It’s nearly 2020 and it sometimes feels like our society is just starting to figure out that plastic sucks. Like, really—all plastic is pretty terrible. It ends up in our oceans, kills our wildlife, plants, and natural habitats, emits dangerous greenhouse gases that exacerbate global warming, and somehow, even makes its way back into our own bellies as microplastics. Say it with me: Gross.

But single-use plastic in particular is some of the worst stuff on (and for) the planet. If you’re new to the sustainable living game, single-use plastic is a plastic item specifically designed for a single use.

So, for example, you use a sandwich baggie to house your lunch, remove the sandwich, and throw away the baggie. #SingleUsePlastic. You grab a plastic bag at the store to bag your fruits and veggies. You bring the produce home in the bag, then throw out the bag. #SingleUsePlastic. You’re parched while out in public so you visit the nearest vending machine and buy a bottle of water for $3. Once you finish the water, you throw out (or even recycle!) the bottle.

It’s still #SingleUsePlastic even if you throw it in the recycling bin, as even correctly-recycled single-use plastic can find its way into our oceans and also doesn’t break down in landfills for hundreds of years.

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So, how can you break this single-use plastic cycle? By reading up on the best plastic-free tips and tricks.

Here are the 50 best tips and tricks for living plastic-free:

Tips for getting started on a plastic-free life

More and more stores are banning plastic bags (or by “banning” we mean, charging for them, too). If you want to help the planet and also save yourself the five cents for a plastic bag at the store, bring your reusable tote bags whenever you go shopping.

Reusable tote bags aren’t the only way to cut down on plastic when shopping. Did you know that single-use produce bags aren’t the only option you have at the grocery store? Sure, it’s the option food stores provide in the produce section, but you can actually bring your own reusable produce bag to most grocery stores and they’ll honor it. “One of the best alternatives we use is reusable produce bags,” says Hayley Tillard, Co-Founder and Director at EcoLust. “The ones we get in particular are made from recycled plastic bottles and are mesh with a drawstring. They are super light so they won’t add too much weight when buying fruit and veg and because they are mesh they allow the produce to breathe and you can wash your haul while they are still in the bag. They also are great for hiking, you can fill one with nuts, seeds, lollies and chocolate to keep your energy levels up.”

Now for tip #3. Once you invest in a few reusable mesh produce bags and reusable tote bags, make sure to leave them in your car or somewhere where you will remember them. There’s nothing more annoying than getting to the grocery store and realizing you don’t have your reusable bags. #SustainableLivingFAIL!

“Being prepared at all times is something I have learnt the hard way, multiple times,” Tillard says. “Going to a restaurant, you would think you wouldn’t need to bring your reusable cutlery but some places only serve plastic cutlery. Having a reusable straw, cutlery, and tote bag can help you avoid almost any situation when you are out and about.”

Tip #5 is invest in reusable cutlery and keep it on you at all times (in the car, in a bag, etc.). When eating out, you’ll also want to bring a tote bag and sustainable to-go container — those are tips #6 and #7. If you end up bringing leftovers home, you’ll avoid the single-use plastic often involved in takeout by instead bringing your own sustainable container and tote bag to carry it in. For sustainable containers, glass, silicone, or stainless steel are better reusable options than plastic.

While you’re at it, you may want to throw a reusable, sustainable straw into that tote bag, too. Reusable straws can be made from many different materials including glass, stainless steel, and even bamboo.

Related: The 10 Best Metal Straws on Amazon.com

Speaking of a to-go tote, keeping a tote of all the to-go zero-waste essentials will do wonders whenever you find yourself traveling or even while running errands. “Bringing a reusable tote bag packed with travel cutlery, a reusable water bottle, a travel cup, and produce bags can help you avoid much of the single use plastic waste that pollutes our oceans, landfills, and ground waters,” says Gonzalez. Throw a straw in there and you won’t accidentally find yourself trying to drink a smoothie as if it’s water.

Speaking of water, you’ll want to avoid single-use plastic water bottles whenever possible. To do this, keep a reusable water bottle on hand at all times. “Instead of buying disposable bottles of water, everyone in my family has their own reusable water bottle,” says Addie Fisher of The Old World New. “To fill it up, we use a Brita water filter and recycle the filter cartridges through Brita and Terracycle.”

Water filters are a great way to make sure your water is “clean” and devoid of harmful toxins, but in most cases, filters are made from plastic. If you want to ditch plastic 100%, you could choose a charcoal stick. Charcoal sticks naturally detoxify water and each stick can be used for as long as three months each. No plastic and no toxins!

Related: Rub-A-Dub-Dub—Here’s a Step-By-Step Process to Cleaning Your Metal Straw

Plastic-free tips for the home

Start slowly. According to Melanie Gonzalez, Founder of Simple Good, “The most important thing to remember when you start your journey to reducing plastic is to do it slowly.” Gonzalez has a point—in order to reduce plastic, you have to use it all up first. “Simply throwing away all your plastic actually adds to the plastic waste in our landfills and having to buy lots of new things is costly,” she adds.

Give composting a go. It may seem daunting to get into composting, but it’s actually even easier than throwing something in the trash. If you have a yard, you can start a backyard compost or if you live in an apartment or residence without yard access, you can invest in an indoor compost bin. Any organic food scraps that would break down on their own — egg shells, veggie and fruit scraps and peels, cardboard egg boxes, paper, and even things like leaves — should be added to the compost.

Try a silicone sponge in place of a conventional sponge. Not only do silicone sponges have a longer life span — as they can be used for up to one year—but they’re also healthier for you, since they’re not as porous as traditional sponges. All the nooks and crannies of traditional sponges actually hold onto bacteria longer, which can make you sick and reintroduce the dishes to bacteria.

Say no to plastic baggies of all kinds. Sandwich baggies? You don’t need them anymore. A great sustainable alternative to sandwich baggies and freezer baggies are silicone bags. Brands like Stasher, ACCA, and LunchSkins make reusable baggies in snack bag, sandwich, and even bigger sizes. Even better: Silicone bags can be used to cook and can even go in the freezer.

Give biodegradable garbage bags a whirl. Did you know traditional garbage bags actually don’t break down? They can’t—they’re made of plastic! So, how can the garbage inside of these bags break down? The answer is it can’t either. Even if you throw a banana peel in there. It won’t break down inside the plastic bag! That’s why it’s important to invest in biodegradable bags like Bio Bags, which break down on their own as to give the trash inside a chance to also break down.

Plastic-free tips for the bathroom

There’s more plastic and single-use plastic associated with your bathroom than you may realize. Did you know your toothbrush is primarily made from plastic? Sure, it’s designed for more than a single use, but even still, toothbrushes account for 50 million pounds of the trash that sits in landfills in the U.S. Tillard recommends bamboo toothbrushes as an alternative. “Bamboo is a sustainable material and very durable,” Tillard says. “When the toothbrush comes to the end of its life, remember to break off the head of the brush with the bristles and throw that in the bin and the bamboo handle can be composted.”

Toothbrushes aren’t the only mainly plastic item in your bathroom wreaking havoc. Have you ever considered how much plastic it takes to make a razor? And if you keep throwing out your disposable razors, how much waste that equates to? According to the EPA, 2 billion razors are thrown away each year. “Switching from disposable razors to safety razors is a priority,” says Gonzalez. “This switch can also save you money since you can buy a great safety razor for under $20 that will last you a lifetime. And because the blades (as well as the razor) are recyclable, we can keep lots of plastic out of the landfill.”

Your shampoo, conditioner, and body wash are likely packaged in plastic. But how can you avoid plastic packaging when seemingly every brand makes shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel in plastic bottles? Two words: bar soaps! Bar soaps aren’t just for washing your hands. “A great first step would be to switch to bar soap for your body and hair. Water is the first ingredient in body wash and shampoo and is added by manufacturers so that you run out faster,” says Gonzalez. “You can find all-natural soaps that are package-free (and cruelty free, too) that will last you the equivalent of three medium size plastic bottles!”

Related: Eco-Friendly Products That Make It Easy to Be Green on Earth Day (and Every Day)

Here’s another tip once you switch to bar soaps. Actually, it’s more of a hack, really. “I recommend buying yourself a soap saver sack for your bar soaps,” adds Gonzalez. “Soap savers help you prolong the life of the soap by allowing the soap bar to dry out between uses, helps prevent the soap from breaking apart, and ensures you use every last ounce of that soap bar!”

Say you have curly hair and are wary of bar soaps. Never fear. According to Fisher, the Heali Kiwi shampoo bar by Ethique is a saving grace bar soap for curly-haired humans. “To utilize less plastic in our bathroom, we buy bar soap and shampoo bars. Shampoo bars have been the hardest adjustment because of my naturally curly hair,” Fisher adds. “I finally found one that works amazingly for me.”

Let’s not forget toilet paper and how harmful it can be (especially the chlorine-bleached stuff) for the environment. With TP, you have a few options. First TP tip is that you can buy recycled toilet paper made from a more sustainable material — bamboo. Who Gives a Crap is a TP company that makes sustainable toilet paper and delivers it right to your door without excess (plastic) packaging. Their rolls come wrapped in paper, not plastic, and the cardboard rolls can be shredded and added to the compost.

Now, for TP option #2. Did you know using a bidet actually reduces how much toilet paper you need? Think about it, if the water spray from the bidet washes you off, there’s less work for the TP to do. Using a bidet in your bathroom can actually reduce how much you spend on TP by 75 percent according to Business Insider.

Now we couldn’t talk about sustainable bathrooms without discussing sustainable periods. Even if you’re a person that has a period, you might not realize how much waste period management takes. National Geographic reports that people in the U.S. bought 5.8 billion tampons in 2018. Since a single menstruator will use anywhere between 5,000 and 15,000 pads and tampons in their life, all of that single-use product (including its plastic applicators and packaging) will inevitably end up in landfills.

So, what sustainable options are out there? “A menstrual cup is another favorite of mine,” says Tillard. “This can be intimidating for a lot of women and it was for me too. It is very convenient when traveling and lasts a long time.” Since silicone menstrual cups can last up to 10 years, theoretically, one menstruator could only use four menstrual cups in a lifetime as opposed to 15,000 pads or tampons.

If a silicone menstrual cup isn’t your cup of tea, another sustainable period management option is reusable cloth pads. “I have now coupled my menstrual cup with some reusable pads just in case of leakage and towards the end of my cycle when the cup is not required,” Tillard says. “The brand I use donates a pack of reusable pads to women in need for every purchase.” Reusable cloth pads can be thrown in the washing machine.