Use it Up, Wear it Out

I recently had a conversation with someone where they commented that I shouldn’t be using a plastic loofah in the shower because there were more natural and sustainable options now. It’s so great that people are becoming aware of the presence of plastic in our day to day lives and realising that there are more natural products available to us! The point that I would like to make though, is that it’s not the more sustainable thing to do to throw away serviceable plastic products to replace them with their non-plastic counterparts. I plan to use my plastic pink loofah in the shower until it’s well and truly dead! I bought it many years ago before I realised that our poor planet is in trouble and I don’t want to send it off to landfill when it can still fulfill its purpose. To replace it means that I would also be using a natural resource that I could very well just leave where it is at the moment – in nature, doing its thing. When that loofah does eventually need to go to loofah heaven, in all honestly I’ll probably just use a washcloth that I already own. It has multiple uses, it is 100% cotton, I don’t need to buy something new, and it will in all likelihood last many, many years as well.

Since participating in Plastic Free July in 2018, I’ve been on a mission to switch as many products as possible to plastic and packaging free options. Part of the process however firmed up my opinion that we must first thoroughly use those things that we already own first. That’s why I’ve been trying to finish a conditioner that I don’t really like for the last 18 months.

As well as using things up, I’m trying really hard to wear things out before replacing them. I’m almost ashamed to say how long I’ve owned some of my clothes – even ones that I wear regularly. With clothing becoming cheaper than ever, it’s also taking a huge toll on landfill. Every kilo of clothing that’s sent to landfill created 3.6 kilos of greenhouse gas according to this Stuff article! “WRAP UK have calculated that extending the life of clothes by just nine extra months of active use would reduce their carbon, water and waste footprints by around 20-30 per cent each.”

It’s not just clothes that you can wear out, but also think about household furniture and appliances, gadgets, stationery and toys. Really make an effort to get the most use out of the things that you already own before you spend time, money and resources replacing them with the next best thing. I’ll be using my horrible plastic clothes pegs until they break, as they do. I already have some amazing stainless steel ones (best birthday present!) but that doesn’t mean that the still serviceable plastic ones will just be sent straight to landfill. Sure, it’s not very gram-worthy, but I’m determined to use what I already have!

A quick note to also try to use up things that are in your fridge and pantry. Using up your leftovers instead of composting them or sending them to landfill is also a huge step in reducing greenhouse gasses and it also means that the resources spent on growing, storing and shipping your food haven’t been in vain. If you have to – freeze things for later use, or alternatively turn it into a soup and then freeze it. I’ve saved many wilted and tired veggies from the bin by making up a soup!

Some benefits of using it up and wearing things out:

• Save the planet, obviously!
• Save money, bonus. Seriously, let’s just stop buying things that we don’t actually need.
• Save time by shopping for things that you don’t need. Rather than an afternoon at the mall, try going for a hike or even just enjoy a good book.
• Less things means less clutter, less cleaning and less maintenance. Zero waste and minimalist living are great companions!
• A greater appreciation for how much you already do have.

Can you make a pledge to use things up and wear them out? What items would be first on your list?