We started Better Basics, to eliminate single-use plastic waste. Plastic is an everyday problem that we knew everyone faced - as we started to pay attention to the amount of plastic a single home produced, we were overwhelmed with how much just kept coming day after day. We thought if we could create a line of products that was more sustainable and designed to make it convenient and easy to make simple plastic-free swaps, then making the switch would be a no-brainer.
Our philosophy on eliminating single-use plastic and reducing your environmental impact is simple and comes down to three principles:
1. Reuse - Focus on purchasing high quality products made out of durable materials that are designed to be reused again and again. Single-use plastic containers and bags are often not necessary. It just takes remembering your reusable grocery bag, (like our top-selling Grocerer Bag) or coffee mug (like our Ever Mug) to save a piece of plastic that will sit in a landfill for hundreds of years.
3. Bulk Up - save packaging by going with bigger, bulk sizes. When you are using a commodity like soap and cleaning products everyday, you can save hundreds of plastic bottles by swapping to a bulk refill in a better package, like our Better Basics paper refill jug.
When you are starting to make your environmental purchasing switch, it’s also critical to look a little bit deeper into where products are made, what kinds of certifications companies have and their commitments to sustainability. For example, cotton is one of the most common materials for clothing and household products, but it takes an enormous amount of energy to produce and creates 10% of our global carbon emissions. Organic cotton, however, reduces water consumption by 88% and carbon emissions by 62%. That’s why all of the cotton bags that we have produced are certified organic cotton by the world’s leading agency, GOTS.
Our final tip on eliminating single-use plastics: start small and don’t worry if you can’t do it all. Set small, achievable goals and slowly switch out items in your household. Just know that even after owning a business and researching all of the best solutions, I am not even completely plastic-free. We believe the solution is more about a daily practice of making better decisions, and not trying to be perfect, but #doingbetter everyday.