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Single use plastic reduction-any ideas welcome

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TheMum
TheMum Community member Posts: 4 Listener
in Coffee lounge
Hello!  I'm new to this forum and to discussion/social media groups.  I can't believe it's taken me 12 years to join but I'm ready now!  My 12yo is recording her single use plastic load this week and it's an eye opener even for us!  We've been swapping things for a while but have a long way to go.  It never fails to amaze me what folk some up with and not usually Heath Robinsonesque, just sensible ideas.  Maybe to make ideas visually easier to see, we can do a swap list, no more 'has been' list and a future list?  Here's mine, some have a little speil after to explain!  
Any ideas will be really appreciated, thank you!
SWAP: 
WUKA period pants- made with birch wood pulp these can be washed and worn for up to 8 hours which is a school day.  No leaks either and very comfy.  Ideal for the environment and really lovely for anyone having difficulties with fine/gross motor skills.  Very comfy and a hit with my 12yo.
Bamboo Toothbrush
Lush shampoo bars
soap bars not liquid
metal or bamboo straws
cut up towels, wet with water and essential oil in JOJOMaman wet wipe handy container (it is plastic but fit in wheelchair and ours is 12 years old and still good as new)
Home made air freshener made with old room spray bottle and water/essential oil
white vinegar and lemon juice in spray bottle for house cleaning and soda crystals
Ben and Anna deodorant -very expensive and does last months-I've made my own deodorant and this works and smells lovely!
jam jars for herbs and spices with label made of scrap envelopes 'stuck on' with posty's elastic band
taking jars to by herbs/spices and loose tea leaves
take containers to supermarket for thins like fish, pate or sausages
using Butcher to eliminate plastic meat trays
ive stopoed ironing everything!
"If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down!"  This is our toilet mantra!
Ikea ice pop silicone tubes to make healthier ice lollies
make our own play dough with natural colouring and essential oils and environmental glitter!
using a microcloth and white vinegar to wash windows
 eyes wax shoe polish
ive got no eyebrows and have now a lovely pair made by Microblading!  New eyebrows and no more plastic make up melarky!
i love my slow cooker!
eco wraps for sardines

 Hasbeens
no more cotton buds, even paper ones-I've reverted to my childhood and use a tightly twisted loo roll
ive stopped dying my hair-this is a biggy for me?
No more cheap candles-beeswax or vegetable oil, responsibly sourced (and rarely use as expensive!)

future 
try growing veggie Stubbs and avocados!
make my own almond milk and use pulp for baking
try to use veggie scraps for stock, put in the freezer
use new skill of basket weaving to make bird feeders and plant props!
any ideas welcome for freezer food wrap/bags
any ideas anyone can offer!

Thank you for in advance for your ideas

TheMumx
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  • April2018mom
    April2018mom Posts: 2,882 Disability Gamechanger
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    Have you tried FB marketplace or Freecycle? Other good sites to try include GumTree. Thanks for your tips!
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  • TheMum
    TheMum Community member Posts: 4 Listener
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    Hi April-yes I do those when we need to.  I collected some free soil for my veggie pots recently.  We buy clothes from char shops and sales or those antiques emporiums. I'm abit nervous of EBay after making a few size errors!  Thank you for these reminders xx
    hopefully speak to you again! ?
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  • TheMum
    TheMum Community member Posts: 4 Listener
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    I've been using honey shampoo bar from Lush, made in Poole, Dorset.  it's very foamy SLSs? and leaves hair really soft, so if you're used to a conditioner, I wouldn't bother.  They last a lot longer than a bottle in our house.  Worth looking them up as they list all the ingredients and some are too perfumed for me e.g deodorant bar.  I've just recently tried a natural bar with oils and the lady advised me to use apple cider vinegar (dry hair less, oily hair more) as a conditioner afterwards. Can rinse, spray rub in whatever's easier.  I'll let you know if this works!
    re Almond milk- try the recipe ideas from eagerforlife.com.au.  I separate my pulp and dry it in the oven very low temp before whizzing it into almond flour/meal for baking.  I buy from a shop called Grapetree.  Almonds are very expensive for good reasons so I only make this occasionally.  I wonder if it's cheaper for you to make as you go (you don't have to separate pulp) And make a weeks worth??

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