From grocery bags to product packaging and to-go containers to water bottles, plastic is one of the most widespread materials found in households. It’s no secret that plastic isn’t beneficial for our environment, but it is easy to overlook when it’s second nature to restock on ziplock bags and reach for plastic wrap while storing food. Although convenient, plastic has some not-so-great effects in and out of our homes. And when it comes to living sustainably, it is best to avoid using plastic when possible.

The key to being more sustainable with plastic isn’t necessarily switching to glassware and aluminum straws. The big picture is much simpler and less expensive- repurposing and reusing what we already have. Here are some simple, cost-effective tips for cutting down on plastic consumption:

Avoid Buying Things That Will Increase Your Consumption

• When it is time to make a plastic purchase, ask yourself if the purchase will ultimately lead to another one. If the answer is yes, there is a good chance there is a more sustainable option. The overall idea is to buy things you can use over and over again to reduce waste.

Do-It-Yourself Dish Rags

• One swap you can make is home-made rags for sponges. Average sponges only last an average of two weeks and are made of synthetic fibers that pollute waterways. They also accumulate bacteria that can be harmful to our health long term. Instead of buying another sponge, try cutting up old cotton t-shirts and using them for rags that you can use, wash and repeat. If you’re not quite ready to part with your sponge, there are ways to clean it rather than buying another as mentioned in this article.

Reuse Plastic Bags

• You’ve heard it before, we will say it again. The amount of time we are actually using plastic bags fails miserably in comparison to the time it takes for them to break down. It takes an average of 12.5 years for a plastic bag to decompose, and the working life of a plastic bag is 15 minutes on average. This means even if we were actively using plastic bags every minute of 1 year, it would still be less than 0.003% of the total time it takes to decompose. We recognize the unfortunate truth that avoiding plastic bags entirely isn’t a small feat, but we can extend the life of the plastic bags that we can’t avoid having in our home. Next time you forget to pick paper over plastic, reuse the bags in smaller waste bins or to keep herbs fresh in the fridge as depicted here. Similarly, you can also substitute cereal box liners for wax paper and get more than one use out of them.

Refillable Products

• Another easy switch is buying products you can replenish instead of ones that will need to be replaced like with dish soap, detergent, and discarded multi-surface cleaners.
• Refilling the same products means no plastic is being produced, and no new containers need to be manufactured. This switch is also more cost effective as buying in bulk is cheaper.

Buy Whole Foods

• Whole foods are praised for their health benefits, but the benefits don’t stop there. A study by the Environmental Protection Agency found that 63% of municipal solid waste in the US largely came from food related packaging materials. Buying whole foods over pre-packaged items is often healthier and more sustainable.

No matter how simple, any act to reduce plastic consumption at home makes a difference. We can make a significant impact in our environment and on our health just by turning single-use plastics into multi-purpose items.