1. Reusable Water Bottles: I believe everyone should ditch plastic water bottles and use a reusable one instead. You only have to purchase it once and you can use it forever if you get a good quality one. It is so easy to refill them as well as to clean them.
Where to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/MIRA-Stainless-Insulated-Durable-Thermos/dp/B0764PBQRZ/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3N8F11RB4R1OM&keywords=mira+water+bottle&qid=1556052358&s=gateway&sprefix=mira+water+%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-5
Fun fact: More than 38 billion water bottles are in landfills each year
2. Reusable Straws: Plastic straws are becoming a huge problem. They can't be recycled and end up in landfills and oceans. A video of a turtle with a straw stuck in his nose made me realize how awful single use straws are. There are a variety of reusable straws out there made of silicon, glass, durable plastic, and stainless steel.
These ones by TiBlue are made of silicon which are great for straw biters. Each straw comes in a case that you can attach to a keychain and a cleaning wand. You can buy them in a set of 4 or individually. The set of four was $11.99, but there was an 10% off coupon on Amazon which made them $10.79($2.70 per straw). If you were to buy the straws individually, they are $3.99 each.
Where to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P79G5XR/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This set of metal straws with 2 cleaning pipes was $7.99 from Amazon(or almost $1 per straw). There are 4 bent straws and 4 straight straws.
Where to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L1YXQEU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Fun fact: 500 million plastic straws are being used each day!
3. Reusable Remover Pads: Many people apply toners or remove makeup with single use cotton rounds every day which is very wasteful. Instead of using single use remover pads, try reusable ones.
This set of 16 reusable makeup remover pads can be washed and reused about 1000 times or more. They even come with a laundry bag so you can easily locate them after the wash. I personally use them for toner so they don't stain at all. I'm not sure how they look after the wash when removing makeup. This was $13.99 on Amazon, but there is a 6% off coupon available(as of 4/23/19) which makes them $13.15($0.87 per pad). This reduces the need to keep buying cotton rounds on a weekly or monthly basis.
Where to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G7QN4R2/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
Fun Fact: The average person spends about $36 a year on cotton balls and rounds.
4. A lunch box/bag: When I was in middle school and high school, I saw many people using paper bags for their lunches. After lunch, they threw the bags away in the trash can(not even the recycling bin!) By using a reusable lunch box/bag, you save money in the long run and reduce waste.
You can buy lunch boxes/bags anywhere, especially during back to school season. They have cute ones at Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Target, and many other places. I got this specific 9 can bag at Walgreens for $10! Some awesome things about this bag is that it's insulated and has a pocket in the back that I use to store reusable utensils.
Where to purchase: I got this bag at Walgreens.
5. Reusable Hot and Cold Cups: When you go out to buy hot coffee or tea, you should use a reusable cup.
Where to purchase: Starbucks sells reusable hot cups for $2 each. The pink cup is from Barnes and Nobles which was a birthday gift from a friend(so I'm not sure how much it was)
The one on the left is $3-4 which includes the straw and the other two(also includes straws) were $11.99. The cup on the left is 24 oz and the other two are 16 oz.
Where to purchase: Starbucks
Fun Fact: At Starbucks you get a $0.10 cup discount and at Argo Tea you get a $0.50 cup discount which helps you save money if you frequently go to those places.
6. Reusable Shopping Bags: Plastic grocery bags are a huge problem for the planet. They are toxic, wasteful, and take 1000+ years to break down. Plastic bags end up in landfills and the ocean which is harmful to sea animals. Instead, use reusable bags.
You can buy reusable shopping bags at grocery stores as well as online. I got some free from my university, some were given to me, and some were purchased at local grocery stores.
Where to purchase: local grocery stores and online.
Fun Fact: Many states now charge a $0.07-$0.10 fee per bag at stores and grocery stores.
7. Reusable Produce Bags: Plastic produce bags are wasteful especially since many people just throw them away once they get home. Bring your own reusable produce bags. You can wash them each week to ensure that they are clean.
This 15 piece set was $13.99 on Amazon and there is currently a 5% off coupon available as of 4/25/19. It comes with 3 large bags, 9 medium bags, and 3 small bags.
Where to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GTLTDKR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
