I have a few nylon tote bags that fold up super small and I never leave home without one. There's one in my work bag, and one in my purse. When out shopping, I don't let department stores wrap items like clothes, or linens in tissue paper and then put that in a bag. I let them fold it and just hand it to me, so I can put it in my bag. I don't need a bag from the four different stores in the mall - everything can go in the one bag I brought from home.

We haven't bought plastic bags in 15 years. I reuse all the unavoidable bags that come into the house:

bread and cereal bags can be used to pack a sandwich or store something in the fridge. Packed every single one of my kids' lunch sandwiches in one of those and they are now grown and do not have two heads.
They also took actual silverware and glass containers in their lunch boxes and would just bring them home to be washed. No plastic.

Frozen vegetable bags (large size from Costco) are also great for storing food in the fridge or freezer.

I carefully open any large delivery bag (e.g. Amazon or other product) and reuse as trash can liners.

Always take my own bags to the store.

Carefully open those mesh onion bags instead of ripping them and also take to the store to hold fruit and vegetables when shopping. Much better than produce plastic bags from the store because of air circulation.

Avoid takeout like the plague. Take my own glass containers to restaurants in case doggy bag(s) are needed.

Use real plates and glasses for parties and do several dishwasher loads if needed.

Reuse floss for about a week to 10 days (rinse after using, like your toothbrush). I know it's a ridiculously small thing but over millions of people, it would be something.

Beyond plastic, I just look at everything that might go in the trash and see if I can reuse it first at least once. Compost in backyard--no rodent issues.

I suggest doing a little investigation. Look in your trash/recycling bins when you put them out this week. What do you see? You'll probably see a lot of plastic. What's the plastic from? Delivered food packaging, drink containers, product packaging, toiletries? Get curious and go from there. Everyone is different.

I don't let perfect get in the way of good. Go after your biggest plastic waste first:
(I throw out one empty deodorant container every couple of months but last week had an insane amount of Hello Fresh crap - won't let my wife order that again)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will always try to pick the lower plastic version. For instance, at the store last weekend I needed both feta and Parmesan. Instead of buying the shredded kind of each, I bought the cheese in blocks, albeit wrapped in plastic, but in a much smaller amount. Same with lettuce, buy the loose or plastic bags not the clamshell.
If a product comes in a plastic or glass container, choose glass.
If I need to buy something like peanut butter or ketchup that has a long shelf life and will get eaten, I will buy as big of a container as available. It’s still plastic but I figure one large is less plastic than 2 mediums.

I use bar shampoo and conditioner and deodorant that comes in a cardboard container from Ethique.com. All work well.
Buy the Tide detergent that comes in the big orange box, not a plastic bottle.

It’s almost impossible to cut down significantly but you can make small changes that really aren’t difficult.

How well does this work?

Not the pp but I also use ethique and I find it comparable quality to aveda products. I was impressed. Most bar shampoo is kind of eh.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will always try to pick the lower plastic version. For instance, at the store last weekend I needed both feta and Parmesan. Instead of buying the shredded kind of each, I bought the cheese in blocks, albeit wrapped in plastic, but in a much smaller amount. Same with lettuce, buy the loose or plastic bags not the clamshell.
If a product comes in a plastic or glass container, choose glass.
If I need to buy something like peanut butter or ketchup that has a long shelf life and will get eaten, I will buy as big of a container as available. It’s still plastic but I figure one large is less plastic than 2 mediums.

I use bar shampoo and conditioner and deodorant that comes in a cardboard container from Ethique.com. All work well.
Buy the Tide detergent that comes in the big orange box, not a plastic bottle.

It’s almost impossible to cut down significantly but you can make small changes that really aren’t difficult.

How well does this work?

It works quite well. No complaints!

Ethique.com or other brand bar soap, shampoo and conditioner
Blueland pods for cleaning supplies and foaming hand soap
Dropps dishwasher detergent
Earth Breeze or other brand laundry detergent sheets
If you have a nearby store (Yes!Organic, Mom’s Organic) that sells foods in bulk you can bring your own container to buy staples
And for vegetables by them loose instread of packaged if available and bring your own bag for them

The YouTube channel Shelbizlee has some helpful, practical videos on things you can do

Anonymous wrote:Buy silicone bags such as Stashers instead of Ziplock. They are an expensive up-front cost but it literally saves tons of plastic.

We use glass containers for food storage. The lids are plastic but we aren't throwing them away.

We save jars from olives, peanut butter, etc and use them for storage or use them when we take stuff like salad dressing along with a salad to a pot luck.

We buy powdered Gatorade instead of plastic bottles. (I don't love the stuff but my son is doing sports camps in the hot sun every day)

Thanks for this suggestion. I'd like to try the silicone bags, but I've seen mixed reviews on them.

Anonymous wrote:I was walking around my new neighborhood of Vienna, VA today and noticed this store on Church St: https://www.tracezerowaste.com/

This looks interesting. Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:I will always try to pick the lower plastic version. For instance, at the store last weekend I needed both feta and Parmesan. Instead of buying the shredded kind of each, I bought the cheese in blocks, albeit wrapped in plastic, but in a much smaller amount. Same with lettuce, buy the loose or plastic bags not the clamshell.
If a product comes in a plastic or glass container, choose glass.
If I need to buy something like peanut butter or ketchup that has a long shelf life and will get eaten, I will buy as big of a container as available. It’s still plastic but I figure one large is less plastic than 2 mediums.

I use bar shampoo and conditioner and deodorant that comes in a cardboard container from Ethique.com. All work well.
Buy the Tide detergent that comes in the big orange box, not a plastic bottle.

It’s almost impossible to cut down significantly but you can make small changes that really aren’t difficult.

How well does this work?

Do not buy beverages in plastic. Soft drinks in cans rather than plastic bottles. Or Lemonade in cardboard cartons Drink filtered tap water.

I keep canvas grocery bags in my car and other reusable bags in different sizes. Whenever I'm running into the grocery store, or Michaels or Target, I grab the number of bags I will need and take them in the store with me. After unpacking at home, I put them back in the car. Its super easy and I never have to take a plastic or paper bag.

I was walking around my new neighborhood of Vienna, VA today and noticed this store on Church St: https://www.tracezerowaste.com/

Buy silicone bags such as Stashers instead of Ziplock. They are an expensive up-front cost but it literally saves tons of plastic.

We use glass containers for food storage. The lids are plastic but we aren't throwing them away.

We save jars from olives, peanut butter, etc and use them for storage or use them when we take stuff like salad dressing along with a salad to a pot luck.

We buy powdered Gatorade instead of plastic bottles. (I don't love the stuff but my son is doing sports camps in the hot sun every day)

I will always try to pick the lower plastic version. For instance, at the store last weekend I needed both feta and Parmesan. Instead of buying the shredded kind of each, I bought the cheese in blocks, albeit wrapped in plastic, but in a much smaller amount. Same with lettuce, buy the loose or plastic bags not the clamshell.
If a product comes in a plastic or glass container, choose glass.
If I need to buy something like peanut butter or ketchup that has a long shelf life and will get eaten, I will buy as big of a container as available. It’s still plastic but I figure one large is less plastic than 2 mediums.

I use bar shampoo and conditioner and deodorant that comes in a cardboard container from Ethique.com. All work well.
Buy the Tide detergent that comes in the big orange box, not a plastic bottle.

It’s almost impossible to cut down significantly but you can make small changes that really aren’t difficult.

Title says it all. Any good tips or products you've found helpful for reducing plastic usage? As a family, we'd like to do better. Thanks!