100 Tips & Tricks - Plastic Free Living without Garbage

Plasticfree lifestyle has something liberating! Have you ever thought about how many plastic products you come into contact with every day? There are too many. Even as I write these lines here, I am typing on a keyboard made of plastic. We are in the plastic age, but Plastic has dangerous effects on our health and on nature. Because plastic does not rot.

In addition to the health consequences for us, the animal world in particular suffers from all the plastic waste that sooner or later ends up in the oceans. In this article you will learn how you can live plastic-free, how everyday life can look like in a life without plastic and how you can personally contribute to making our world a bit more plastic-free and our society more conscious in its consumption.

The post on plastic-free living has gotten a little longer, so here's a quick one Table of contents for you 🙂

1. Body care
2. Mobility & Storage
3. Kitchen
4. Shopping
5. Do It Yourself
6. Basic
7. Other tips
8. Setting
9. Closing words

Tip: Recently also my book Plastic-free for beginners available both online and in bookstores. This will also give you a great start to your plastic-free life. A good alternative to this article is also my 30 Days To Zero Waste Online Course.

Body care without plastic

For our body care, we use an incredible number of care products with plastic. Microplastics in cosmetics is not a rarity. Many shower gels, shampoos and creams contain plastic and create a lot of packaging waste. But is plastic really necessary? I'll show you a few things in your daily care routine that you can also manage wonderfully without plastic. Covered in more detail, you can read in the article Bathroom without plastic read smart.

1. soap in a bar instead of plastic soap dispenser.

For soaps at the sink, we basically have three options. We can use the liquid soap from the plastic dispenser, because it is convenient and easy to use with the plastic soap dispenser. But this makes plastic waste without end! The second and already somewhat more environmentally friendly solution is not to throw away the soap dispenser after the soap is used up, but to simply refill it with the help of a supply pack. This way, at least, there is less plastic waste. The best and most ecological solution is to simply use the soap in one piece, because you can get it completely without plastic. So simple it can be here already, a Soap to use plastic-free. I can give you this soap without plastic* recommend.

2. wood and metal, instead of disposable razor.

It is difficult these days to find a complete plastic free shaver to find. Through your help, however, I was able to expand this paragraph wonderfully. I hope that today actually everyone renounces disposable razors and instead a plastic free razor made of wood and metal* used. There are few offers of such wooden razors with metal blade. But as an alternative to the plastic offers this shaving kit* an. Jonas made me another suggestion, with which it can also live wonderfully plastic-free: Use such classic razors*!

3. use menstrual cups and washable pads.

This goes logically to all ladies! A topic about which one speaks reluctantly, thereby ladies hygiene articles belong to the largest plastic waste producers. Uses quite simply such silicone menstrual cups* and already there is no more unnecessary plastic waste at this point. For several years, such Menstrual cups are used. A lot of plastic waste is also produced with sanitary napkins. The plastic-free solution is offered by washable panty liners made of cotton, e.g. these*.

4. use reusable cotton pads

When removing makeup, throwing away cotton pads directly creates massive amounts of waste. The plastic-free alternative to avoid waste are these reusable eco cotton pads*. Or you can simply make the pads yourself from old fabric scraps. Then simply wash and reuse them. Lower costs, less plastic waste.

5. use plastic free cloth handkerchiefs

What used to be quite normal is now being replaced by the Zero Waste Lifestyle trend again today: Cloth handkerchiefs! Maybe they are for one or the other something to get used to, but such cloth handkerchiefs without plastic are 1) not expensive and 2) forever usable, reusable and washable! Thus, no plastic waste is created by the many handkerchief packs and you really save money. So here, too, it's worth switching to the plastic-free alternative.

6. use natural, plastic-free coconut oil

Coconut oil is natural and so versatile that I would actually have to create a new plastic-free category for it. Because coconut oil is ideal as a plastic-free natural cosmetic (skin, hair, face), as well as for cooking and frying. It is rich in saturated fatty acids and contains lauric acid, which has an antibacterial effect and provides additional protection against germs and bacteria. I can give you this Organic coconut oil recommend, as it is plastic-free in the Canning jar is delivered. But as is so often the case, there are many other plastic-free alternatives.

7. cloth diapers & diaper free instead of disposable diapers

Ordinary disposable diapers are 70% made of plastic and are garbage after one use. So how can we replace diapers plastic-free? Quite simply: By such washable and reusable cloth diapers* or simply without diapers at all. How this works Anna explains in her Diaper free experience.

8. use plastic free deodorant in solid form.

Many alternatives to conventional deodorant in Plastic packaging is currently not yet available on the market, but with this deodorant without plastic* you can also exchange plastic for plastic-free here. The deodorant was deliberately put together so that little waste is produced. 100% vegan and without aluminum ingredients or alcohol. The deodorant lasts about as long as two ordinary roll-on deodorants. Alternatively, you can use your Deodorant also make yourself.

9. use ecological wooden toothbrushes with natural bristles

Dentists recommend changing the toothbrush every 3 months. That is also correct, however, we should then also quickly realize that we should better not use a plastic toothbrush. Because plastic toothbrushes are not only questionable from a health point of view (softeners, phthalates) but also produce plastic waste every three months. Therefore use this wooden toothbrush with natural bristles*, which we have manufactured ourselves.

Sustainable bamboo wood and natural bristles made of biodegradable bio-plastic nylon 4 and bamboo charcoal, which are also very healthy for strong and white teeth. Use the Wooden toothbrush without plastic, because plastic in the mouth is not healthy.

It's funny to think how long we have naturally used a plastic toothbrush. By the way, there is also the dental floss made of natural materials and without the use of plastic. For this I can give you this natural silk from Vömel* recommend.

10. shower gel and shampoo without plastic packaging

Maybe when you read this sentence you already asked yourself the question about the plastic-free alternative to the numerous plastic shampoos. Rightly so. Because there are actually few shampoos and shower gels that are not in plastic packaging. Alternatively, refill packs also offer a good solution. However, anyone who wants to shower completely without plastic can rest easy on this hair wash soap* or this travel soap from Savion* fall back. As you notice, it always goes without plastic in personal care.

11. get a hairbrush without plastic

It is difficult to find a hairbrush completely without plastic. However, it is worth buying a wooden hairbrush, because plastic is not good for our hair. When making the hairbrush, it is difficult to completely avoid plastic due to the fact that the pins have to be bedded somewhere. For example, get this Bamboo hair brush*, which perfectly distributes your natural hair grease over the hair lengths, can detangle the hair and is also supplied to you in an ecological packaging. This way you can largely do without plastic for your hairbrush.

12. plastic free cotton swabs from paper & cotton

Plastic cotton swabs are plastic waste immediately after a single use. The packaging is also often plastic. Why shouldn't you switch to a plastic-free alternative if it exists? In the spirit of plastic-free living you can buy paper cotton swabs at DM or also get plastic free online here*. Cotton swabs without plastic from bamboo & cotton is available here.*

13. do not use PE, PP. PA and PET

Refrain from using cosmetic items with the microplastic ingredients polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Incredibly enough, the addition of Microplastics in cosmetic products is still allowed in our country at all. Packaging creates plastic waste that can end up in the environment, and the microplastics in peeling, shampoo, makeup, shower gel and the like definitely end up in the sea. Because at the current time, no sewage treatment plant can stop these small pieces of plastic. The microplastics from the cosmetics end up in the sea, are eaten by fish and sooner or later end up on our plates again.

Notice: At Bio-accumulation of the toxins you can learn more about it.

14. plastic free toothbrush tablets

Yes, that's right. So slowly more and more people are using plastic-free Toothbrush tablets. The tablets are simply chewed and then used in the mouth like ordinary toothpaste. No fluoride, no aspartame and especially no microplastics in the toothpaste! In addition, packaged plastic-free.

15. shaving soap without plastic

Shaving foam from the plastic can is a thing of the past if you simply switch to the plastic-free alternative shaving soap. This way you avoid plastic waste and can shave as usual. The You can get shaving soap here at Mühle.*

16. stainless steel plastic free razor

The disposable razor has had its day. Because plastic waste is created by it, as by hardly any other utensil from the bathroom. If you have not already done so, now is the time to switch to plastic-free razors or even Razor. This stainless steel razor* you can use wonderfully with the just mentioned shaving soap and achieve as usual a beautiful complexion.

17. check product labels before purchase

Just use the CodeCheck Appso that you no longer buy products that contain microplastics or palm oil or are otherwise harmful to the environment and health. With the app, you simply scan the barcode on the back of shower gels and the like and see in a second whether the product is harmful. This way, you can not only live plastic-free, but also microplastic-free.

18. mouthwash without plastic

Mouthwashes contain a lot of chemicals and come in plastic packaging. There is no plastic-free mouthwash on the market - but you can make your own mouthwash and determine the natural ingredients yourself. Check out the article Make mouthwash yourself an.

19. use metal tongue scraper

Tongue scrapers are actually made of plastic - kind of a stupid feeling to shove plastic in your mouth, isn't it? Similar to disposable cutlery or the toothbrush, there are fortunately more sensible alternatives without plastic. Simply use a metal tongue scraper.

Here you get a good tongue scraper*. Alternatively, you can simply try a large stainless steel spoon from your cutlery drawer.

20. comb hair with a comb made of wood

A cheap plastic comb where the teeth constantly break off - is that still in style? 😉 The plastic-free alternative stands with a Wooden comb long since ready. Both for men and for women. Both in long form, and as a coarse-toothed short comb. For example, you get here at AvocadoStore a cool wooden comb*.

Plastic-free mobility & storage

Even when storing or transporting things, we don't usually do without plastic. Here, too, there are many alternatives with which we produce less or no plastic waste at all. I can give you the following tips to make it easy to go plastic-free:

1. use screw jars and stay mobile without plastic

Why not simply store or transport things in a cool screw-top jar? For example, you can wonderfully store food in it and also do without your ToGo lunch by simply filling it into the jar in the morning and taking it with you. There are a thousand other ideas to reuse the empty screw-top jars, such as for storing spices or simply as drinking glasses. Many restaurants now serve drinks in old screw-top glasses. Hip and plastic-free, as it should be.

Besides, you can also freeze your food in the canning jars. If you do not make the jars too full and they are thick-walled enough, that is Freezing your food no problem. However, it's best not to screw the lid on until the food is frozen. If you do not already have canning jars at home, you can use here a screw jar in different sizes* get. The glass you get here also completely plastic-free with a cork closure*.

2. exchange plastic lunch box with stainless steel lunch box

Our ToGo habits in particular produce the most plastic waste. If you are aware of this and already prepare something for your lunch box yourself, you can do without the plastic lunch box (please use your old plastic box as long as you can and don't just throw it away) and switch to a lunch box made of stainless steel, glass or wood. They look really cool, cost a thaler more, but here again you do without plastic.

This stainless steel lunch box*, for example, is durable and completely free of harmful substances. I personally rely on these slightly more expensive stainless steel lunch boxes* because they just look really cool. There is also the alternative to the big plastic box for storing a whole loaf of bread. Look at it times this metal bread box with wooden lid* an.

3. to-go with thermo cups instead of plastic cups

This appeal goes especially to all coffee drinkers among you. A Coffee-ToGo always goes, but it doesn't have to be served in the unfortunately classic plastic or cardboard cup, which is then topped with a plastic lid presented to us with a plastic stirring rod. The plastic-free solution offers at this point such a stainless steel thermal mug*, which works without plastic and keeps the coffee warm for a long time. But if you don't want to invest any money, you can simply drink your coffee plastic-free while sitting in a cozy café.

4. exchange Alb foil for ReUse cloths

What you definitely don't want in your lunch is aluminum that has been absorbed into the food. But that's exactly what can happen. In addition, the production of aluminum foil is super expensive. So switch to reusable wipes made from beeswax, jojoba oil and resin. These plastic free wipes* I can highly recommend! You simply wipe them once after use for your food and can reuse them directly.

5. make detergent itself

Living plastic-free also means finding a natural alternative for cleaning products. To clean your whole apartment, it can take a bottle of detergent. A cleaning agent full of chemicals in a plastic bottle, which is then garbage. You should give your last bottle a second life and refill it with your homemade cleaning agent made from baking soda. Learn here what sodium bicarbonate can do!

6. shopping without plastic bags

An estimated 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide every year. And every hour, over 30,000 plastic bags are consumed in Berlin alone. Unfortunately, most of the plastic bags are neither recycled nor reused. Please just soak up such a reusable jute bag* or the organic shopping bag. Even product packaging is largely made of plastic and thrown away immediately after purchase.

Therefore, most of our products in the store are delivered in a biodegradable cardboard box. Besides the alternative of ecological packaging I would like to offer you Original Unpacked recommend. Here you can also get many products that are simply delivered unpackaged and without plastic or can be bought in the store in Berlin-Kreuzberg. In the meantime, there are also plastic-free unpackaged stores in many other cities. Often through the great support of private donors in crowd-funding campaigns.

If you don't have a plastic-free unpacked store yet, see if anyone has started a call for support in your city.

7. no more plastic garbage bags

People who live plastic-free produce noticeably less plastic waste. But the waste that is produced has to be collected somewhere. For years, we used plastic garbage bags for this purpose. But there is also a plastic-free alternative for storing our trash. Use in the future this garbage bag without plastic made from corn starch* and say goodbye to the plastic garbage bag. The garbage bag is as strong as conventional garbage bags and also 100% biodegradable and compostable.

In my opinion, the plastic-free trash bag is also affordable. If you still have plastic bags in your household, then you can also reuse the old plastic bags as trash bags. So the plastic bags at least still had a final useful purpose. And another tip: You can also Folding garbage bags from newspaper!

The kitchen as plastic-free as possible

For cooking, cutting, pressing and eating in the kitchen, we need many things that are usually not completely plastic-free. The handle of the cutting knife, the cooking spoon or the dish holder are often made of plastic. But there are also enough items for the kitchen without plastic. No one wants plastic residue on their food. True to the motto "You are what you eat", we see to it that we also make cooking in the kitchen as plastic-free as possible. Following a few tips for the Kitchen without plastic:

1. fingers away from kitchen utensils made of plastic

Kitchen utensils such as cooking spoons or spatulas can easily burn. The structural change of the plastic releases toxins. This problem with plastic is absolutely solvable. Exchange existing plastic kitchen utensils simply against Such kitchen gadgets made of bamboo wood* off. Cooking spoon, spatula or salad tongs without plastic are the perfect plastic-free alternative for the conventional plastic cooking utensils in the kitchen. Also such a plastic-free whisk* can be found quickly. When it comes to kitchen utensils, there are no reasons at all not to switch to plastic-free alternatives.

2. use bamboo kitchen paper without plastic.

Kitchen paper I bought forever in the supermarket. Problem? It's clear. You still can't find kitchen paper without plastic film in ordinary supermarkets. Besides, any kitchen paper is thrown in the trash after only a few seconds. So why not just use on the environmentally friendly, reusable kitchen roll without plastic? Such kitchen rolls from bamboo* replace up to 60 paper towels, are significantly more stable than conventional kitchen roll paper and can be washed up to 100 times, according to the manufacturer. So kitchen paper without plastic is also possible.

3. or do without kitchen paper altogether

Why use paper towels at all when you can use these 100% cotton cloths* can also clean everything just as well and then wash and reuse them. Of course, there are no plastic fibers in the cloth towels and you also avoid plastic packaging like with conventional kitchen paper from the supermarket. Living plastic-free can be so easy, right? We've just become too accustomed to Western luxury and it's time to take a few steps back to go the right way.

4. abandon a salad spinner

As long as there is no plastic-free salad spinner (please post a comment if you find one), you can simply use the plastic-free alternative: Pack your salad in a jute bag and spin it until your arm falls off 😉

No, fun. All it takes is a few seconds and the lettuce is dry. You can do that just as well with a lockable stainless steel basket with a relatively tight grid.

5. forget the coffee capsules, use roasted coffee

Can you imagine how much plastic waste the coffee capsules from Nespresso machines cause in your home or office alone? In Germany, 2 billion coffee capsules are consumed every year. And the capsules are also sinfully expensive. Plastic-free packaging is available for the coffee beans for example here* from the brand C°858. cheaper and without plastic. A win for everyone except Nespresso.

6. make coffee in plastic free coffee maker

If you're buying plastic-free coffee, it should be possible to make it plastic-free, right? It is. Here is a stainless steel coffee maker*, where you can completely do without capsules or similar plastic material. Another cool alternative without plastic, right?

7. plastic free baking paper

Living plastic-free also means buying the baking paper without plastic. This is available either in the supermarket or simply here plastic free*, from the packaging to the baking paper itself.

8. no more baking paper at all

How to do that? With this reusable permanent baking mat*! The you can easily wash off and do not have to constantly buy new, probably plastic-wrapped baking paper. This plastic-free alternative I find even significantly better!

9. grow your own plants & herbs

Another way to reduce your plastic waste and live plastic-free. Because you do not have to constantly buy new herbs in the plastic bowl. Many herbs you can simply take into the apartment in the winter. If you have room for a vegetable garden, use it! A balcony is usually ideal for growing your own plants. Here you can find my list with the Top 10 healthy plants & herbs to grow yourself.

10. grow your own plants & herbs

Anyone who also quickly washes their plastic-free dishes by hand knows that you need a decent dish rack for draining. There is also a plastic-free alternative for this item in the kitchen. A Such bamboo dish rack* is inexpensive and makes the kitchen again a bit more plastic-free. In addition, it is visually really handsome.

11. plastic-free straws made of bamboo, paper or stainless steel

In almost every German household you can find plastic straws. Mostly for birthdays or relaxed cocktail evenings. Simply exchange your plastic straws for these bamboo straws*, this stainless steel straws* or these glass straws* from. The stainless steel straws are of course plastic-free and a durable alternative to disposable plastic straws.

Another plastic-free alternative to plastic straws are these paper straws*, although the more environmentally friendly and durable option, in my opinion, are the stainless steel and glass straws. In any case, you can use your Smoothies, birthdays and cocktail evenings can be enjoyed in this way plastic-free.

12. air freshener with bamboo activated carbon

Unpleasant odors, whether in the kitchen, living room, or other rooms, you would like to get rid of quickly. However, conventional plastic air fresheners only perfume the room and do not eliminate the cause. The natural alternative without plastic is this air freshener with bamboo activated carbon. The activated charcoal has a natural odor-neutralizing effect. Odors are absorbed and released when warm (simply place in the sun). Ideal for the kitchen, the closet, the car or even the shoes. Live plastic-free and remove odors without plastic? Yep, that works too!

13. dishwashing brushes without plastic

Do you still have cheap plastic dishwashing brushes? As soon as these are unusable, you should replace them with such rinsing brushes from wood* Replace. They last just as long, look better and don't make any plastic waste. All in the spirit of plastic-free living. Plus, wooden sink brushes aren't much more expensive than traditional plastic sink brushes. The investment is worth it.

14 Use biodegradable dishcloths or sponges.

The classic colorful dishcloths are made of plastic and also packaged in plastic. Even for this, there is now an alternative that makes it a little easier for you to live plastic-free. Here you get dishcloths without plastic from cellulose and cotton*.

15. use linen tea towels

The things we use for wiping in the kitchen have usually once been packed in plastic or consist of plastic fibers. Living plastic-free is different. Try it once with these linen tea towels*. They come to you plastic-free and are made of natural material. In addition, the linen towels look very good and enhance your kitchen.

16. make oven cleaner yourself

This is quick, natural and you can avoid plastic waste. Again, you need the home remedy baking soda (2 tablespoons), salt (1 tablespoon) and water (1-2 tablespoons). Stir everything together until it forms a paste. Spread your mixture around the oven and let it sit for 20 minutes before wiping it off with a rag. Rinse the oven really completely clean with a damp rag. Plastic waste? You can look for it for a long time! Here you can learn what else you can do with baking soda, to further advance your plastic-free life.

Tip: In the separate article you will learn exactly how to use this and other Make oven cleaner yourself can.

17. bamboo wood cutting board

What do you use to cut cheese, sausage, vegetables, etc.? Do you still use a plastic board? Swap it for such a beautiful oak cutting board*. Plastic-free packaging and made from sustainable, regionally-grown wood. The perfect plastic-free alternative to cutting that fits right into your plastic-free life.

18. make dishwashing liquid itself

As you can probably tell, dishwashing detergents make a lot of plastic waste. Unfortunately, this has little to do with plastic-free living. But there is a good plastic-free alternative for your dishwashing detergent: You can easily make your own! In the article Make dishwashing liquid yourself you'll find out how easy it is.

19. stainless steel ice cube mold

If you want to live plastic-free and still enjoy refreshing ice cubes in your beverages, get this ice cube mold* Made of stainless steel. Plastic free and durable forever.

Plastic free shopping without waste

If you've already been through your first plastic-free experiment, you're sure to have encountered your limits when you first plastic free shopping you wanted. Because plastic you find in the supermarket just everywhere. Even organic products are usually wrapped in plastic. You've noticed that yourself. It doesn't make much sense. How you can (almost) completely plastic-free shopping, I show you with the following tips:

1. milk & yogurt in glass instead of plastic container.

Who knows how long, but milk and yogurt are still available in jars in many supermarkets. This allows us to be able to buy plastic-free here already once. The many plastic cups of the yogurts cause an incredible amount of plastic waste.

Try to limit yourself to glass containers while that is still possible in supermarkets. Alternatively, you can of course look for a dairy farmer near you for your milk.

2. buy your vegetables without packaging and without plastic

I find that you can taste a distinct difference between vegetables packed in plastic and plastic-free vegetables. That alone is reason enough for me to buy plastic-free vegetables. As already mentioned, even the organic vegetables in the ordinary supermarkets are packed in plastic.

I therefore recommend you to go directly to an organic supermarket, because there you can expect to get your vegetables plastic-free. Feel free to also look around at the weekly market, here you get your vegetables fresh and often also From regional cultivation.

3. buy bread in the bag you bring with you

I don't want to give up my bread, so I buy it plastic-free at the supermarket by packing it fresh in a bag to take with me when I go shopping. There I can tell you the project Nature bag.com recommend. Practical and also visually cool. Not only for bread, but also for fruit and vegetables. To avoid plastic waste, you can alternatively reuse your bread bag from your last shopping trip.

The same applies to rolls, by the way. To avoid plastic waste, simply buy your rolls at the bakery and avoid plastic-wrapped baked rolls. Alternatively, you can make your own rolls.

4. go shopping with basket or backpack

A woven shopping basket can look pretty casual. But a large backpack will do, of course. The main thing is that you have something to carry, so you can avoid plastic waste. You should either this classic woven basket* use for shopping or like me, on this Gotbag backpack from sea plastic change. For plastic-free shopping, however, almost all backpacks are suitable. So you can easily plastic-free shopping and transport.

5. make a detour around ready meals

Even though convenience foods are so convenient to prepare without much effort, you should bypass them at the grocery store if you want to live plastic-free. Prepared foods are pretty much the worst thing you can do to your body, because they contain a lot of plastic and are full of unhealthy artificial additives. What you should do instead? Just cook your own food more often! Try something new, grab a cool cookbook and try new things.

6. make salad yourself instead of salad from the plastic box

Personally, I even think that the salad from plastic bags or plastic boxes tastes much worse. On the one hand because of the contact with the plastic, on the other hand because it is simply not 100% fresh. Just buy a whole head of lettuce at the supermarket, you can usually get it plastic-free. And then just make your own fresh salad. It doesn't take long and you can do without plastic completely. Try it out!

7. meat & cheese plastic free shopping

Granted, plastic-free meat and cheese shopping is a little more complicated, but it's just as possible. Just take your stainless steel cans or glass containers with you and have them filled at the meat and cheese counter. This may be a little unusual at first, but again, you've saved some plastic waste. Take the box with you and have it filled. Done.

ATTENTION: Due to hygiene regulations, the waitress is not allowed to give you sausage and cheese without packaging. As long as the container you brought with you remains ON the counter and the sausage and cheese are simply placed inside, this is usually okay. Have a look at the article Buy sausage & cheese plastic free in.

8. use a fruit and vegetable net

Buying loose fruit and vegetables plastic-free can sometimes be difficult. For example, you usually want to take more potatoes, mushrooms or tomatoes with you. So that this does not lead to excessive demands at the checkout, you can simply pack mushrooms and co. in such fruit and vegetable nets* before it is weighed. This way you can avoid stress at the checkout and plastic waste.

9. ice cream from the wafer and not from the cup

It's summer, almost 30 degrees and you feel like an ice cream. Let the cup with plastic coating be a cup with plastic coating and enjoy your ice cream in the waffle. Since you can just eat it with it, there's no waste. If you're so into ice cream from a cup, many ice cream stores now have a waffle cup as well. This way you can also enjoy your ice cream without plastic 🙂 .

10. buy plastic-free at the weekly market

Weekly markets are everywhere, but we tend to prefer the convenient option in the supermarket next door. I can only speak for the weekly markets in Berlin, but they are diverse and offer a huge selection of regional products with often more than 100 stalls. The best way to shop naturally & plastic-free.

In Berlin, I can recommend the weekly market at Karl-August-Platz (Charlottenburg), Maybachufer (Neukölln) or Hackescher Markt (Berlin-Mitte). Just take your own jute bag with you. Plastic-free shopping is easier at the weekly market than anywhere else.

11. buy plastic free fashion

Many sweaters, pants or shirts made of nylon or polyester are of course also not plastic-free. In addition, they are even packed in plastic. When plastic clothing is in the washing machine, these dissolve Microplastics-and end up in the wastewater. Live a little more plastic-free, for example, by using linen or hemp fashion. Through the material label on clothing, this can be implemented wonderfully. Yes, living plastic-free also means paying attention to your clothes.

Tip: In the article Sustainable Fashion & Fair Trade Clothing you will find an overview of everything. Also have a look at the Articles about Fast Fashion in.

12. buy wooden toys plastic free

If you want to live without plastic yourself or already live without plastic, then don't give your child any plastic toys either. Especially children like to put things in their mouth, so the toys should not be made of plastic. The alternative to traditional plastic toys is clearly playing with organic wooden toys. You can get good plastic-free wooden toys in the plastic-free category Kids & Babies.

13. buy diapers plastic free

You can't imagine how many plastic diapers we pick up during our Beach CleanUp. This is not only disgusting, but also completely unnecessary. Because there are of course also diapers without plastic. This cotton diapers* for example, are the best way to continue to live plastic-free with your baby.

Tip: Cloth diapers are reusable - but does it even have to be a diaper? Take a look at our Diaper Free Experience Report.

14. exchange water from plastic bottles for tap water

Our Tap water is one of the purest in the world. Aren't you tired of carrying those 6-carriers of water home? One more reason to ditch the plastic bottles and just drink tap water. Just grab a big glass bottle and fill it up at the tap.

You produce in this way no plastic waste at all and do something for your environment, as well as for your health. For the bottle I recommend this stainless steel bottle* or again, a cool screw-top jar.

15. plastic free wine bottle with natural cork

Buying a wine plastic-free is not so easy. The bottles often have a plastic or metal stopper (with plastic lining), but you can often only see this after opening. On the website CorkWatch you can make sure before buying wine whether the wine has a cork made of natural cork or not.

16. leave out the chewing gum

Did you know that classic chewing gum is made of plastic? That's right! Since natural substances are not sufficiently available, the chewing mass is made of plastic, so-called synthetic thermoplastics, among other things. If you want to live plastic-free, just leave the chewing gum on the shelf.

Live plastic-free & make things yourself!

Today you can teach yourself almost everything, right? So why not also make things for the household plastic-free and leave less plastic waste! This list of plastic-free things to make yourself, I continue to expand little by little. Feel free to comment if you've had similar or complementary experiences 🙂 .

1. make dishwashing liquid itself

Dishwashing detergents have regularly caused plastic waste in our shared apartment and are also full of chemicals. Dishwashing detergent you can also make yourself and especially plastic-free! You can also get the ingredients without plastic. Learn here how to make your Make dishwashing liquid yourself can.

2. make detergent itself

To avoid microplastics in the sea, you should wash with the washing machine as rarely as possible. But even the detergent packaging regularly leaves behind plastic waste. Fortunately, there are plants that have been used for washing for centuries because they naturally foam. Learn here how to use your Make detergent yourself can.

3. make toothpaste yourself

The packaging is usually made of plastic and even in the seemingly healthy toothpaste often lurk microplastics and other substances hazardous to health. We can also avoid this in a natural way by using our Make plastic free toothpaste yourself.

4. wrapping gifts sustainably

On birthdays, Christmas & Easter, weddings or just as a small gift. We like to give gifts. Unfortunately, this also creates a lot of plastic waste. Learn a few simple tricks here, how you can make your next Gift wrapping sustainable can.

5. make deodorant yourself

Deodorant spray, roll-on deodorant and deodorant creams usually make a lot of plastic waste. In the spirit of the Zero Waste lifestyle, you can also use your natural, plastic-free deodorant. Make deodorant yourself.

6. garbage bags from newspaper

It's super easy to replace your plastic trash bag with a DIY trash bag made from old newspaper. Here, in the DIY tutorial, you'll learn how to make your own Newspaper garbage bags can fold.

7. make mouthwash yourself

Since you can't currently get a plastic-free mouthwash in the drugstore, you'll have to do it yourself. Learn in the article Make mouthwash yourselfhow to make your own mouthwash from baking soda, birch sugar and herbs. Completely natural!

8. make furniture yourself

Whether you order furniture online or buy it locally, you end up with a lot of packaging waste made of foam, plastic wrap and cardboard. At DIY Furniture Blog I'll introduce you to cool homemade furniture every now and then, where I turn 35-year-old, dusted oak planks into unique furniture, for example. For example, look at how you can make a Make dining table from wooden planks yourself can.

9. make confetti yourself

Yes, confetti also tends to make a lot of plastic waste and is often spilled outside in the environment. In the spirit of plastic-free living, I recommend you use natural material and make your Confetti to make yourself - For example, from punched out leaves of leaves.

10. make bath cleaner yourself

The usually weekly cleaning day leaves behind a lot of plastic waste after a few weeks. For example, the bottle of chemical bathroom cleaner. The alternative? You can also make it at home using natural products. How this works you will learn in the article called Bathroom cleaner make yourself.

11. make glass cleaner yourself

Glass cleaner also joins the ranks of frequently used cleaning products. Since we use it, for example, to clean windows, mirrors or the stove top, we quickly produce a lot of plastic waste.

By using the Make glass cleaner yourself, we save the garbage and clean with a less dangerous, natural means.

12. cook yourself & fresh

This tip for plastic-free living actually sounds so banal, doesn't it? But in our ToGo society, this is no longer a matter of course. To avoid plastic waste, you can simply cook a little more in the evening than you plan to eat. In a stainless steel lunch box or a jar, you can then take your food with you the next day for your lunch break. This way you stay plastic-free during your lunch break and don't hastily reach for fast food from a plastic box.

Other tips for a garbage free life

Tips & ideas that have not yet fit into the article have found their place here. Feel free to add to the list with a comment.

1. do not throw cigarette butts into the environment

If you want to live plastic-free, you should also consider your Stop throwing cigarette butts into the environment. Because cigarettes are also partly made of plastic, namely vinyl chloride. The ingredients of a butt contaminate already 1 L of water so much that fish can survive only a few days in it.

2. put a sticker with "NO ADVERTISING" on your mailbox

How many times have you wanted to put this sticker on the mailbox, but put it off? If it's not on yet, put it on now. This will save you a lot of brochures wrapped in plastic foil.

3. do not eat gum anymore

Chewing gum is largely made of plastic. One more reason why the largest manufacturers keep their recipes secret. So with every chewing gum thrown away, some plastic ends up in the environment. As a natural alternative, try chewing on mint or other tasty plants. If you want to know more, feel free to check out this article Plastic in chewing gums in.

4. use apps

Even your smartphone can help you with the Best Zero Waste Apps help you live more plastic-free. For example, use the KleiderKreisel app to buy plastic-free second-hand goods - before you order new goods online, produce a lot of plastic waste and then possibly don't like the clothes so much.

5. avoid as far as possible clothing with plastic fibers

Since we don't notice it ourselves, we see it as less bad. But every time we wash our clothes in the washing machine, an average of about 1900 plastic fibers are washed down the drain and end up in the sea. Therefore, try to resort to clothing made from natural materials. A really good online store is Waschbär - The environmental mail order company.*

6. party without plastic

You want to celebrate a party and prevent all the plastic waste from disposable cups, disposable cutlery, disposable plates & Co. in advance? Then check out the article Party without plastic an.

7. freeze food without plastic

Forget the classic freezer bag. In the end, it's just plastic waste. From paper to canning jars, there are also many alternatives for freezing that make your plastic-free life much easier. Just read the detailed article Freeze food without plastic by.

8. plastic free on the plane

Admittedly, staying plastic-free on a plane seems like an impossibility. But you can also live the zero waste lifestyle on the plane. For example, you can bring your own refilled water bottle and your own food in your lunch box. Just read my article Flying plastic free by.

9. barbecue without plastic

Barbecuing usually produces a lot of plastic waste that ends up directly in the environment. To prevent this I have you my best Tips for plastic free barbecue summarized. Try it out!

10. advent calendar without plastic

From small jute bags, a few mistletoe and pine cones can be a really cool, personal Advent calendar tinker. This is much more personal and especially plastic-free, than the ready DIN-A4 calendar from the supermarket. Learn in the separate article, how you can make such a plastic free advent calendar do it yourself can.

11. Christmas without plastic

After the plastic-free Advent calendar, the holiday season begins - here, rows and rows of new goods in wrapping paper with plastic coating cross the store checkouts. How you also Christmas without plastic you'll find out in the extra article.

12. sustainable and plastic-free New Year's Eve

At no other time of the year is there as much particulate matter in the air as at the turn of the year. At the same time, huge amounts of plastic waste are produced by rockets and firecrackers. One more reason, New Year's Eve without fireworks simply sustainable and plastic-free to spend.

13. back to school without plastic

Already experienced it yourself? Your own child comes home from the first day of school and has a huge list of things that need to be bought. Before that, the problem even starts with the school bag. In order to avoid plastic waste in the sense of plastic-free living, there are also some tricks. You can find out more about this in the separate article Back to school without plastic.

14. collect soap scraps

Do you know this from the hotel, for example? A soap packed in plastic is only used once and then you have to go again. What usually happens to the soap residue? It is disposed of in the trash - just like the packaging. It's really worth it. :-/

In a Soap bag you can easily collect and reuse such scraps.

15. exchange or buy used books

Unfortunately, most publishers still wrap their new books in a plastic film. This, of course, provides the certainty that it is a freshly printed book. But do we really need a brand new book? Not really. By sharing books on exchange platforms or book exchange shelves in many cities, everyone benefits and also avoids plastic waste by buying a new one. Of course, the latter also applies to buying a used book.

16. refill printer cartridges

If you print a lot, you usually create a lot of plastic waste. To save yourself the annoying trip to the recycling center and stay as plastic-free as possible, you can get refillable cartridges for your printer. This is also one of many important tips for a plastic-free office.

17. stay plastic free at the festival

After a festival remains known garbage in all colors and shapes. Plastic bottles, cups... right up to the tent. But the garbage can be avoided by the simplest tricks and makes the event then very sustainable from your point of view.

In the article about Zero Waste at the Festivalyou will learn many tips & tricks to go with it.

Mental attitude for a plastic-free life

Making less trash is also always a matter of personal attitude. If it's really important to you, conserve natural resources or animals from certain death by plastic waste in the environment, then the following behaviors will soon become ingrained in your mind.

1. reuse

Use plastic items as long as possible and don't throw away everything that is made of plastic, but replace it when it is time. When your wooden toothbrush is replaced after 3 months, give the bamboo wood of the toothbrush a second life as a plant holder in the flower pot. When it comes to zero waste living without plastic, there are no limits to your imagination and the Revert is an important part of this.

2. do it yourself

In the section "Making things yourself" I have already given you some ideas for inspiration. Nowadays you can actually teach yourself everything and of course make plastic-free things like dishwashing liquid, toothpaste and co. yourself. Just look here in the Do It Yourself Blog over!

3. question

Living plastic-free also means questioning necessities. When making future purchases, always be aware of whether you really need the items. You can also make many things yourself and thus do without plastic packaging. We are often influenced to buy things that we don't really need. Ask yourself: Can I make the item plastic-free myself? (Simply ask the manufacturer or supplier why the item is packaged in plastic or consists of plastic).

4. past life

Whether supplier, YouTuber, blogger or plastic-free consumer: We all have a common goal. To reduce the plastic waste we generate every year and thus save our environment and ourselves. That's why it's important to pass on your attitude to others. No one expects that everyone will now live plastic-free. But it is important that at least everyone deals with the plastic problem and understands the danger that plastic poses to our environment and to ourselves. For this reason alone, you should be a good role model and tell us why you live plastic-free.

5. help

Freeing the beach from plastic waste costs several million euros every year. The Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) regularly organizes relief campaigns in which everyone can help. Here you can help NABU directly. Many projects, such as the StartUp "The Ocean CleanUp" by Boyan Slat, are committed to the disposal of plastic waste from the sea. So there are many other projects that you can support either financially or personally.

Tip: Also the Collect garbage on vacation has become a real trend that brings you together with unique people to do something good.

6. organize actions

You can also easily organize your own CleanUp event. Read my article How to organize your own Beach CleanUp through. Events like this bring people together. Do your own part to make the world a little cleaner and plastic-free, and share your actions in the worldwide Facebook group CareElite CleanUps with the whole world.

7. repair

Don't throw everything away right away, because that's not in the spirit of the Zero Waste lifestyle. If your bike has a flat tire and a few other problem areas, fix it! The same goes for many other things. You can find instructions for everything on the Internet!

8. recycle & upcycle

Recycling should never be the first solution, because the process requires a lot of energy and uses a lot of water. Consider upcycling things into something else cool. For example, make a zero waste stool out of old books stacked on top of each other. Just an idea. Anything is possible 😉

9. borrow things

If you want to live plastic-free, you are also strongly advised not to buy everything possible. Instead, try to borrow things and use them on-demand before they end up in the corner a week later. At Sachenausleihen.de you can borrow things like longboards, drills, etc. as needed. Avoid plastic waste with collective consumption!

10. minimize

Have you ever heard of minimalism? It means that you only own the things you really need. This makes you happier and saves a lot of money. Learn more about minimalist living here.

11. reject

Say no once in a while, too, to make less trash. Part of living plastic-free is saying no to things like flyers or cheap pens. These are just two of many examples where simply saying no to Say No Avoid Plastic Waste can.

12. separate garbage

If garbage can't be avoided at all, you should at least separate it properly. In the article Separate waste correctly you learn what belongs in which garbage can and what belongs in hazardous waste.

13. engage politically

As a consumer, we do everything we can to maximize our unnecessary plastic packaging to avoid. In this way, we also put pressure on politics and business to adapt the market to changing customer needs. Unfortunately, politics and the business lobby are closely linked. By getting politically involved in a party that campaigns against plastic waste and by voting in elections, you can help shape the development towards more unpackaged goods.

14. change products

"The customer is king" - this also applies in the supermarket. That's why you can let the store manager or the manufacturer of an insanely packaged product know if something bothers you. The more people follow your example, the faster a supplier will respond to suggestions for improvement.

With the App Replace Plastic you can scan a product code, for example, and automatically notify manufacturers of your displeasure. Sometimes people just have blinders on and need to be alerted to a problem that can be solved.

Life without plastic - is that possible?

Of course you can! But as you can see, it's not that easy to live plastic-free in the plastic age. Our society has become accustomed to the advantages of plastic consumption (see absurd plastic packaging for food), unfortunately too often forgets the disadvantages and risks of plastic. In addition, there is the ignorance of those who currently earn very well from the plastic. But if you made it to this article, you are one of those who are aware of the danger of plastic. Zero Waste is a smart lifestyle.

Just implement the tips mentioned here for everyday life without plastic and give me your feedback. Did you find it easy? What didn't work at all? I hope that we can continue to advance the plastic-free movement together. Just tell others about your plastic-free or plastic-free life and feel free to share this article. Because together we can make a difference!

Stay clean,

PS.: Download here with pleasure my new E-book Create the Garbage away free download.

PPS: If you'd rather hold a book in your hands than read it digitally, you'll get here my book plastic free for beginners. 🙂