With so many sustainable brands and products emerging on the market, living a low-waste lifestyle can be easy! 

To help you reduce your plastic use in 2022, we've put together our top tips.

Switch from single-use plastics to reusable products

Ditching plastics altogether may be a big jump, but you can still live a low-waste lifestyle with some plastics hanging around. 

The first place to start is switching from single-use plastics to reusable products. 

• Swap takeaway coffee cups for a reusable one, like Frank Green or these Reusable Ceramic Cups
• Avoid buying plastic water bottles and instead, carry a reusable bottle with you.
• Take cloth grocery bags and produce bags with you when food shopping. We love these jute mesh shoppers from Green Apple Duck. 
• Invest in reusable cutlery for picnics, parties and outdoor festivities rather than buying plastic utensils. 
• Ditch the plastic straws for bamboo, silicone or stainless steel straws. 
• Transition your personal care products like toothpicks, cotton swabs, razors and toothbrushes for reusable options. You'll find lots of zero-waste products here.
• Move away from disposable sanitary items like pads and tampons for menstrual cups, cloth pads or period undies. Give the Hello Cup a try! 
• Make the switch from disposable nappies to washable cloth nappies. 

Changes you can make around the home

Around the home, you can also make some swaps to go zero-waste. These might require a little more investment and time to get used to the changes, but soon they will become part of your ordinary lifestyle. 

• Swap cling wrap for Beeswax wraps
• Invest in glass food containers to use instead of plastic food storage
• Purchase your dry food and cleaning products in bulk to avoid unnecessary plastic packaging 
• Switch to shampoo and conditioner bars. We love the Ethique range
• Rethink your deodorant containers looking for products made in cardboard sticks like Woohoo, tins or jars 
• Use natural sponges instead of the plastic products you'd find in the supermarket
• Avoid wet wipes (yes, they contain plastic!) and opt for reusable cloths like these by Earths Tribe
• Purchase sustainable and plastic-free toys where possible
• Shop for natural fibres in items such as bedding, cushions covers or throws that don't contain micro-plastics
• Seek out plastic-free packaging and become a conscious shopper

Simple things you can do differently to reduce your waste in 2022

We've relied on single-use plastic products for a long time. 

Some of us have only shopped in a supermarket which is a plastic haven. You may have fond memories of outdoor birthdays with plastic cups and plates. Mornings may always start with a takeaway coffee on the way to work.

Breaking any habit takes time. 

We recommend changing one or two things at a time until they become a low-waste habit. Here are some things you can start doing differently that will have a huge impact.

• Refuse single-use products like coffee cups, plastic straws and water bottles when you're out and about 
• Stop saying 'yes' to freebies and marketing merchandise that will shortly land in the bin
• Repair items like holes in jumpers rather than binning them
• Invest in quality products rather than shopping at discount stores or fast-fashion shops where products may be cheap but don't last
• Try your hand at composting to reduce your kitchen waste
• Befriend your freezer to avoid throwing out food close to its expiry 
• Donate items you no longer use rather than throwing them out
• Go digital for books, magazine and newspaper subscriptions or borrow from the library. 

Choose who you support with your $$

We all have great intentions and want to do want we can to reduce our impact. 

One big way you can reduce your plastic use in 2022 and minimise your footprint is by choosing where you spend your dollars. 

• Eat and drink at cafés and restaurants that use real cutlery, paper straws and allow you to bring your own cup. 
• Order take-away from businesses that use plastic-free containers or are happy for you to bring your own. 
• Shop at stores that sell sustainable, locally made or zero-waste products. 
• Support those businesses who have ethical practices.