Plastic Free July!
Tips and tricks for reducing plastic waste from the HigherRing team.
At HigherRing, our team is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. In honor of Plastic Free July, we gathered some of our favorite tips and tricks for reducing plastic use in our daily lives. Here’s how we’re making a difference:
Household Cleaning and Laundry
Switch to Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products: Many of us have replaced conventional cleaning supplies with eco-friendly alternatives. For laundry and dishwashers, we prefer tablets instead of pods that break down into microplastics in our waterways. We use products like Meliora, Blueland and Branch Basics for household cleaning products and bulk cleaning concentrates.
Mending and Maintenance: Rather than buying new clothing, we take our clothes to the local tailor for mending. We also clean our shoes with eco-friendly products to prolong their lifespan.
Personal Care and Beauty
Solid and Package-Free Products: We love bar soap for hair, body, hands, and dishes. Lush Cosmetics offers solid shampoo and face cleanser bars, while brands like Meow Meow Tweet and Native offer plastic-free packaging for lip balms, deodorants and more.
Innovative Products: We’re fans of unique products like Plaine Products shampoo/conditioner with returnable aluminum packaging, Ffern’s plastic-free mycelium packaging for perfume, toothpaste tabs like Kaylaan, and silicone period cups by DIVA.
DIY Solutions: Some team members create homemade cleaning mixtures, face oils, and toothpaste. For example, a simple toothpaste recipe includes baking soda, coconut oil, charcoal (optional), and mint or cinnamon essential oil.
Food and Drink
Reusable Containers and Bags: Our team prioritizes using reusable bags like ECOBAGS, keeping them handy by the door, and choosing stainless steel water bottles and reusable coffee cups. We also prefer glass pantry goods from sources like Thrive Market. The HigherRing team even supported plastic-free brand Bagito with product testing for their PEVA can liners.
Homemade and Bulk Foods: Homemade nut milk, coffee creamer, nut cheeses, and other food items help us avoid single-use packaging. Repurposed glass containers are used to shop for rice, beans, nuts, popcorn, chocolate, flour, masa, and coffee.
Reducing Food Waste: Using a Mill or Lomi for food scraps reduces the frequency of regular trash bag changes, further minimizing our plastic (and carbon) footprint.
Sustainable Gardening Practices: We use Root Pouch instead of plastic pots for plants and reuse glass food jars for starting seeds indoors. This helps create a warmer soil environment, benefiting plant growth.
Community Involvement and Activism
Participating in Trash Clean-Ups: Some of us engage in local clean-up activities, like picking up plastic and other trash during walks. This helps prevent waste from reaching waterways and the ocean.
Joining Events: For those looking to get involved beyond personal habits, we recommend participating in events like 5Gyres' annual TrashBlitz, which raises awareness and encourages action against plastic pollution.
About HigherRing
HigherRing is a climate neutral brand certified by the Change Climate Project, a member of 1% for the Planet and a certified B Corp. We walk the talk when it comes to being an ethical outsourcing company and we hope our community can find some inspiration from our plastic free tips! Whether it’s through simple daily habits or community activism, every action counts towards a healthier planet.
Author Bio
Hiya! I’m Heather, and I’m the Marketing Manager here at HigherRing. I enjoy bringing my marketing expertise to a brand focused on balancing the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit. I’m passionate about storytelling around corporate social responsibility. When I’m not supporting HigherRing with our communications I’m listening to a political podcast, taking a hot yoga class or tending to my (many) plants.