With the announcement that the New Zealand Government plans to ban single-use plastic bags by August 2019, the team here at queenb thought it a good time to brainstorm ways that you can cut down on plastic bag use.

Did you know five trillion plastic bags are estimated to be used worldwide every year. That’s a lot of plastic that take a lifetime or longer to break down.

So, what can you do to cut down your single plastic bag use? There are a few things that can have easy gains and can also work out better for your wallet too!

 
You can now buy re-useable metal straws, and do away with the plastic (these are terrible for the environment)! If you get a take-away coffee every morning, take a re-useable cup with you!It’s nicer to drink from and a lot of cafes even give you a discount for taking your own!

Of course, once plastic bags are gone from supermarkets, you will be stuck carrying your shopping, or having to buy another recyclable bag! Why not get into the swing of it now, keep the bags in your boot or backseat, another great idea we have heard of is to keep a washing basket in your boot! Easy to fill up and carry to your panty!

We have covered the morning coffee run, trips to cafes for milkshakes, food shopping, let’s think about ways to reduce your waste inside the home. From cooking, why not get a worm farm for your backyard, all your food scraps (excluding fruit) can go in there, and as a bonus you get worm juice in the bottom tray, that you can use as liquid fertiliser on your plants or lawn every couple of months!

Nearly everyone has an email address, so get bills emailed to you, don’t get these posted to you! You could even opt to go digital to read the newspaper, rather than using ink and paper for your morning news fix!

You can also help the environment by buying quality, built to last items, often when you spend that little bit more, you buy an item that is built to last, and won’t end up in the landfill earlier than it should! Not only helping the environment, but your wallet too. Here at queenb we have gorgeous Duvet Covers, Duvet Inners, Sheets and Towels that are built better than the standard you find at other retailers, this is especially true of our Commercial stock, which is built to withstand hundreds of uses! Not to mention we have an Eco Friendly category too for all your needs.

Buy NZ made where you can, there are beautiful Wool Blankets, Duvet Inners, Sheets and Pillows that are made right here in NZ, reduce your carbon footprint, and always buy local where you can! Not only will you get a better product, but you will help keep your fellow countrymen employed!