[Challenge] Plastic Waste
News such as these of the real damage plastic is causing will hopefully impact, mold and change public opinion.
I’m so anxious about my plastic consumption. I’ve already started using reusable bags for shopping and buying fruits and veggies. I use a reusable bottle and cup for drinks out and about and I have a sodastream so I never have to buy bottles of sparkling water (which I drink a lot). I use plastic free toiletries (shampoo, body wash, face wash etc).
My next goal is to spread the word so that others know what they can do to reduce their plastic consumption. Even more importantly, I will lobby organisations to reduce their plastic usage. My biggest frustration is that such a large percentage of items at the grocery store is wrapped in plastic and there’s just no way around it. So at least I can ask them to change it.
@Tom @Kathryn_Frimond @Heatherdlc @ValS @Keerangrey @Kerena_Fussell @ig_im_vicole @Speakeasy @alexjenkins1231 @MarkT43 @Alex_Beckett @Hilary_Joy @Jaimie_McMichael @Gazh @shirla @SandyAss @NJS @TimG @Juliet @beloperone. How are you doing on the challenge?! 
Would be great to hear how you’re doing against your commitments. A quick reminder of what you picked and mixed from:
- Not buy water or fizzy drinks in single use plastic bottles
- Use a re-usable hot drink cup or refuse plastic lids on disposables ones provided
- Not use disposable plastic straws or cutlery
- Buy non packaged fruit and veg from supermarkets (or leave the packaging at the till) or get a veg box delivered
- Avoid single use plastic bags by carrying my own re-usable one
- Get plastic free soap through bars or other alternatives
- Get plastic free shampoo and conditioners bars or alternatives
- Refill household detergents through refill schemes
- Capture microfibres from synthetic clothing products in my washing machine
- Avoid purchase of non recycled synthetic clothing and shoe products
- Where possible ensure clothing I am disposing of is re-used
- When my family purchases tyres for the car I will push for longer lasting tyres to be bought (over 50,000 miles)
It would be great if you could let everyone know on your progress to keep them motivated.
Also - has anyone managed to recruit another member to Better Century to do this challenge yet?
You’re all legends!!! Hope it’s going well… 
Loving the fact that getting as much washing into the machine as possible can help reduce microfibres. Jamie’s been nagging at me not to overfill it for years!
Comments below
- Not buy water or fizzy drinks in single use plastic bottles
Yes - using Sodastream
- Use a re-usable hot drink cup or refuse plastic lids on disposables ones provided
Yes
- Not use disposable plastic straws or cutlery
Yes - used own Tupperware and own fork for recently bought kebabs
- Buy non packaged fruit and veg from supermarkets (or leave the packaging at the till) or get a veg box delivered
Yes - Riverford
- Avoid single use plastic bags by carrying my own re-usable one
Yes - use bags for life or my rucksack
- Get plastic free soap through bars or other alternatives
Yes - Faith in Nature soap bought at Healthright in Chesham and Toucan Wholefoods in Minehead
- Get plastic free shampoo and conditioners bars or alternatives
Yes - refilling existing bottles at the Refill project (at Chesham market on Saturdays) or at Healthright
- Refill household detergents through refill schemes
Yes - as above
- Capture microfibres from synthetic clothing products in my washing machine
Not yet - but I don’t own many synthetic fabric clothing items
- Avoid purchase of non recycled synthetic clothing and shoe products
Yes - Vivabarefoot was my last shoe product purchase
- Where possible ensure clothing I am disposing of is re-used
Yes - at recycling points in Chesham and via EBay
- When my family purchases tyres for the car I will push for longer lasting tyres to be bought (over 50,000 miles)
Yes - better tyres purchased
Also - has anyone managed to recruit another member to Better Century to do this challenge yet?
Yes - Lesley Giles
- Not buy water or fizzy drinks in single use plastic bottles CHECK
- Use a re-usable hot drink cup or refuse plastic lids on disposables ones provided CHECK
- Not use disposable plastic straws or cutlery CHECK
- Buy non packaged fruit and veg from supermarkets (or leave the packaging at the till) or get a veg box delivered CHECK
- Avoid single use plastic bags by carrying my own re-usable one CHECK
- Get plastic free soap through bars or other alternatives NOT BUYING YET
- Get plastic free shampoo and conditioners bars or alternatives NOT BUYING YET
- Refill household detergents through refill schemes CHECK
- Capture microfibres from synthetic clothing products in my washing machine HOW CAN I DO THIS?
- Avoid purchase of non recycled synthetic clothing and shoe products HAVEN’T PURCHASED ANY CLOTHES
- Where possible ensure clothing I am disposing of is re-used I’VE DONATED AND GIFTED MANY BABY CLOTHES
- When my family purchases tyres for the car I will push for longer lasting tyres to be bought (over 50,000 miles) HAVE NOT CHANGED TIRES YET
Hi All,
I just found this company that offers fully recyclable heads for mechanical toothbrushes: https://www.livecoco.com/collections/featured-products/products/oral-b-compatible-electric-toothbrush-replacement-heads-triple-pack …you send back the old ones to be recycled to North Shields (as far as I can make out!).
Good news for all of us trying to cut down on plastic but worried about our teeth with some of the eco alternatives to dentist recommended toothpaste! (It’s also vegan). Waitrose have it on offer until next week… Smile for Good
I’ve had these on my radar for a while, but seems to be taking me ages to work through the ones I already had!!
Still not totally sure if I’m supposed to be doing this challenge or not, but I’m doing it anyway…
Had an absolutely brilliant result this week on a couple of my major plastic issues… Crisps & energy bars. I knew of the existence of Yes bars (they are running TV ads) but hadn’t been able to figure out where to buy them. Have now got that sorted. Also, I discovered the rather brilliant Two Farmers crisps! Their packaging on their standard and sharing sized crisps is compostable (26 weeks at home) or you can buy their enormous catering tins! Bit more expensive - as seems to be the case across the board at the moment - but just got our first delivery and they are very tasty!
Two of our other big issues are a well known brand of malt loaf and pitta breads - both of which we buy for packed lunches. Have sourced and tried a really good malt loaf recipe. Can’t guarantee we’ll make it every week, but we’re going to give it ago. Also discovered how easy it is to make flatbreads - so will be making batches of those to freeze as an alternative to pitta breads!
Forgot to include when I posted originally… we’ve also invested in a food dehydrator. This is partly to avoid waste - drying extra kiwi fruits from our Oddbox - but also to cut out plastic packaging on dog treats we’re going to try and make our own…
I’d be really interested in that malt loaf recipe!
Kate - not sure if this will work. The recipe was in Simple Things magazine (which I recommend!) & is from MelIssa Cole’s book.
Kerena,
We’re totally still meant to be doing this challenge!
I need to update you all with my antics soon.
Thanks for the reminder 
Mini update on this challenge. My recycling boxes are now going out every 3 weeks rather than every two weeks and are no longer full. My black sack rubbish is down to half full each fortnight. Also food waste is down to one bag per week from two. Getting there slowly.
Thanks!
Even though I have belated taken the Plastic Challenge, I have been reducing our household plastic use over the last couple of years. The areas I feel particularly proud of, are:
- Plastic free teeth cleaning (apart from the brush !)
- Refilling most of my house cleaning products - lovin’ the iron & velvet
- Body cleaning!
- and finally face cleaning
Hi Rachel - this is all great stuff. On the toothbrush - is that just one that you haven’t got to yet? There are some brilliant bamboo ones. I’ve tried several, but have now settled on Truthbrush - which you can do on subscription. If you’re using an electric brush - check out LiveCoco - they do recyclable heads (which you return to them). There are also lots of deodorants around - but definitely recommend Cacao Pow - smells lovely and really effective!
hi @Kerena_Fussell thanks for that. I hadn’t found any previously - but I’ve actually just bought recyclable brush heads from Brushd - they arrived today. very excited ! I’ll look into Truthbrush as well - subscriptions sounds like a good idea.
Brilliant! Will have a look at Brushd too.