4 DIY Alternatives to Plastic
Do your part to reduce plastic pollution with these alternatives to plastic that you can make yourself!
Plastic pollution is strangling aquatic life and polluting our waterways. Sure, you can recycle a lot of your plastic waste, but each time plastic is recycled you end up with a lower quality plastic. That means that eventually that plastic water bottle or food container is headed to the landfill, even if it does make a few pit stops as recycled plastic products along the way.
Avoiding plastic can feel nearly impossible, though, can't it? The stuff is everywhere! Want to get rid of some of the disposable plastic in your day to day? Check out these DIY, reusable alternatives to plastic disposables!
1. Grocery Totes
Bringing your own bag to the store is like green 101, but I think it bears repeating, especially if you're considering buying reusable bags. Many of those reusable grocery totes at the store checkout are made from - you guessed it - plastic. Instead of shelling out cash for yet another piece of plastic, check out this tutorial for making your own reusable mesh grocery bag from an old t-shirt!
2. Produce Bags
Reusable shopping bags are pretty common, but when you're shopping for fresh produce you often end up with those flimsy plastic produce bags, which are not even recyclable. It's easy as pie to make your own reusable produce bags instead!
3. Reusable Snack Bags
Disposable plastic baggies, no more! With super basic sewing skills, anyone can create simple, reusable snack bags for packing things like chips, nuts, pretzels, and even sandwiches (as long as they're not super messy). Head over to my personal site, Glue and Glitter, for my snack bag tutorial!
4. Mason Jar To Go Cups
Who needs disposable plastic water bottles or even soda pops with a plastic lid and straw? It's much easier than you might think to make your own to go cup from a simple mason jar. Instead of a plastic straw, pick yourself up a dishwasher safe glass straw for sustainable sipping.
What crafts have you made to replace single-use plastic with reusable alternatives? Share your tips and ideas in the comments!