The road to reducing your waste is very doable. Some simple alternatives will dramatically reduce your footprint. Here are some ideas!

Hygiene 

The Waste Problem: Disposable razors
Why: Non-recyclable, expensive
The Alternative: Safety razor (they look like this)
 
The Waste Problem: Plastic toothbrushes
Why: Non-recyclable
The Alternative: Bamboo compostable and sustainable toothbrushes (like these)
 
The Waste Problem: Cotton balls
Why: Cotton is very pesticide and water intensive and they are not recyclable 
The Alternative: Reusable cotton rounds (These guys) 

Everyday essentials  

The Waste Problem: Disposable plastic bags
Why: Go straight to landfill, very infrequently recycled
The Alternative: Organic cotton bag or reusable bag 
 
The Waste Problem: Plastic water bottles
Why: Not often recycled, end up in landfill, completely avoidable
The Alternative: Reusable water bottle (stainless steel or glass)
 
The Waste Problem: Plastic straws
Why: End up in landfill, completely avoidable
 
The Waste Problem: Wrapping paper
Why: It goes straight to the landfill and is infrequently reused
The Alternative: Re-use newspaper and biodegradable twine from a hardware store

Cleaning 

The Waste Problem: Paper towels
Why: Non-recyclable
The Alternative: Reusable towels 
 
The Waste Problem: A slew of cleaning products 
Why: They contain chemicals and are unnecessary
The Alternative: White Vinegar used as a counter or mirror cleaner, pre-soak for laundry
 
The Waste Problem: Dry cleaning
Why: Environmentally unfriendly
The Alternative: Hand washing, steaming, ironing, and line drying

Kitchen

The Waste Problem: Individually packed coffee pods
Why: Uses plastic, and are not recyclable 
The Alternative: A French Press /Coffee plunger
 
The Waste Problem: Plastic cutting boards
Why: Non-recyclable
The Alternative: Wooden cutting boards 
 
The Waste Problem: Plastic utensils 
Why: Non-recyclable
The Alternative: Stainless steel silverware 
 
The Waste Problem: Plastic cooking utensils 
Why: Tend to melt and could leach toxins into your food
The Alternative: Bamboo utensils
 
The Waste Problem: Sponge
Why: Non-recyclable or compostable
The Alternative: Compostable and reusable dish brush 
 
The Waste Problem: Plastic dish racks 
Why: Cannot be recycled 
The Alternative: Lay your dishes out on a reusable towel to dry
 
The Waste Problem: Plastic Tupperware
Why: It poses possible toxicity risks and can leach chemicals into your food
The Alternative: Mason Jars
 
The Waste Problem: Non-stick pan
Why: Toxic non-stick coating
The Alternative: Cast iron pans

South Africa discards tonnes of waste each year and we’re running out of landfill sites.

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