Here at Garden & Gun, a love of the land serves as the cornerstone of our magazine, and with a headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina, we’re particularly attuned to the dangers our sea life faces from plastic, whether it be a turtle ingesting nurdles or sharks and rays getting entangled in polythene bags. Thankfully, a variety of companies are making it easier than ever to boot single-use plastic. Here are a few of our favorite ideas.
Coffee Cup
If you prefer your coffee to-go, trade in your disposable cup with a plastic lid for this genius collapsible version with a built-in straw. $35; food52.com
Beverage Bottles
Ditch the plastic water bottles for one of these designs. The aesthetes at Kinto created the white one (left), which features a brilliant filter that keeps ice or hot beverages from rushing out too quickly, plus a clever handle for toting. Another bonus: The bottle is made of double-walled steel, so it will keep sips cold or hot for up to six hours ($38; food52.com). The gray bottle (right) makes drinking water way more fun thanks to this and the other colorful options dreamed up by George Sowden for Hay. $35 for twelve ounces; us.hay.com
Straws
Colored glass straws don’t get mushy like paper straws tend to do. $25 for a set of six; us.hay.com
Lunch Boxes
These metal, bento-style boxes are perfect for lunch sans plastic sandwich bags—the walls keep everything from touching. $39 each; amazon.com
Containers
A glass container set can also help you kick the Ziploc habit. And you can feel good about the fact that plastic isn’t leaching into the food when you use these pieces. $44 for 24 pieces; amazon.com
Baggies
If you need something that takes up less room than a glass container, these clear, reusable silicone bags hold as much as a gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag and are great for items like lettuce and washed fruit. $12 for a set of two; amazon.com
Storage Wraps
You can use these reusable waxed-cotton storage wraps by Goldilocks in the same way you would plastic wrap, molding them to create a seal. When you’re finished, rinse them in cold soapy water and use again. The company is now working with the Florida-based Rifle Paper Co. on original floral designs, like the one shown. $30; goldilockswraps.com
Bamboo Diapers
Moms and Dads know that conventional diapers create an enormous (and depressing) amount of trash from birth to toddlerhood. Boo Diapers, which are comparable in price, are made from soft, absorbent bamboo that’s biodegradable, compostable, and doesn’t irritate a baby’s skin. The best part? The diapers are available by subscription, so you can set it and forget it and never run out. $70 for 200; joinboo.com
Grocery Totes
The reusable bags sold at grocery stores can be cumbersome, especially if you’re making a big run. Baggu’s washable, functional grocery totes are the opposite—you can squish them down into a tiny ball, making them perfect for your purse or car console. $12; amazon.com
