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*Before you read this full list, this is your moment to remind yourself that one tiny little Eco Friendly step at a time is what gets us to the finish line. Going completely plastic-free may be a long term goal, but that’s not where most of us start.
Instead, browse the following list and write down 2-3 steps that sound EASIEST. Start with those. Once you get them down, come back to the list and choose one more. Then repeat.

- Bring a reusable bag to the grocery store.
- Bring reusable produce bags to hold your fruits and veggies.
- Always select individual fruits and veggies instead of those wrapped in plastic.
- Instead of buying frozen veggies in plastic bags, buy fresh and freeze them yourself.
- Look for local milk packaged in glass bottles, if available.
- Shop the bulk section at your natural grocery store, if available.
- Use silicone sandwich bags instead of traditional ziploc bags.
- Bring your own coffee mug to a coffee shop (more details here).
- Make your own coffee at home with a Bialetti coffee pot or french press (more details here).
- Select loose-leaf teas instead of plastic tea bags.
- Choose stainless steel reusable straws instead of plastic ones.
- Use a glass reusable water bottle.
- Look for stainless steel kids cups instead of plastic cups.
- Opt for compostable paper plates instead of plastic plates, or just use real plates!
- Clean baby after meals with washcloths instead of paper towels (which usually come packaged in plastic).
- Reuse glass food jars for storing leftovers.
- Use beeswax wraps to replace plastic wrap.
- Opt for stainless steel in the kitchen (for mixing bowls, measuring spoons, measuring cups, colanders, etc.)
- Use a dish soap bar in zero waste packaging for washing dishes.
- Find a natural and biodegradable dish sponge.
- Use a Norwex microfiber cloth to clean your kitchen with just water and ditch the plastic bottles of cleaners (and all those toxic chemicals too)!
- Compost your food scraps to use in your garden instead of giant plastic bags of potting soil or mulch.
- Use a glass water pitcher when entertaining guests instead of a plastic pitcher.
- Order silk dental floss in a glass jar.
- Choose bamboo for your next toothbrush.
- Select skincare packaged in glass bottles (read more here).
- Select mascara packaged in a glass tube instead of plastic (read more here).
- Select lip gloss packaged in glass (read more here).
- Select foundation packaged in glass bottles. [Join my Eco Friendly Momming Facebook Group to learn more about my favorite eco-friendly and toxin free makeup brand!!]
- Use coconut oil from your kitchen pantry to remove eye makeup.
- Use reusable cotton rounds or a soft cloth to remove makeup.
- Look for plastic-free hair ties or a fabric scrunchie.
- Choose a wooden hairbrush over plastic.
- Choose a wooden comb over plastic.
- Find a hairspray in glass packaging.
- Buy shampoo bars in zero waste packaging.
- Buy conditioner bars in zero waste packaging.
- Opt for hand soap bars instead of plastic soap bottles.
- Look for plastic-free bandages.
- Use cloth diapers for diapering your baby.
- Use cloth wipes for diapering your baby.
- Choose glass baby bottles instead of plastic.
- Look for a baby pacifier made of 100% silicone.
- Look for children’s toys made of wood or fabric, and always check for used toys before buying new, to reduce plastic packaging waste.
- Find reusable nursing pads instead of plastic disposable nursing pads.
- Shop for reusable menstrual pads.
- Start shaving with a safety razor instead of a plastic razor – I love mine from EcoRoots!
- Choose a wooden toilet brush instead of plastic.
- Buy toilet paper wrapped in paper instead of plastic.
- Select a powder laundry detergent that is packaged without plastic.
- Use a soap stick for removing laundry stains, instead of a plastic spray bottle full of chemicals.
- Use wool dryer balls instead of laundry sheets.
- For jewelry, invest in quality items made of stainless steel, gold or silver, instead of multiple cheaper jewelry items made of plastic.
- Buy clothing made of all-natural fabrics, such as linen, wool, or organic cotton; try to avoid polyester (which is made of plastic).
- Buy a reusable face mask to combat COVID-19, rather than disposable masks made of plastic.
- Shop from local businesses when possible to avoid plastic shipping materials.
- If you’re an Amazon Prime member, select “Amazon Day” shipping option to combine your orders’ shipments and reduce packaging waste.
- Bring your own food storage container to restaurants for bringing home leftovers.
- Keep a reusable cutlery set in your car to use for carry-out food, instead of disposable plastic utensils.
- Rent movies online or use a monthly subscription service (Netflix, Disney+, etc) instead of filling your shelves with plastic DVD and BluRay containers.
Please leave a comment if you have any plastic-free swaps to add, or share how it goes if you decide to swap something out! I love hearing from you all! 🙂
I LOVE this list. We are planning to start a compost pile, my grandparents have a worm bin and I would love to adopt the use of that. I wish we could use reusable bags, I have a bunch. However, here in NH they totally banned them from use in our grocery stores because of COVID. Perhaps next year I will put them to good use.
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