Plastic - not so fantastic

Your Challenge

Did you know you can get plastic-free alternatives to many everyday household essentials including toothbrushes, cotton buds, hairbrushes and razors?

Swap bathroom plastics (bottles, tubs and tubes) for reduced packaging or packaging-free alternatives.

Start by having a look around your bathroom and kitchen and you might be shocked to see how many of the products you’ve bought come in plastic packaging. While some of this is unavoidable, there are things we can all swap to help make our homes more ocean friendly:

The best option would be to choose items with no packaging at all. For example, try shampoo or conditioner in a bar rather than from a plastic bottle. Or swap your bathroom and kitchen liquid hand soap for a bar of soap.
If these are not possible, choosing refills is the next best alternative. For example, could you refill containers of shampoo, soap and other toiletries like face wash? You can even buy reusable fabric pads to replace cotton pads to help clean your face and remove makeup. Often you can find recycled pads too.
If these are not available, choose packaging that is natural and recyclable (like paper and card). Look for 100% recycled or FSC-certified packaging to make sure brands are acting responsibly.

As the popularity of sustainable alternatives grows, most of these can be found in your local supermarket. Alternatively we have a sustainable living collection in our online shop and as a My Footprint App user, you can receive an exclusive 10% discount on all merchandise by using the code APP10.

Why you're doing this

Plastic is made from fossil fuels that damage the environment when extracted and processed, resulting in pollution and carbon emissions. Once used, we throw plastic in the bin or recycling bin, where it makes its way either to landfill, incineration, or to be recycled. Most plastics also aren’t recycled – instead they’re burned or sent to landfill often in developing countries, where they wash into rivers and seas. Every year, 12 million tonnes of plastic waste ends up in our oceans, ^[1] killing and harming marine life.

How you'll make a difference

Any small reduction in plastic from your routine will help avoid the environmental impacts of plastic, including emissions and pollution. And you’ll send a message to supermarkets that there is a demand for eco-friendly products and more manufacturers will support the demand for plastic-free products.

Share this challenge

Track your progress

in the My Footprint App

Track your progress and discover many more challenges in the My Footprint app. Available for iOS and Android devices.