What You Can Do: Simple Changes to Reduce Plastic (and other) Waste

Arlingtonians, consistent with the national average, throw away almost 5 pounds of trash each day, representing a sizable impact on greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation. While recycling and composting have their place, the best way to rein in our impact is by rethinking our purchasing habits and seeking out products that meet our needs while reducing the amount of packaging and single-use products. Fortunately, there are a growing number of products available and both online and brick-and-mortar stores that offer alternatives.

Here are some ideas for moving closer to a plastic-free or zero waste lifestyle:

• For personal hygiene, use bar soap, shampoo, and conditioner with little or no packaging and try out toothpaste tablets or powders along with bamboo or wooden toothbrushes. Deodorants can be found as bars, for use with reusable containers, or in compostable packaging.
• For washing dishes, look for dishwasher tablets or powders and dish soap bars used with a scrub brush or dish cloth. Old-fashioned cloth towels and dishcloths or reusable cellulose sponges and cloths that can be composted when worn out are better and last longer than plastic and disposable alternatives.
• In the laundry, try out laundry detergent sheets or powder soap in cardboard packaging.
• For household cleaning, look for concentrated tablets or liquids that can be mixed with water in reusable containers or try making your own from common ingredients such as vinegar and baking soda.
• While shopping, don’t just bring your reusable bag but bring along reusable bags for your produce and opt for unpackaged items that can go directly in your cart or a reusable bag. In some stores you can buy items such as rice, beans, oatmeal, and granola from bulk bins using your own bags. Where practical skip single -serving packaging.