HACK #1 — THE MUSHROOM BAG

The produce section is a killer for plastic bags, find the one paper bag in the mix, the mushroom bag!

Use the paper mushroom bag for produce you usually bag in plastic. This could be cherries, spinach, tomatoes, green beans, etc. We wash all the fruit and veg when we get home anyways, stack fruit in your cart or basket and try to avoid using bags at all to truly minimise your impact.

HACK #2 — BOX OVER BAG

Food arrives at the store in a box. Why should it leave in a bag?

Avoiding single-use plastic bags is the ultimate in reducing plastic pollution. These suckers are a horror in the natural world! Bring your own bag, but if you forget, then ask your friendly grocery staff if they have any spare cardboard boxes in the store. Once you’re ready to check out, you can use the box which transported the Doritos or the plums, to carry your food home!

(Be sure to recycle the box afterwards!)

HACK #3 — REUSE CONTAINERS

Rethink and makeover your pantry.

When shopping, buy things packed in glass jars with metal screw top lids. At home, you can use these to store your food.

Look up your local bulk foods store (mini prayer that you have one nearby!), and bring your jars to this shop. Go nuts. Refill your dish soap, spices, oats, pasta, rice, seeds, etc. Use paint to label them.

Photo by ig:plasticfreemermaid

HACK #4 — STRAWS SUCK

If smoking cigs gives you lip wrinkles, wouldn’t sucking straws do the same?

One kind of disposable plastic waste that you can vow to skip is the one-time use straw. If you need convincing, search Youtube for “straw up turtle’s nose.”

To effectively avoid straws, we must ANTICIPATE when they might sneak into our life. Any time you order a drink, be sure to let the waitstaff know how strongly you feel about this. Unfortunately, oftentimes they get confused and think you asked for a straw. This is why the double emphasis is needed and perhaps even an explanation about why you are avoiding this particular plastic.

Photo by ig:grumpyturtledesign

HACK #5 — TOPLESS COFFEE

Bring your own cup! If you forget, at least skip the plastic lid.

Bring your own cup to the cafe. If you plan to carry a coffee back home or to the office, then it surely cannot be an issue to carry a cup to the cafe. Find a cute one that you LOVE drinking out of. If you take it to go in your car, bring a jar or something with a secure lid.

As you start to build your new habit, you might forget to bring a mug or find yourself near a cafe needing caffeine without your mug, no stress. Minimise your impact and go topless. Skip the plastic lid on your coffee.

#ToplessfortheSea

Photo by ig:plasticfreemermaid

Want to do more? Join Kate on her Sail Fiji Mermaid Retreat for a week of conservation and mermaiding! 7 days of sailing, snorkelling beautiful tropical waters, yoga, meditation, cleaning up plastic you discover on remote islands, healthy vegan food, workshops, goddess circles, hanging with local villagers, and bonding with epic ladies!

More information available here.

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Original Words from Summersite