Plastic has been a part of our lives for decades and you might not think about how much is in your home. We get it, it’s only since joining the Sharing Shed Melbourne crew that we’ve started noticing how much disposable plastic is around. Sometimes we can see a lot of unnecessary packaging, yet, in some cases, it’s performed an important role, like keeping food fresh. It’s not practical to abandon plastic overnight. But it’s time to start making changes. When trying to remove plastic from our lives, sometimes we need to find new creative solutions. Here are some tips and inspiration from our team.
Having a party? Don’t rush out for plastic plates, cups and cutlery
We know you don’t want to store bulk catering supplies in your home for that once or twice a year event! Disposable plates and utensils used to be a staple of picnics and barbecues. Who wants to do the dishes? But, to tackle the damage to our environment from unnecessary plastic waste, you can soon borrow our re-usable gear home for washing. Sharing Shed Melbourne will have a party pack to borrow, and other organisations are catering for this (pun intended!) as well.
Balloons, plastic streamers and plastic banners might be fun and easy to grab from the shop, but they’re up for one day and then in the bin. You could get creative with sustainable craft ideas for your next event. Our team got together and sewed some fabulous bunting from fabric scraps. It gets used over and over again by various groups for events and stalls. A fun shaped hole-punch from a craft store can be used to create confetti from dry leaves or recycled paper. Compostable and fun to make too. Get your thinking caps on!
Alarmed by the constant stream of plastic containers you throw away? Use refillable containers instead
Don’t get mad, get even… better at sustainable solutions! Our friends at Roving Refills, Rhyspect food, and bulk-buy co-op Clean Green Sharing Machine can all help you reduce the plastic you buy.
Look for bulk refill centres which are popping up in supermarkets now and start bringing your own containers. Ask at your deli if you can bring your own, many are only too happy to put their products in your clean containers. Head to wholefoods stores like The Source, and bring home only what you need.
It really is possible to reduce your plastic use, addressing one area at a time. Look for where you can borrow the things you need, so one item gets multiple uses. Or replace that plastic with sustainable materials that suit the same purpose. Have fun and get creative with your friends and family to make the move to being plastic-free this July.