Single-Use Plastic: How To Reduce Your Usage In The Kitchen.

Single-use plastic usage is at an all time high. In the UK it is estimated that five million tonnes of plastic is used every year, nearly half of which is packaging.

Whilst some brands and organizations have fought to introduce eco-friendly packaging for produce, most items you’ll find in the supermarkets are still suffocated in single-use plastic wrap.

Some organisations have shifted the pressure off of the individual, and created ways to reduce the consequences that plastic causes such as seabins.

But why should we, as a society, continue to contribute to the problem just because there is a solution, when we could so easily eliminate the problem as a whole

There are some great ways to reduce your use of single-use plastics in the Kitchen without breaking the bank.

Reduce your need to use excess plastic packaging

Refuse excessive packaging by taking your own bags to the supermarket.

Many zero-waste shops and pop-ups allow you to buy fresh, unwrapped produce that you can carry in your own containers, so you can shop without adding to the single-use plastic crisis!

Can’t find the products you love with less packaging? Buy in bulk! This is particularly useful if you’re used to buying individually wrapped goods. Try to buy items with the highest volume of actual product, with the least amount of plastic packaging.

Don’t add to the crisis at home!

So, you’ve reduced the amount of plastic in the products that you buy.

More than 1.2 billion metres of single-use cling film is used and disposed of by households across Britain every year, and like plastic bags, cling film which ends up in the sea is easily confused for jellyfish by marine animals and chokes turtles and other creatures that feed on them.

Beeswax wraps are a brilliant alternative to cling film, allowing you to wrap up your food and keep it fresh for longer, without the environmental detriments.

Or, invest in some Tupperware, or reuse old food containers and jars to store your leftovers. This way you can reduce your personal contribution to the use of single-use plastic, whilst also reducing the amount of food you waste!