Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This page may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. There is no additional cost to you whatsoever.
When I first began saying to family and friends that I used to be planning a plastic-free life for my youngster, this assertion was met nearly universally with a mixture of figuring out smiles and raised eyebrows. And truthfully, I can’t blame them. At the time, I used to be waddling round eight months pregnant, and satisfied that I used to be carrying the as-yet-undiscovered secret to good parenting.
There are many issues that I stated on this smug pre-baby state that I’ve since needed to swiftly backpedal on. But someway, the purpose of making a (principally) plastic-free world for my daughter has been one of many beliefs that has really survived the truth of getting a toddler. It hasn’t all the time been simple, however it’s positively attainable.
This article accommodates affiliate hyperlinks. If you make a purchase order via one in every of these hyperlinks, we obtain a small fee that helps fund our Recycling Directory.
First of All, Why Avoid Plastic?
This could seem apparent, however plastic is likely one of the most commonly-used polluting substances human beings have ever made. It is usually created from petroleum, which has its personal points, however the greatest downside with plastic is that in contrast to wooden, steel, or pure materials, plastic doesn’t react chemically with most different substances and so it does not biodegrade.
This signifies that each single pen cap, dental floss container — and sure, child toy — you could have ever used, most likely nonetheless exists. Most possible, these things are sitting in a landfill someplace, nevertheless it’s additionally attainable that they’ve made their means into the stomach of an unlucky chook or are swirling alongside billions of different plastics within the many garbage patches in our oceans. Maybe they’ve damaged down into microplastics and are in that bottled water you’re ingesting proper now. Clearly, the extra we will cut back the quantity of plastic we use in our day-to-day lives, the higher.
Now, the how. This is the difficult half, proper?
There are usually three important hindrances to taking this concept from lofty preferrred to real-life actuality. Let’s deal with them one after the other.
How Do I Avoid Plastic?
Plastic is affordable, simply manufactured, and endlessly adaptable. Furthermore, its vivid colours and resistance to breakage makes it a well-liked selection on the planet of youngsters’s toys, dishes, and care objects. At first look, it could appear completely unattainable to keep away from, however it’s attainable.
It sounds simplistic, however first resolve that, wherever attainable, you’ll simply not purchase issues fabricated from plastic. Just don’t. You can discover toys made with eco-friendlier materials like wooden and material, discover safer pacifiers fabricated from natural rubber, and easily do with out different issues like child baths. Or you should purchase them secondhand if completely mandatory.
The subsequent step after deciding on a plastic-free life is to speak this want to family and friends members — particularly in the event you haven’t had your child but. Children are a supply of such pleasure, and plenty of select to have a good time their arrival with items. By gently specifying that you’d want items fabricated from sustainable supplies, you’ll be able to stem the tide of plastic at its supply. Creating a registry full of plastic-free alternate options may help information gift-givers.
How Does Plastic-Free With Kids Really Work?
It will likely be a bit completely different for everybody, however in our dwelling, it appears like this:
Dishes are actual dishes. This makes many dad and mom nervous as a result of they’re breakable. To date, my 2 1/2-year-old daughter hasn’t damaged a single one. I, then again, broke two glasses in a single dishwashing session the opposite day. If you actually love your dishes and may’t bear the potential of dropping one, take into account getting a couple of cheap plates, bowls, and cups from a secondhand retailer on your youngster to make use of.
My daughter’s toys are made of cloth or wooden — picket puzzles and games, sorting toys, and stacking blocks, and material dolls and stuffed animals. This previous Christmas, we created a playhouse out of cardboard, and we use material bins, picket crates, and classic suitcases to retailer all of it. Typically, these price the identical or lower than equally sized plastic sorting bins or tubs.
On-the-go snacking includes zippered fabric pouches to retailer nuts or apple slices, a stainless steel water bottle, and a set of reusable bamboo cutlery.
What About the One-Offs?
No one is ideal. Don’t count on this of others, or your self. “Plastic-free” is an ongoing purpose. It doesn’t imply residing a draconian existence the place toys are rooted out and destroyed, or items rudely refused. You will inevitably accumulate some plastic toys over the course of your youngster’s life, whether or not as items or giveaways or as a part of celebration favor luggage.
In our home, these change into tub toys or simply find yourself with the remainder of the toys. Some care objects, like thermometers or snot-suckers, are inevitably fabricated from plastic — it’s such a ubiquitous materials that at occasions it’s not attainable to keep away from it totally. Don’t beat your self up about it. Focus on what you have completed.
Feature picture courtesy of Philippe Put. Originally revealed on March 12, 2015, this text was up to date in September 2022.
