A day in a life without Plastic

Is it really possible for one to go a day without plastic? While many might think that it may be a challenge, you might be pleasantly surprised that a plastic-free day is very much doable!

As we approach the end of #PlasticFreeJuly, here’s a preview of what a plastic-free day could possibly look like. It’s not too late to start with small simple changes in our everyday routines, and having these changes add up to help us achieve our goal to go plastic-free in the long run!

7am: Ditch that plastic toothbrush and cotton round!

Let’s start the day right with fresh faces and cleaned teeth! Consider eliminating the use of plastic toothbrushes and switch it out for a bamboo one for your morning routine instead. They provide the same quality of cleaning as a plastic toothbrush.

Furthermore, one can easily compost the handles of bamboo toothbrushes, upon removing the nylon bristles, as bamboo decomposes naturally in the environment.^[1] Not only will you still be able to keep your teeth fresh and clean, a smaller ecological footprint is left on our planets as well.

Another easy swap you can do include as part of your morning routine is using reusable cotton pads instead of disposable ones. These reusable alternatives work just the same as the disposable version and offer lots of neat advantages as they are durable, absorbent, and easy to clean. Most importantly, it helps reduce waste as a single cotton pad can be used up to 1000 times, compared to cotton pads which are tossed away after one-time usage.^[2]

10am: A plastic-free caffeine fix!

As we jump-start our day, the aroma of a cup of freshly brewed coffee will certainly perk many of us up. Bring along a reusable coffee mug or eco-friendly cup when you get your daily fix from the pantry or the coffee house. If you prefer, you could even bring your own brew from home to the office instead. With every cup of coffee you opt to use your own mug, imagine the number of disposable cups you save from being part of our landfills. Bonus: Many coffee shop locations give you a discount for bringing your own flask.

1pm: Time for a zero-waste lunch

With the lunch crowd often in full force in restaurants and food courts, you might find yourself opting for takeaways at times with your meals coming in styrofoam boxes or disposable containers.

For your next lunch takeaway, bring along a food container to have that meal to go! You can easily keep a spare food container in your office together with a pair of reusable utensils to complete the plastic-free lunch set.

You can even go a notch higher and ignite change by working with your organisation to make such containers available in the office for daily meal takeaways!

4pm: Mid-day treat

With just a couple of hours more till the end of your workday, you might be looking for that sugar rush to help you power through the remaining hours. Bubble tea is one of Singaporeans’ favourite go-to beverage choice and there are ways you can go plastic-free, even when you are getting that much-needed sugar rush!

It is as simple as choosing to say no to a carrier when offered at your point of purchase. In fact, take it a step further by having your own reusable straws to enjoy your drink. People in Singapore use about 2.2 million straws daily ^[3] and a good first step we can all do is to say no to all straws offered.

8pm: An all-natural shower to end off your day

What better way to wind down at the end of the day than with a good shower at home. Why not replace plastic bottles of soap and shampoo with bar soaps in your own bathroom as part of your plastic-free experience? What’s more, there are specially made soaps in the market that can are meant just for your hair or even cater to various skin needs such as Eczema or Rosacea.

Plastic-free daily routine

Start out by switching one habit a day. It may seem challenging at first, but over time with consistent effort and practice, the plastic-free habit will become second nature. Our small actions to promote a plastic-free or plastic-less world can create big impact if we stick to them with conviction! Be a part of the #PlasticFreeJuly movement with Geneco and share with us on how you go plastic-free in your everyday routines. You can even get rewarded just for your plastic-free practices!

With the abundance of resources we have at our disposal, it is vital to not just initiate conversations at home, but also making use of them to educate our children about the various issues concerning our environment.

As we progress as a society, so does the importance of environmental conservation and the onus is not only on us to protect and conserve the environment, but to also inspire and equip the future generations to love and care for a greener and brighter tomorrow.