There's a lot of media attention to reduce plastic waste. The government started by charging for plastic bags when you shop and now companies are banning plastic straws.  I want to share how I slowly made small lifestyle changes to reduce my plastic footprint that are baby and child friendly.  

Stainless steel water bottle

Our first simple switch was making a conscious effort to take enough water for a day out and using stainless steel water bottles.  Before I switched to stainless steel I did find that I had to replace plastic bottles after a few months as they would develop an odour and the plastic would become opaque.  We've had these bottles for nearly 3 years, except for a few dents we had at the bottom when we've dropped them, they're as good as new.  We recommend: Pura stainless steel bottles

Ban cling film

There was a long debate with my husband on this but we did it.  I don't buy cling film or foil.  We now use plates to cover bowls and dishes.  We were stuck when it came to covering things like lemons - put it in a small dish and cover it; wrapping half a melon - cut it up into pieces. There are products like Beeswax wrap that you can use to wrap, wash and re-use.

Give up straws

This was easy as we didn't really have straws at home but it was a decision for birthday parties and gatherings not to get straws and to discourage the children from using straws when we're out and about.  It's easier these days as many cafes and restaurants have paper straws.

Plastic toothbrushes

The easiest change we made was switching an everyday item like our toothbrushes to a more sustainable and eco-friendly alternative for our children.  Something so simple can be a great start in teaching our children to lead a more conscious life. We recommend: Onco's bamboo toothbrushes

Glass and stainless steel containers

There are occasions when you need a container with a lid and instead of buying plastic tubs we invested in glass and stainless steel.  Unfortunately glass containers are heavier but leading reducing plastic free is not something you do  out of convenience. 

Anti-bacterial cleaning wipes

I have to be honest - when my eldest was born I thought it was the best thing out there.  To have a clean and hygienic environment for my baby so I used them to wipe everything.  I didn't realise that these disposable wipes were not bio-degradable.  At home, in particular, it was an easy switch to make by simply using a cloth and water to wipe down the table at each meal then i'd use the same cloth to wipe the floor at the end and get a new cloth for the next meal. Not only has this meant less waste but it's saved me a ton of money too.

Being eco-friendly or conscious of ways to reduce waste is not always easy nor convenient and when you have a baby, time and convenience are so important.  I didn't make these changes all at once so I would recommend making small and gradual changes to your daily home lifestyle and these changes would not be so noticeable. If you make a change in reducing waste, no matter how small, it definitely makes you feel good that you are making a positive impact for the environment and I can see that our children are also learning in the process too.