And are you still buying those awkward, unrecyclable plastic tubes of toothpaste full of undesirable chemicals when you could be enjoying the revolutionary Tooth Powder?
It’s made with a blend of mineral-rich salts, calcium, sodium bicarbonate (for whitening power), aloe vera & some carefully-chosen essential oils (like myrrh, which is good for gum  health) for a minty-fresh feeling. Get every last scrap of the product out of the jar – no endless, hopeful efforts to squeeze the dregs out of a non-recyclable plastic tube!

One of my guiding motivations for creating the Leafology range in the first place was my desire to avoid buying questionable ingredients packaged in so much plastic. It was clear from the start that I needed to spend time sourcing alternatives for my containers if I was to create a range I could be proud of, and this led me to the glass and metal containers you know and love, which, in my opinion also look and feel far nicer in the hand and on the shelf.
(They are also far better for the contents and high quality ingredients; no plastic leeching, or damage to the container from the potent essential oils!)All that aside, here are 3 completely unrelated ways I’ve additionally managed to reduce my personal use of plastic as part of my daily life, both when at home and out & about. There’s always room for improvement, but the small things make a difference!UNO
I am, embarrassingly, the sort of person who has a big handbag (a ‘Mum bag’) with me everywhere I go. That is, I am THE person to turn to if you need an umbrella, lip balm options (obv), an emery board, mints, my diary (though I’m not sure why you’d need that), ibuprofen… etc. Because I like to cover all eventualities, I also never go anywhere without a bag within my bag! That’s right, this flimsy, floral, paper-light bag, bought in a boutique in Barcelona, has been in recent times filled with lettuce, birthday presents for my nephew, A4 folders, muddy carrots, dresses accidentally bought in charity shops, completely unnecessary (but beautiful) porcelain jugs, a leaking box of olives (oops)… You name it, I’ve put it in there. I never need to ask for a plastic bag. I also have a fold-up version (the type which poppers up into a tiny bundle), but this is my fave. You can make one easily out of scrap fabric, if you know how to sew.
Sidenote: Charity shops are my weakness and farmers’ markets are my joy. Both go a LONG way in supporting the re-use of already-existing things and the abundance of our local community (and most exciting of all is when you find a naked cucumber, of course!).

DOS
A while ago now, I switched to a metal ‘safety razor’ instead of those disposable plastic ones you buy in multipacks. My only regret is not doing this sooner – it actually makes me quite cross that the shaving industry seems not to be interested in marketing simple razors like these to women. Instead we are meant to buy pink plastic gel-stripped aloe-infused throwaway blades, when all we need is one metal purchase (which looks elegant in the bathroom) and cheap-as-chips blades to change every now and then.

(OK, full story… I actually once spent almost £1000 on laser hair removal, thinking how much time I would save never needing to shave my legs or armpits again and inspired by a friend whose legs had been hairless for years – of course, there is no NEED to shave, but it’s my preference to feel smooth. Unfortunately, the lovely lady who performed the laser ritual on me over multiple sessions didn’t quite accuratately-enough estimate its success on someone whose hair is not very dark in the first place. Short story: it didn’t work. One of the sillier things I’ve wasted money on. Nevermind…)

TRES
My metal fold-up spork is my friend and ally in eating on the run. Best paired with a glass or metal lunchbox (I like the pyrex glass containers with silicone snap-on lids), it’s a staple in my Mum Bag, and goes with me everywhere. I keep it in this fraying, embroidered purse/pouch I was given for free by a woman who sold me an anklet in India, and the zip now doesn’t particularly function, but I don’t care. I usually use it to eat weird and wonderful vegan concoctions that have people politely asking what on earth I’m eating (‘Oh, just a casual millet and fennel salad…’). Also a marvelllous thing to whip out when you had to dash to a café before choir and now need to eat your dinner sneakily sitting on a pew at the back while everyone else sings ‘She sells seashells on the seashore’ as a warm-up.

What’s your go-to plastic-banishing tip? Let me know!