Fionnuala Moran joined Jennifer Zamparelli on RTÉ2FM to share her tips for cutting down on plastic use for July. Listen back above.
Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people become part of the solution to plastic pollution in the hopes of protecting the planet.
To get started, Fionnuala recommends doing a "lifestyle audit" that will allow you to really take in just how much plastic you are using on a day-to-day basis.
Starting with skincare, Moran suggests ditching the make-up wipes for a reusable alternative - bonus points if you find them from a local Irish brand such as the Dublin Herbalist or Faerly.
"These things are all great financially as well because you buy them once and then you don't have to buy them again," she notes.
In the kitchen, Moran says we can swap cling film for beeswax wraps or reusable food huggers. Although there is silicone in these products, they are highly reusable and a much better alternative to single-use saran wrap.
When it comes to scouring ourselves in the shower or scrubbing our dishes in the sink, Moran says that plastic-filled sponges and shower puffs can be replaced by natural materials such as bamboo and natural loofahs.
"The more we're scrubbing away at the dishes and everything like that, if we're doing it with plastic sponges, they're going to break micro-plastics off them, and they're going to go back down into our water systems."
Going back in order to go forward, Moran highlights the plastic-free beauty of the humble bar of soap. Made in an array of gorgeous scents, and with no need of packaging, palm-free bars of soap - made right here in Ireland - can be used for the body and even for the hair.
"There are loads of shampoo bars, there's conditioner bars, there's exfoliator bars," listed Fionnuala.
If bars simply aren't your thing, fear not, there are plenty of shops such as Lush, The Body Shop, and L'Occitane that have refillable products on offer. If you have a good look around your supermarket, you may be surprised to find that many cleaning brands come with refillable packets now too.
For more tips on cutting down on plastic, listen back to the full chat above.
