TIPS

Be a part of the effort to reduce plastic waste.

We offer a variety of tips to help you change your daily habits to reduce your use and exposure to plastic.

The products we feature are primarily those that members of our team have found useful. Many others are available, but we have not thoroughly reviewed all companies or products. We’d love your feedback on the products you use! Email us at bpmocomd@gmail.com.

Person wearing a blue glove cleaning a window with a green cloth and window cleaner spray.

Replace household cleaners that come in large plastic containers. Whether you’re looking for an all-purpose or glass cleaner, laundry detergent, bathroom products or something else, take a look at Blueland and Dirty Labs for starters.

Stack of three handmade soap bars tied with raffia and decorated with a small green plant on top.

Avoid plastic waste when purchasing health and beauty products. No need for large plastic bottles filled with shampoo and conditioner. Check out Grove Collaborative to find a variety of products in a range of categories or check out this local small business.

Reusable cloth grocery bag filled with celery, oranges, red apples, a baguette, and a paper bag.

Get ready to Bring Your Own Bag when Montgomery County’s new law goes into effect on January 1, 2026. Grocery stores and retailers will no longer be allowed to provide plastic bags and will be required to charge 10 cents for each paper bag provided. Keep a bag of bags in your car so you’ll always have some handy.

Bring a supply of mesh produce bags, too, which can be found in the produce section of many grocery stores or in many online outlets, including here.

A hand holding a silver water bottle near a lake with mountains and cloudy sky in the background.

Skip the bottled water when you shop. Keep reusable water bottles on hand at home and in your car. They are sold everywhere; here are some recommendations. Increasingly water bottle filling stations are available in public and private locations. If you buy soft drinks, look for cans instead of plastic bottles.

Display case with various types of ice cream and frozen desserts in a store

Buy in bulk. While not as widely available as we’d like, a number of stores have some options to buy nuts and seeds, flour, sugar, honey, spices, chocolate and more in bulk. Check out items at Mom’s Organic Market, Sprouts, Roots and the Takoma Park-Silver Spring Food Co-op, and bring your own containers – glass jars or mesh bags. Ask the managers wherever you shop to offer products in bulk.

Glass storage containers with pasta, chickpeas, and grains on a kitchen shelf.

Use food storage containers made of glass. Pyrex makes a wide variety that can be used for storage, freezing, heating and serving, and many options are available from other companies.

Various plates of Asian dishes including spring rolls, grilled meat, vegetables, salads, and dipping sauces on a black table with hands reaching for food.

Don’t forget restaurant leftovers. Next to your reusable shopping bags, keep a few reusable food containers in your car. Then when there’s more on your plate than you can eat, you’ll be prepared to take your leftovers home in your own reusable container.

A circular sticker with a red border and blue background. The text reads "SKIP the STRAW" with a bent straw illustration. The phrase "MONTGOMERY COUNTY MARYLAND" is at the bottom.

And while you’re dining out, remember to “skip the straw.” If you live in Montgomery County, Maryland (or many other jurisdictions), remind the restaurant that the County forbids the distribution of plastic straws except upon request.

Collection of potted houseplants with green leaves on a wooden surface against a white wall.

Be a smart shopper. New and better products regularly come on the market to replace plastic. Here are just a few examples you may not be aware of: Plastic-free planting pots, refillable markers, wooden children’s toys. Keep your eyes out for new products that are being introduced all the time.