BCPP Overview: Small Changes, Big Impact: How to Reduce Plastic Use in Your Home

Plastic is everywhere — in our kitchens, bathrooms, closets, and landfills. The average household accumulates an alarming amount of single-use plastic every week, from grocery bags and beverage bottles to food packaging and disposable utensils. The good news? Making the switch to a lower-plastic lifestyle doesn’t have to be overwhelming or expensive. With a few intentional swaps and habits, you can dramatically cut down on the plastic coming into — and going out of — your home.

The key is to start simple. Bring a cloth bag to the grocery store, swap your liquid soap for a bar, or ask your local deli to wrap your cheese and meat in paper. Many of these small changes have a compounding effect: when you reduce the amount of waste you generate overall, you’ll naturally find yourself reaching for fewer plastic trash bags too. From the farmer’s market to your kitchen pantry, every choice adds up. Ready to get started? Here are 50 practical ways to reduce plastic use in your household — and make your home a little greener in the process.

1. Bring your own cloth bags to the store.
2. Don’t buy beverages bottles in plastic. Glass is great.
3. Carry your own reusable steel or ceramic beverage container. If they’re too pricey, use a glass mason jar! Heavy, but cheap.
4. Don’t get to-go coffee or hot drinks. Your drink lid and cup will live on for over 100 years! The lids and linings are plastic. Bring your own or ask for a ceramic, reusable cup.
5. Go to the farmer’s market and purchase fresh fruits and veggies (not packaged in\ plastic).
6. Don’t buy convenience foods packages in plastic.
7. Avoid plastic tea bags.
8. Make your own bread or buy bread from bakeries that are packaged in paper.
9. Clean with baking soda and vinegar instead of cleaners packaged in plastic.
10. Buy laundry detergent in boxes, not liquid in plastic containers.
11. Buy fresh eggs in reusable paper containers.
12. Get your cheese from the deli and place it in your own container (glass or a plastic one that you already have, don’t waste what you already have!) or get it wrapped in paper.
13. Buy your meat from the deli and have it wrapped in paper.
14. Package your leftovers in glass containers.
15. Bring your own containers to restaurants to package leftovers.
16. Use bar soap to wash your dishes. Dr. Bronner’s is perfect.
17. Use perfume in a glass bottle if you want a nice smell.
18. Do not use air fresheners- they contain toxic chemicals including plasticizers!
19. Store all your food in glass containers. If you purchase something bottled in glass, clean it and reuse it!
20. Buy bulk cereal, bring your own paper bags.
21. Buy tortilla chips packaged in paper bags.
22. Buy bulk coffee packaged in paper or in cans or bring your own bags.
23. Buy milk in paper cartons.
24. Buy peanut butter that is packaged in glass containers.
25. Buy bar soap, not liquid body wash.
26. Compost your trash, reduce your use of plastic trash bags.
27. Line small trash bins in your house with paper bags.
28. When ordering drinks, say “no straws or plastic cups please!”
29. Buy real maple syrup in glass bottles.
30. Buy toilet paper that is wrapped in paper, not plastic.
31. Don’t use plastic zip bags. If you need to keep things like half an onion, use a glass container.
32. Use cloth rags for clean up around the house, no paper towels – reduces your trash and need for trash bags.
33. Use matches instead of plastic encased lighters. They usually give them to you for free at the liquor store.
34. Use cloth napkins. They feel nice and reduce your waste and use of plastic trash bags.
35. If you want a fun drink, buy chocolate milk in a carton or apple juice in glass bottle. You can also ferment your own drinks in glass mason jars.
36. Bring your own bag to all stores you shop in and say “no bag needed, thanks!”
37. Put empty cardboard boxes in your car to transport heavy items to and from your car without a bag.
38. Say “paper not plastic” at the grocery store.
39. Don’t use plastic cutting boards. Use wood or glass.
40. Use baby bottles made of glass.
41. Use stainless steel sippy cups for kids.
42. Use cloth-based toys for your pets, like catnip mice and soft squishy balls.
43. Buy cloth diapers. Many great varieties available and better for your baby. We fill a super bowl size hole every day with disposal diapers that will leach toxins into the environment for centuries to come.
44. Buy CDs packaged in cardboard sleeves or buy your music online.
45. Use junk mail and other paper to stuff into big packages to ship instead of bubble wrap or air-filled plastic.
46. Use real silverware for parties instead of plastic.
47. Use rechargeable batteries to reduce buying batteries packaged in plastic.
48. Make a compost heap to reduce your food waste and put it back into the earth.
49. Use a reusable cloth bag or old fashioned steel lunch box to carry your lunch to work or school.
50. Make your own yogurt in glass mason jars. It’s easy!