Pause for a moment and think about how many single-use plastic items you use on a daily basis. Single bottled water, a to-go coffee cup, and a takeaway food container seem insignificant. But when you multiply it with millions of other people`s coffee cups and plastic bottles, it becomes a serious threat to the environment. This article aims to present you with the best reusable alternatives to single-use plastics. Create a healthier environment simply by changing a few habits. You will feel better, save money on products that you can reuse for years to come and save the planet. Bamboo and wheat straws Plastic straws are a number one choking danger for sea turtles. This alone should be enough for us to stop using the straws at all. Luckily, we can use naturally biodegradable, antibacterial bamboo straws without endangering our planet. Wheat straws are also an excellent choice, as they are high-quality, durable, and, most importantly, reusable. Both bamboo and wheat straws are durable, but you can use them as plant sticks and never throw them away. Bamboo straws come in a stone paper packaging and with a metal brush, so you don`t have to worry about cleaning them. Reusable water bottles Whenever we go to a picnic or when the weather is hot outside, we reach out to plastic water bottles to refresh ourselves. After this, we throw the bottle away as it has served its purpose. Implement the habit of using a recycled stainless steel water bottle that will keep your beverage cold for up to 48 hours instead. A stainless steel water bottle is reusable, recyclable, and dishwasher friendly. Reusable water bottles are the future of our plastic-free planet. Not only is it eco-friendly, but it is also excellent for your finances. You don`t have to spend money on plastic bottles when you can pour the water into your reusable water bottle. Food containers Ordering take-out food or preparing food at home and taking it to your workplace or school usually mean using plastic food containers. Not anymore, as you can use and reuse your stainless steel food container for decades to come. Is there anything better than using plastic-free food containers for kids? When you want to pick up your takeaway food, mention that you have your own packaging and avoid single-use plastic containers. These small changes contribute to a more significant cause and lead to a healthier environment for us and our kids. Bamboo cutlery sets Disposable, plastic utensils break easily, don`t last long, and pollute the environment. Bamboo cutlery sets will be perfect for your picnic, a party, or utensils for takeaway food. You can use them countless times, and when you finish with them, throw them into your dishwasher machine, and they will be ready in no time. With bamboo cutlery sets, you will forget when you bought them, as they are durable and, most importantly, biodegradable. Even if you lose them during your picnic, you can rest assured they will biodegrade soon without harming the environment. Bamboo is a fantastic material that is compostable. Composting has a plethora of benefits for the environment, helping the circular economy and improving the quality of the soil. Switching to the bamboo products we mentioned is taking a huge step towards reducing single-use plastic. Bamboo plates Speaking of bamboo cutlery sets, they will perfectly match the bamboo plates. Forget about the plastic single-use plates as you enjoy your food from 100% compostable bamboo plates. When you are on the lookout for dishware for your kids, people often decide to use plastic plates as they cannot break as ceramics can. But bamboo plates are even better for your toddlers that are learning to eat on their own. Antibacterial, dishwasher safe, and hard to break, bamboo plates are a perfect choice for your young ones. Reusable coffee cups Coffee lovers enjoy every sip of freshly made coffee. Going on a trip or starting work without coffee can seem like a nightmare. Instead of purchasing coffee and drinking it from a single-use container, you can switch to reusable coffee cups. When ordering a to-go coffee, have your coffee cup filled, or make coffee at home and bring it with you. Coffee tastes better when you know you are helping to save the planet while you drink it from a reusable cup. Glass and paper cups Plastic cups have been an irreplaceable part of every party, meeting, and other gatherings for decades. The time has come to replace them with either glass cups or paper cups. You can reuse glass cups, while paper cups are a much healthier alternative for the environment than the plastic ones. Single-use products are sometimes easier to use, as you can throw them away when you finish using them. But knowing what single-use plastics are doing to marine life and the environment in general, it is worth transitioning to reusable options. Every product has an eco-friendly alternative, and we are responsible for including them as much as we can in our daily lives. Statistics about plastic pollution, one of the biggest environmental problems of 2023, are worse than ever. Around 11 million metric tons of plastic end up in the oceans each year. Balloons Balloons surely do make a party more magical, especially helium ones. Whether for a wedding, birthday party, or a promotion party, a party without balloons as a decoration is not the same. Just like with other single-use plastic products, balloons have their eco-friendly alternative. Paper lanterns are reusable, easy to store as they collapse flat, and most importantly, they are made of paper, and not plastic. You can use them all year round as a decoration at your home, only take them out when hosting a party. The paper lanterns look amazing in the garden, as well as in your living room. Bamboo razor with stainless steel blades Single-use razors are a thing of the past. A plastic handle of the razor is harmful to our planet. With a perfect reusable bamboo handle, you can forget about single-use razors. The stainless steel blade will make shaving a pleasant experience with excellent results. Smooth skin and an eco-friendly product are a fantastic combination that proves you don`t have to give up on comfort to save the planet. Disposable razors are convenient, but it is even more convenient to use a high-quality bamboo razor over and over again. Cotton bags for groceries Every time we go to a grocery store, we use plastic bags to carry our groceries home. This everyday habit is detrimental to our environment as it increases the use of single-use plastic. Instead, opt for a cotton or mesh produce bag for your veggies and fruit. Not only can you use cotton bags for your trip to the grocery store, but you can also use them to carry books from the library, clothes, or any other item that can fit in a bag. Should you reuse plastic at home? Absolutely yes. Always try to reuse plastic as often as possible before you take it to the recycling center. There are plenty of ways to reuse plastic at home. For example, you can clean the food containers and use them at least a few more times. After that, use them to store small toys or items such as screws and bolts. After you use a plastic water bottle: Don`t throw it away. Keep the water for watering flowers in it and refill it every time. Fill the empty water bottle with rice, pasta, or flour and turn it into a sensory toy for your kids. Use plastic bags to cover fragile items that you need to store or transport during relocation. They will protect your items from scratch, dust, and insects. Are the alternatives to plastic always a better option? You may wonder whether using alternative products is always more eco-friendly. If you are switching to natural materials such as bamboo, then the answer is positive. It would be best if you also tried to purchase products from companies that are B corp certified. B corp certified companies are companies that have a higher goal to protect the environment while making a profit at the same. Unlike traditional companies, whose main goal is profit, these companies operate with nature in mind. For example, you will find plastic-free products but also products made of bioplastic, which is more eco-friendly. Why switch to reusable alternatives to single-use plastics? Buying single-use plastic products may be somewhat more straightforward as you use them and throw them away. But this comes with a high price. We may throw the plastic bottle or straws in the recycling container, but the truth is, it will take hundreds of years for the product to actually degrade. What happens to all the plastic that is not recycled? It goes straight to the landfill and oceans, posing a life threat to all forms of life. Hence, switching to more eco-friendly alternatives is the only path forward.