duurzaamheid microplastics plastics

Using less plastic: practical tips for every room

4 minuten read time

Minder plastic gebruiken: praktische tips per kamer

Author: Erika Candelario

Using less plastic doesn't have to be complicated. You don't need to overhaul your whole home in one go: small, achievable steps in each room already take you a long way. In this article you'll discover practical tips for the bathroom, the laundry room, the kitchen and on the go.

Why use less plastic?

Plastic waste and microplastics don't just burden the environment, they also end up in our own bodies. Blood tests carried out by Planet B on 119 Belgians showed that 96% of participants had microplastics in their blood, with an average of 8.95 particles per sample. That research is the basis for our awareness campaign "Life in Plastics", with which we are travelling across Belgium this summer to inform people about microplastics.

You don't have to feel guilty about this. Small, everyday choices add up to a big difference, for you and for the planet. Below you'll find achievable tips for every room, so you can start today.

Want to know more about the research and the campaign? Discover Life in Plastics, or get started right away with the Action Hub full of tips and tricks.

Less plastic in the bathroom

Your bathroom is one of the easiest places to start. Most liquid products in plastic bottles have a ready-made alternative.

  • Shampoo bar instead of bottles: one bar replaces three plastic bottles of shampoo on average.
  • Bar soap: just as effective as liquid soap, without a plastic pump bottle.
  • Bamboo toothbrush: a simple swap you use every day.
  • Paper cotton buds: the same convenience, less plastic in the bin.
  • Refillable packaging: where possible, choose refills instead of new bottles.

At WONDR, shampoo bars are the clearest example: one bar replaces three bottles of liquid shampoo, without compromising on results.

Less plastic in the laundry room

Every wash with liquid detergent or fabric softener drags a plastic bottle along with it. Concentrated alternatives exist here too by now.

  • Laundry strips: completely replace the plastic bottle of liquid detergent.
  • Wash at a lower temperature: saves energy and is gentler on your clothes.
  • Skip fabric softener in plastic bottles: often unnecessary and heavily packaged.

Did you know that detergent bottles are often mostly water?

Did you know?

Liquid detergent and shampoo consist largely of water. Concentrated, solid alternatives such as laundry strips and shampoo bars save that water and the plastic needed to transport it.

POWR makes the switch easy with laundry strips and Liquids in cardboard packaging that you simply hand over with your laundry, without a plastic bottle.

Less plastic in the kitchen

The kitchen is where plastic comes into the most direct contact with your food. Here too, small changes already make a difference.

  • Reusable bags and pouches: for vegetables, fruit and loose products.
  • Beeswax wraps instead of cling film: simply rinse them off and use them again.
  • Unpackaged fruit and vegetables: consciously choose loose produce in the shop.
  • Bulk packs or refills: less packaging per gram of product.

Handy, right? You don't replace everything overnight, you just choose a little more consciously on your next shopping trip.

Less plastic on the go

Outside the home, too, it's easy to make less plastic-heavy choices, without making your day more complicated.

  • Refillable water bottle and coffee cup: saves dozens of disposable cups a month.
  • Foldable shopping bag: always to hand, no need for a plastic bag.
  • Skip plastic straws and disposable cutlery: a simple "no, thanks" is usually enough.

A shampoo bar for travel is ideal, by the way: it's light, doesn't leak and isn't subject to the liquid rules at the airport.

Start small, make a big impact

You don't have to be perfect to make an impact. Start with one or two habits, for example switching to a shampoo bar or laundry strips, and build from there.

Every plastic-free switch counts, for you and for the planet. Planet B helps you make that journey easy, step by step.

FAQ

De makkelijkste start is één gewoonte per keer aanpakken. Denk aan een shampoo bar in plaats van een plastic flacon, een hervulbare drinkfles onderweg, of wasstrips in plaats van een wasmiddelfles. Klein beginnen werkt beter dan alles in één keer omgooien.
Vervang vloeibare producten in plastic flessen door bars, zoals een shampoo bar of zeepblok. Kies daarnaast voor een bamboe tandenborstel, papieren wattenstaafjes en navulbare verpakkingen waar mogelijk. Zo verklein je stap voor stap je dagelijkse plastic-touchpoints in de badkamer.
Wasstrips zijn hiervoor de eenvoudigste oplossing: ze vervangen de plastic flacon van vloeibaar wasmiddel volledig en zijn geconcentreerd, dus zonder overbodig water. Combineer dit met wassen op lagere temperatuur en het overslaan van wasverzachter in plastic flessen voor extra impact.
Kies bewust voor verzorgings- en huishoudproducten zonder plastic verpakking, zoals bars en wasstrips, en beperk synthetische kleding die vezels loslaat bij het wassen. Uit het bloedonderzoek van Planet B bleek dat microplastics ondertussen bij bijna iedereen aanwezig zijn, dus elke kleine aanpassing helpt.
Begin in de kamer waar je de meeste impact voelt, vaak de badkamer of de wasruimte. Vervang daar één product door een plasticvrij alternatief en bouw van daaruit verder uit naar de keuken en onderweg. Perfectie is niet het doel, elke switch telt.

READ SIMILAR BLOGS