I Set Out to Quit Using Plastic Bags, Paper Towels, Garbage Bags, and Plastic Wrap — Here’s How I Saved Hundreds

Before learning about the zero-waste lifestyle, I used to stock a lot of disposable items in my kitchen. But nine years ago, my eyes opened to just how wasteful my habits had been. There were so many items I was spending money on and then literally throwing in the trash. I was someone who wanted to fight against waste problems and the climate crisis, not contribute to them.

As I transitioned to a more environmentally low-impact lifestyle nearly a decade ago, I quit buying single-use items like paper towels, garbage bags, and other items I hadn’t ever thought twice about before. Pretty quickly I noticed that I was actually spending less money without them. In fact, based on my rough calculations, I’ve saved about $150 a year, or $1,350 total over the past nine years — all by quitting buying the single-use products below. And that’s just in the kitchen!

Read on for how I quit buying these seven unneccessary kitchen items, and what I now use instead.

Instead of buying plastic trash bags, I just line my small kitchen trash bin with whatever plastic bags come my way, like empty cereal bags and bread bags. (Although brands do make compostable ones now!) The same goes for single-use baggies and zip-top bags. Years ago I invested in a few Stasher bags, which are made of silicone, dishwasher-safe, and perfect for packing snacks and leftovers.

Estimated annual savings: $30

Many experts recommend replacing your standard sponge weekly due to inevitable bacteria growth (even every few weeks feels wasteful!). Instead, I clean my dishes with a knitted dish scrubber, which I toss in the washer anytime I wash rags or small towels. Even with weekly washings, one of these scrubbers can last for more than a year.

The same goes for bottle brushes — plastic bottle brushes need to be replaced every few weeks, but my beloved bamboo bottle brush can last months at the least and up to a few years depending on use (and then decomposes to return to the earth!). 

Estimated annual savings: $25

As an alternative to disposable napkins, I invested in a few sets of cloth napkins when I first went zero-waste. Not only are they less wasteful, but they also feel much fancier and softer than paper napkins. And they look amazing!

Estimated annual savings: $10

Admittedly, I used to serve myself on disposable dishes on lazy days, and used single-use plates, cups, and utensils whenever I had guests over. But now I always use my real dishes, glasses, and cutlery no matter what, and I just spend a little extra time washing up. Research has found that even with all the extra washing, using reusable kitchenwares is always more eco-friendly than using disposables.

Estimated annual savings: $25

I used to use disposable kitchen wraps like aluminum foil, cling film, parchment paper, and wax paper all the time, for everything from lining baking trays to storing leftovers. Now I use reusable alternatives like vegan wax wraps and silicone baking mats — check out some more ideas for replacing tin foil here.

Estimated annual savings: $25

Instead of using single-use paper cupcake liners to line muffin tins, I use … nothing. I simply grease the inside of each cup with some oil or vegan butter before pouring in my cupcake or muffin batter. If you prefer to use some sort of liner, you can opt for a set of reusable silicone baking cups.

Estimated annual savings: $5

Paper towels are much easier to quit than you might think, as long as you have enough reusable alternatives on hand. You can opt to buy fabric un-paper towels or Swedish dish cloths; but I just use rags made by cutting up old cotton shirts, which work great for cleaning counters and kitchen appliances. As for drying hands, dishes, and produce in the kitchen, I just use reusable cloth dish towels.

Estimated annual savings: $30

Do you have any simple swaps you want to make in your kitchen this year? Let us know in the comments below!

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: I Set Out to Quit Using Plastic Bags, Paper Towels, Garbage Bags, and Plastic Wrap — Here's How I Saved Hundreds