It is believed there are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in our oceans. On top of that, across the globe, shoppers are using around 500 billion single-use plastic bags every year. Australia alone uses 6.9 billion plastic bags per year. While it’s great to see shopping giants such as Coles and Woolworths have recently jumped onboard in an effort to reduce our nation’s usage of plastic, there are other ways you as an individual can contribute to a healthier and safer environment for all.

If you feel like the problem is too big for you to make a difference, we’re here to tell you otherwise. That’s why we’ve put together this list of 4 eco-friendly everyday products to show you just how easy it is to replace plastic products with recyclable and reusable alternatives. Want to help our planet? Lead by example, starting with switching out plastic for the below replacements.
 

Reusable Shopping Bags

How often do you go to the shops? Once, twice, three times a week or more? Many people don’t even realise how much plastic they use and waste when they go shopping. The good news? There are countless eco-friendly products out there that can easily reduce or completely eliminate your plastic waste when you go shopping. Reusable shopping bags are a great plastic-free alternative to take with you everywhere you go. Also rising in popularity as our society becomes more environmentally conscious are reusable produce bags that you can put your fruit and veggies in. They are the ideal replacement for wasteful, environmentally damaging plastic bags. Check out our range of produce bags for an eco-friendly plastic swap.
 

Reusable Coffee Cups

Single-use coffee cups, unfortunately, account for a large amount of unnecessary plastic waste and pollution. However, by purchasing a reusable, eco-friendly coffee cup, you can significantly help reduce this waste. Think about it: how often do you get a takeaway coffee? If you’re a coffee drinker, at least once a day, right? That’s a lot of unnecessary and harmful waste. Why not keep a reusable coffee cup in your car or bag? That way, wherever you go, you’ll always have an eco-friendly alternative for your daily takeaway coffee. In fact, many cafes these days offer discounts for people who bring reusable coffee cups. Check out our popular range of reusable coffee cups and make the switch.
 

Reusable Drink Bottles

Did you know that each year in Australia an estimated 370 million plastic water bottles end up in landfills? This plastic doesn’t just end up in landfills, in our oceans and other parts of our beautiful environment but also contains BPA, which is a potentially dangerous chemical that is found in plastic products. The harm? BPA can leak into your water and cause you unnecessary illness. If you’re looking to eradicate plastic bottle pollution and keep yourself safe from harmful chemicals, it’s time to make the switch to reusable drink bottles that are BPA free. 
 

Reusable Straws

It’s an ordinary, small piece of plastic that comes with most drinks we order, from iced-coffees to soft drinks, to even a simple glass of water. And, while at first, a small straw might not seem like a problem, when you total up its global usage, plastic straws are a nightmare for the environment. The good news is that many restaurants and chains are finally waking up to the negative environmental plastic straws have, with McDonalds recently announcing their plan to phase out plastic straws across their Australian outlets by 2020. But what can you do as an everyday consumer? When you order a drink, ask for it without a straw. Or, take your own eco-friendly reusable straws with you, such as Ever Eco bamboo drinking straws. These straws are hand-made using all-natural bamboo and are the perfect replacement for toxic and chemically-laden plastic straws. There is also a huge selection of stainless steel straws to choose from, a great choice for the whole family!

We hope this article has brought to light just how easy it is to make the switch from harmful plastic to safer, eco-friendlier options!