Hopefully this list of swaps help you on your sustainable / zero waste journey! As a preface:
Air fresheners are packaged in plastic and contain toxic artificial fragrances.
Often made of plastic which contain toxic chemicals that are particularly harmful for babies. Plastic also retains odors and germs get trapped in the scratches.
Often sold canned or in glass.
Often made with plastic.
The to-go cups provided at most cafes are of mixed material and are therefore not recyclable. The cups are made of paper lined with plastic to make it water resistant. This plastic lining is harmful for our health, especially as hot liquids come into contact with it. The lids are a soft plastic that is not commonly recyclable. Sadly, all these coffee cups belong in the landfill.
Disposable diapers are commonly used, and they take 500 years to break down. They don't really decompose since they're made of plastic, which breaks down into tiny particles and can end up in waterways. In landfills, they don't break down easily because they aren't exposed to sunlight and oxygen.
Often sold in plastic bottles.
Disposable cutlery is often made of plastic and is not recyclable in most municipalities. Cutlery marked as "compostable" must be processed at an industrial compost facility. And even then, it may not be accepted. Some compost facilities only accept BPI certified compostables since they keep the compost up to a certain standard. Also, the sorting line moves very quickly and sometimes compostable foodware gets pulled from the compost if it looks plastic-y (as many compostable utensils do). If compostable / bioplastic foodware gets into the plastic recycling stream, it risks contaminating entire batches of plastic from resale. Buyers demand recycling to be under a given contamination rate. See China's National Sword.
There are machines made of plastic that are for facial steaming, but a bowl of hot water and a towel works!
Often made of plastic.
Consumables
Enjoyables
Gift wrapping Ideas
Usually made out of plastic.
Prepared foods are packaged in a lot of plastic. For events, try to prepare foods with minimal packaging. Even better, prepare finger foods that don't require utensils.
The to-go cups provided at most cafes are of mixed material and are therefore not recyclable. The cups are made of paper lined with plastic to make it water resistant. This plastic lining is harmful for our health, especially as hot liquids come into contact with it. The lids are a soft plastic that is not commonly recyclable. Sadly, all these coffee cups belong in the landfill.
Disposable cutlery is often made of plastic and is not recyclable in most municipalities. Cutlery marked as "compostable" must be processed at an industrial compost facility. And even then, it may not be accepted. Some compost facilities only accept BPI certified compostables since they keep the compost up to a certain standard. Also, the sorting line moves very quickly and sometimes compostable foodware gets pulled from the compost if it looks plastic-y (as many compostable utensils do). If compostable / bioplastic foodware gets into the plastic recycling stream, it risks contaminating entire batches of plastic from resale. Buyers demand recycling to be under a given contamination rate. See China's National Sword.
Consumables
Enjoyables
Gift wrapping Ideas
- Use a reusable container, tiffin, or washable cloth lunch box.
Plastic snack bags, such as Ziplocs are typically only used once and then disposed in the landfill. Never throw them in the plastic recycling. If you have access to plastic film recycling, they can be disposed of there (but keep in mind, this is not a sustainable system to support wholeheartedly).
Single-use water bottles are made of plastic.