Reducing plastic use is a concept that gained serious attention last year. Many people took action then, but not all plastic is toxic, and there are as many types of plastic as there are mosquitoes in summer, so it is certainly not easy. That is why we have put together some simple tips on how you can get started and how you can begin the project, because it really is a project.
In short, reducing plastic use means clearing plastic items out of your home, since plastic can contain harmful chemicals.
We should mention right away that legislation ensures that certain plastic items are free from harmful chemicals, such as toys, so a good tip when buying toys is to read the packaging carefully. If the toy is free from toxins, it will say so on the packaging.
Unfortunately, plastic is usually made from non-renewable raw materials, such as crude oil. This does not fit with our focus on circularity and reuse, BUT at the same time, it would be very difficult to live entirely without plastic. Just think of the computer you are using now—it would be rather bulky if it were made of wood, wouldn’t it?
It is therefore important to cut down on all unnecessary plastic and consider two things when buying items: the environmental impact and health. Is the product, either as a product or as waste, harmful to nature? Is the plastic product harmful to my health or someone else’s?
How to reduce plastic use in 10 simple steps
1. Replace plastic kitchen utensils, especially black ones. (The carcinogenic substance methylenedianiline is found in black amide plastic, which plastic spatulas, for example, are often made of.) Heat makes plastic more likely to release hazardous substances, and in the kitchen they end up directly in our food, giving them a direct route into our bodies. (Feel free to search online; there are studies and reports about heat and plastic.) Old plastic items are often worse than new ones and release more toxins. Replace them with wood and metal.
2. Also replace non-stick frying pans with cast-iron ones (non-stick coatings often contain PFOA, which is suspected to be carcinogenic). This also applies to baking pans with a Teflon coating.
3. Also avoid cans with a plastic lining (unless it explicitly states that the plastic lining is safe).
Also avoid glass jars with metal lids that have a soft plastic lining or plastic sealing strip. If you have such jars, store them upright so that the contents do not come into contact with the lid.
4. Do not put plastic in the microwave—transfer food to porcelain or glass before heating it in the microwave.
5. Remember PET, and look for PET when you shop—it’s a decent plastic. PET plastic is one of our most common plastics, and it is also harmless as long as no substances have been added, which is uncommon. PET plastic is the type of plastic that, for example, beverage bottles are made of—but it must not be used in a microwave and should ALWAYS be sorted for recycling. (All of Västerbottenssåpa’s packaging is made of PET plastic.)
6. Items for our little ones—baby bottles, cutlery, mugs, and plates—are often made of plastic. Replace them! You can find good alternatives at Lapland EcoStore.
7. Replace plastic cutting boards, dish brushes, and dishcloths with environmentally friendly, non-toxic alternatives made from natural materials. Wooden cutting boards have an undeservedly bad reputation; you can clean them easily and effectively with soap, hot water, and a rice-root dish brush. Dishcloths are available in compostable versions that can also withstand machine washing, and you can easily clean the wooden dish brush with soap and a rice-root brush to make it fresh again. Available from Västerbottenssåpa—cutting boards will be back in stock in mid-January.
8. Change the way you think! Always consider your health and the environment when you shop. Always ask yourself: Is there a better alternative? If it’s more expensive, choose less but better.
9. Bring your own bag to the store—In Sweden, we use around 100 plastic bags per person per year.
10. Talk to the children. Explain the dangers of harmful plastics to them—children are often both wise and engaged. The children will help you reduce your use of plastic, keep an eye on plastic bags so they don’t end up in nature, and once they understand for themselves, they’ll think reducing plastic is quite fun.
The girls in the picture have just replaced lots of plastic brushes with a few really good wooden brushes, and it was actually really fun.
