Are you up for the challenge? Stop spending so much money on plastic goods that aren’t reusable. Start implementing each of these steps over time and see how eco-friendly and cost efficient you can be.

*This blog was written by an American Lifestyle magazine contributor.

Drinks

Don’t go through several plastic water bottles daily when you can refill a glass or steel container instead. You are better off investing in a water filter that you can reuse than spending money on buying bottles every other week. The same goes for your daily cup of coffee or tea. Instead of buying your drink in a plastic cup, bring a reusable one that can be filled for you. Many coffee and tea establishments offer these alternatives, people just don’t take advantage of them.

Prepackaged food items

It’s hard to avoid plastic when everything we buy in the grocery store seems to come prepared in a plastic container. In order to avoid using plastic bags and wraps for fruits, vegetables, deli meat, bread, stock up on reusable sandwich bags. Or, buy items in bulk and wrap in reusable paper, like Bee’s Wrap (just like Matt used in the video)!

Plastic silverware

Instead of picking up a disposable utensil for lunch, take your regular silverware. It’s just as quick to grab, and though it will need to be washed, it is a small price to pay.

Produce bags

Another simple thing to do is buy some mesh, washable bags that you can take to the grocery store to put your produce in instead of using the provided plastic bags. You can even skip the bags entirely and just put the produce in your cart. Since you will be washing the food before you eat it anyway, bags aren’t always necessary. It might not seem like you are saving much waste by doing this, but over time, you will save a lot of single-use bags from going into landfills.

Reusable cloths for cleaning

Cut down on your paper towel usage and switch to washable rags! Use them to clean your kitchen counters, and rewash them when needed.

Straws

There are a ton of reusable straws on the market now, making it easier to eliminate single-use straws. Bring it with you when you order drinks in public and any time you are on the go.

Reusable shopping bags

Most people already know about this one, but are you remembering to use them? Once you get in the habit of bringing them to the store, it will become easier, but stash a few in your car just in case you forget or if you have an impromptu errand to run.

By becoming more aware of how much waste you go through in your home, you can slowly start to adjust your lifestyle to reusable, cost effective, and environmentally friendly.