like a dream.
Grab gorgeous soap here (and a loofah!)
Fun fact: my loofah isn’t even plastic either. It’s plant-based. Did you know that the word loofah comes from the plant loofah which can be dried and used as a body scrubber?
I thought it would be quite harsh to my skin, but it’s soft and honestly, it has held out longer than some of my old plastic ones!!
Plastic-free deodorant
This one was the biggest leap for me, and, it was the thing that took me the longest to switch. As a teen, I’d used spray-on deodorant. Then I switched to roll on, to have a little less impact on the planet.
But then I discovered that there are a whole heap of other deodorants out there – pastes, powders and sticks.
I’m currently using a powder deodorant and very I’m happy with it. I was paranoid the first few weeks I switched, asking my flatmate every few days “you’d tell if I smell, right?!”. After this conversation became very old, it became clear that my smell wasn’t.
My bathroom is quite literally a ‘powder room’ now, too!
Where to next?
As I said, I haven’t completely switched over my bathroom yet. I honestly can’t afford to switch everything at once, I do want to use the things I have to the end of their life before swapping over, and every new product has a little learning curve to work out how to use it, so for me, I prefer to switch gradually.
Here are the items on my wishlist:
No plastic in my razor
A safety razor is a razor designed a little bit different to regular plastic razors, so take a little getting used to (and requires a little practise to master!). But these are plastic-free and last years.
No plastic packaging in my makeup
I’ll be honest, I have started DIYing some of my beauty products like dry shampoo. I keep these in upcycled glass jars in my bathroom.
But if you aren’t into DIY, there are heaps of companies that create makeup with limited plastic.
One step at a time.
Q and A
You might be thinking “What if I’m the only person in my house cutting plastic? Is it a waste of time?”
I believe that if you live with other people and they aren’t making the switch, that’s okay. This is about your impact on the planet. One day, they might decide that they are ready, but they aren’t there yet. Like a forest, every tree grows at different speeds and is ready at their own time.
All I’m doing in setting an example to give someone the seed if an idea.
Related: 7 Instagrammers to Follow to Inspire Your Zero Waste Journey
In fact, my flatmate uses shampoo in a bottle. They aren’t ready to switch to everything zero waste. But I know they use my soap bar because we haven’t had any new body wash in the house in months. So they aren’t ready to make the leap, but it might be a little less intimidating for them now.
Maybe in the future when they go shopping, they might choose a plastic-free option because it’s something they are more aware of now. It might be next week, or it might be next year – or I might not even see them make the change. I’m showing that there are other options out there.
DIY inspo
Take a moment to look around your bathroom. What uses plastic? Pick one item to switch this month and give a plastic-free version a go!
