Plastic Free July: 5 simple ways to reduce your plastic consumption

#1. Carry a reusable water bottle

According to National Geographic, a million plastic bottles are sold every minute globally which is why plastic bottles are one of the top polluters of our Oceans and land, but carrying around your reusable bottle could not only reduce plastic pollution but also reduce your carbon footprint. The other bonus is that it can save you money, whether it’s refilling at the airport (Suvarnabhumi and Don Meung airports have water taps outside every bathroom) or at your work place, this is a simple and easy solution in ending plastic pollution.

At MHB we love the brand 24 bottles that you can find in several retailers in Bangkok including at The Object Room.

Image from https://www.facebook.com/24Bottles 

#2. Bring your own bag

As we know Bangkok has taken a big step in cutting single-use plastic carrier bags in shopping malls and convenient stores but not all shops are taking part therefore to be on the safe side, carry a reusable tote wherever you go.

Tip: Although reusable totes are great, The Danish Environmental Protection Agency found that carbon footprint of cotton totes were in fact more environmentally hazardous than plastic during the manufacturing stages, which means that you need to use your cotton tote at least 7,000 times to be carbon neutral so make sure you keep re-using the ones you have rather than buying new ones each time.

3. Bring your own coffee cup

Coffee and Ice-tea consumption in Thailand alone is astronomical, an average consumption of 300 cups of coffee a year per person (Statistics from Bangkok Post).  Although you may look forward to your cup(s) of coffee, unfortunately our Planet isn’t. Most coffee cups are lined with a plastic coating which obviously stops your hot coffee from leaking, however this makes the cup completely non-recyclable.  My personal favorite is Stojo, a collapsible silicone cup (available in 3 sizes) and perfect to tuck away into your bag after you’ve finished.

Stockists include:
– Stojo Thailand 
– Get Well Zone (a similar alternative available)
– Siam Discovery Ecotopia
– Emquartier & Emporium

Image from www.officialstojothailand.com

#4. Buy in bulk

Bulk buying is a great way to stock up on your favourite dry-foods and even body care products, which eliminates a lot of non-recyclable packaging and gives you absolute Pantry-Goals! There are more refill stations popping up around Bangkok which is a great sign.  We recommend these one:

Better Moon Cafe  x Refill Station, 2031 Better Moon Cafe, Sukhumvit 77/1 Alley, Klongtoey Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110

Get Well Zone, 418, 2 ถนน สุขุมวิท Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110

Zero Moment Refillery, 1, @home residence, 1 Soi 16, Hua Mak, Bang Kapi District, Bangkok 10250

Radiance Wholefoods, Opposite Samitivej Hospital, Room G1, JL House, 106 Soi Sukhumvit 49, Klongton-Nua, Wattana, Bangkok,Thailand 10110 Bangkok, Thailand 10110

5. Swap your plastic toothbrush for bamboo

Did you know the common toothbrush takes 400 years to decompose? And that 99% of toothbrushes are made from non-recyclable plastics? By my calculation and based on Dentist recommendations where you should change your toothbrush every 3 months, we use an average of 360 in our lifetime, which would take a combined 144,000 years to decompose.  This is equivalent to going back to the Ice Age. A pretty good reason to start your swap now!

For sustainable toothbrushes and more, you might want to see what is available at https://www.facebook.com/Re4Reef/, and at this eco-conscious living brand in Bangkok called Shibui B.