How to Reduce Your Child’s Plastic Use in 10 Easy Ways

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! We know what you’re thinking…being a parent is hard enough on its own! Now we want you to think about limiting your use of plastics on top of it?! Well, the good news is we have some simple solutions for you to help leave the world in better shape for your children. We know some plastic is unavoidable—a breakable glass bottle is not going to be a great solution for a toddler prone to throwing things—but learning what it means to be a good citizen of the planet at an early age will help your tots build good habits for later in life as well!

Tips for Using Less Plastic While Parenting:

• Save all your bags from retailers! Cloth totes from events, your old beach bag, and that random plastic bag from Target can all be used when you grocery shop. Parent pro tip: Leave them in your car for easy access for shopping trips.
  
• Ditch the one-time-use water bottles. Swap them out for reusable stainless steel or glass water bottles instead. Get one for each member of your family.
  
• Get on board with Bento. On lunch duty? Bento boxes and reusable containers create less waste and are also great for sharing on Insta.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  A post shared by PlanetBox (@planetbox) on Apr 14, 2019 at 12:54pm PDT
  
  
  
   
  
• Buy plastic-free containers, like glass or metal jars.
  
• When possible, buy used items. Need a baby swing or high chair? Most plastic baby goods are hardly used, with a little bit of elbow grease you’ll have brand new baby gear for a fraction of the cost. (Learn more about safely shopping secondhand.)
  
• Say goodbye to straws. If you’re eating out at a restaurant, ask them to skip the plastic straw. And if your kids like using straws at home, buy steel straws that can be washed and reused.
  
• Upgrade your cutlery. Make sure your little one has a reusable spoon, fork, and knife in their lunchbox if they need it so that they don’t have to use plastic cutlery.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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• Order an ice cream cone! When you’re out for ice cream, choose a cone.  Going spoon-free means less plastic and more tasty treats…win-win!
  
• Visit the farmers market! Shopping local where you can buy in bulk gives back in more ways than one, plus you can shop with your own containers.
  
• Rethink your laundry routine. Gone are the days when your only choice was a big, bulky, plastic detergent bottle! Those heavy jugs take up a lot of space and weigh a lot, which means more fossil fuels are used to transport them across the country. Better options: ultra concentrated formulas in smaller containers or even detergent sheets! 

Final Thoughts About How to Reduce Plastic Use

Even the smallest of changes can make the biggest impact. It all starts at home and children learn when you lead by example. Set a goal to make one change per month and the task won’t feel so overwhelming. (Learn more about what plastics to avoid.)

More “Green” Reads:

• Earth-Friendly Baby Registry Musts
• The Most Affordable and Sustainable Way to Get SNOO
• Simple Ways to Teach Kids About the Environment
• Why Organic Cotton is Better For Baby and The Earth
• Homemade Baby Food Benefits 

Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.