Say goodbye to plastic and hello to these fabulous eco-friendly alternatives you can incorporate into your life. BentallGreenOak Residential Services has gathered a few great suggestions to help you say sayonara.
Biodegradable trash bags
When you think hard about it, it doesn't make much sense to use plastic bags to throw out your trash. You might think you're doing a good deed by separating organic and non-organic food, but unfortunately this is not the case. By mixing organic and plastic waste, you're basically contaminating the batch and composting facilities cannot process the waste properly. What you should look for instead is 100% compostable bags, which are eco-friendly and affordable.
Reusable coffee filters
With the rise in popularity of coffee systems such as Keurig and Nespresso, there is an alarming amount of single-serving pods winding up in the garbage. Can they be recycled? Some companies claim they can, but we're not really convinced. What you can do instead is consider getting a reusable filter pod. This will save you money and space! Check out Keurig's refillable coffee pods or these stainless steel pods which are compatible with a Nespresso machine.
Meal Prep Containers
Instead of using plastic for your meal-prep and storage containers, go for stainless steel or glass options. They are both inexpensive and easy to clean, but stainless steel is more durable. The only downfall of glass is that it can break easily if you're not careful. You can reuse glass jars from things you buy such as honey, sauces and pickles and use them as storage containers. This is a great way to save money and reduce waste. Bamboo is another great option which is durable, compostable and very light.
Natural Alternatives to Packaging
When it comes to packaging food, you don't have to use plastic. Great alternatives include aluminum, beeswax and even mushroom packaging. Some countries like Thailand even use banana leaves. All these options are environmentally-friendly and biodegradable. There are many great companies to check out, such as Beebagz, which is a Canadian company that makes its products from cotton, beeswax and jojoba oil. Abeego is another great option that sells a variety of options.
Bar Shampoo and Conditioner
A great way to reduce your waste is to swap liquid shampoo and conditioners for solid bars. Not only are they great alternatives to use at home, but they are also perfect for travelling and you can pack them in your carry-on. There's quite a few places that sell them now including Bulk Barn and Lush. Alternatively, you can check out stores that offer refillable soaps, body lotions and other beauty products.
If you're unsure about where to start when it comes to reducing your plastic waste, we hope these 5 tips from BentallGreenOak are able to point you in the right direction. For information on BentallGreenOak rental properties across Canada, please visit our website.