Reusable Product Alternatives

In addition to selecting products that use less packaging, look for products that are durable or readily recyclable in your community. When buying a product, stop and think, “Can this item be recycled or reused?” If not, is there an alternative brand or product that you can buy? By making these choices, you are using your purchasing power to reward manufacturers that make durable, recyclable and reusable products, not products that are only disposable.

Try these alternatives:

• Use washable cloths instead of throwaway wipes
• Buy rechargeable batteries
• Buy cloth napkins that you can wash instead of paper you throw away
• Buy washable plates and cups for picnics instead of disposables
• Buy razors with replaceable blades
• Use reusable containers with lids instead of aluminum foil and plastic bags or wrap
• Rinse plastic bags and reuse them
• Buy a refillable water bottle instead of single use plastic bottles
• When dining out:
  • Bring your own containers to the restaurant to take home leftovers
  • Ask the restaurant to leave out plastic utensils when getting take out if you’ll be eating it at home
  • Bring your own refillable mug to the coffee shop
  • Skip the plastic lid and straw on cups when possible

Try these workplace alternatives:

• Bring re-usable dishware to work and eliminate the use of disposable Styrofoam, plastic or paper plates and cups or plastic utensils.
• Make sure all printers have double-sided set as the default.
• Print drafts of documents on the backside of used paper.