Practising a plastic-free lifestyle: What, why and how? (Part 1) Leave a comment

(Part 1) Plastic Free July is the perfect opportunity to make some simple yet significant swaps in your life. As we approach this important date in the calendar, why not choose to make the month a pivotal point in your eco-friendly journey?

Let’s start with the stats. In the UK, it is estimated that five million tonnes of plastic are used every year. It’s a huge figure that can be hard to grasp, but think 495 Eiffel Towers and you get a better idea! Over the past six decades, plastic has been praised for its versatility, produced in abundance and disposed of substantially. 

But now, many begin to realise the full extent of the damage that plastic causes. Since plastic waste does not decompose, it is essentially indestructible. This means that nearly every toothbrush made since the 1930s is still out there, existing on the planet. Surviving centuries in landfill, littering the natural environment, contributing to carbon dioxide emissions, polluting waterways and harming creatures, plastic has left a harrowing legacy. 

Plastic Free July exists to confront this. The global movement challenges a throwaway culture, particularly where single-use plastic is concerned, and dreams of a world without plastic – if not a better understanding of its effects and reduction in its manufacture. We believe this month-long initiative is a great opportunity to make changes, and the perfect stepping stone to both honouring and protecting the world we live in. Here’s a couple of easy but impactful areas to consider. 

Sustainable skincare

From shaving to sun cream, moisturising to makeup and body wash to deodorant, the beauty industry’s blueprint for years has been seemingly packaged in plastic and often containing plastic too. In 2017, the flaws in the beauty industry became evident when stats revealed it had produced 76.8 billion units of plastic packaging that year alone, with figures on the rise. Over the past year, trends such as unboxing have brought this to light even more so. 

To avoid the ugly side of the beauty industry, we urge you to choose sustainable skincare. There are a range of plastic-free alternatives to almost every offering on the high street, all of which boast ethical production, natural ingredients and cruelty-free processes. Take a look at Beauty Kitchen for example, one of our newest stockists with 20% off in early July. The brand is tackling niche areas such as glitter, much of which in the mainstream contains harmful microplastics that have caused the product to completely lose its sparkle.

Harmless haircare

It was recently revealed that British households use 216 haircare bottles annually… yes, you read that right! This includes shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, hair gel and heat protector, of which only half is recycled. Let’s try not to get tangled up in this destructive way of life. If you’re as astonished as we were by these statistics, you may already be considering how to confront this pressing issue and reduce your plastic consumption in the bathroom. 

A cornerstone company in changing the industry for the better, Moo Hair is here to wash those worries away. With 15% off in early July, the company’s commitment to using recyclable materials has been uncompromising from day one. Their range of luxury, high quality salon products use only natural-derived, vegan and palm oil-free ingredients in sustainable packaging. We hope to convince you that switching to natural shampoo isn’t as daunting as you think, and is completely worth it.

In part two of our Plastic Free July blog, we’ll venture through the topic of conscious cleaning and green gardening. Don’t miss it!

Written by Hannah Stark