Plastic-Free Living in 2025: Lessons, Wins, and Ongoing Challenges

Plastic-Free Living in 2025: Lessons, Wins, and Ongoing Challenges

It’s been nearly seven years since I first started my plastic-free journey through the #PlasticFreeJuly Challenge in 2018. What started as a month-long experiment turned into a lifestyle shift—one that hasn’t always been easy but has been incredibly rewarding. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot through trial and error, and I’ve continued with most of the sustainable swaps I initially made.

While the world has made some progress in reducing plastic waste, there’s still a long way to go. In this post, I’m reflecting on my plastic-free journey so far—what’s worked, what hasn’t, and how I’ve adapted to live more sustainably in 2025.

Plastic-Free Travel: What Works and What Doesn’t

The travel industry remains a huge contributor to plastic and food waste. Staying plastic-free while traveling is a challenge, but I’ve developed habits that help minimize my footprint:

What Works:

• Reusable Travel Essentials – I never leave home without my bamboo cutlery set, water bottle, and KeepCup. My husband (yes, he’s fully on board now) keeps a set in his car and travel bag as well.

• Skipping Single-Use Items – When flying, I refuse plastic cups and refill my water bottle at the airport. If I travel business class, reusable utensils are often provided—a reminder that sustainability should be accessible at all price points.

• Sustainable Luggage Choices – My Samsonite suitcase made from 100 percent recycled plastic bottles and cork is still holding up years later. Until more sustainable materials like hemp become mainstream, this feels like a solid alternative.

• The Diva Cup – This remains a travel game-changer. It’s compact, long-lasting, and eliminates the need for disposable period products.

What Doesn’t Work:

• Avoiding Plastic Completely – Even with the best intentions, single-use plastics are sometimes unavoidable. Straws, cutlery, and plastic packaging are given out by default, despite repeated refusals.

• Using a Reusable Cup at Cafés – While awareness has improved, I still occasionally get confused looks when requesting my coffee in my own cup.

Plastic-Free Home: Small Swaps, Big Impact

At home, we’ve made significant strides in reducing single-use plastic, especially in the kitchen and bathroom. Some swaps have become second nature, while others are still a work in progress.

Kitchen Swaps That Stuck:

• Reusable washcloths instead of paper towels

• Wax wraps and fabric covers instead of plastic wrap

• Silicone baking sheets and Baking paper instead of aluminum foil

• Homemade cleaning products using vinegar and baking soda

• Cotton napkins instead of disposable paper napkins

• Cotton mop from The Society for the Blind in Barbados (Supporting a great cause)

What We’re Still Working On:

• Composting – This was a 2019 resolution, and we still haven’t implemented it consistently.

• Buying More Package-Free Foods – Despite efforts, we often end up buying packaged produce at supermarkets instead of sourcing directly from farmers.

• Bulk Shopping Limitations – Importing staple foods means that most options come pre-packaged. Until a bulk store opens here, some plastic use is unavoidable.

Bathroom Swaps That Stuck:

• Stainless steel safety razor instead of disposables

• Cotton and copper gloves instead of synthetic bath sponges

• Solid bar soaps instead of bottled body wash

• Silk floss instead of plastic floss

• Charcoal powder for whitening - I try to do this once a month.

What Didn’t Work:

• Shampoo and Conditioner Bars – These didn’t work for my hair at all. They melted too quickly in our Caribbean humidity and left my hair feeling awful.

• Plastic-Free Mouthwash – We’re still using conventional brands in plastic bottles. Open to better alternatives.

• Bamboo toothbrushes - My dentist warned me against using bamboo, so we’re still using electric toothbrushes.

• Toothpaste in glass jars - finding the ingredients is so difficult.

Plastic-Free Shopping and Accessibility Challenges

Living on an island means sustainable products aren’t always accessible or affordable. We still rely on online shopping for bulk purchases, which isn’t ideal, but it reduces the frequency of buying plastic-packaged goods locally.

One of the biggest takeaways from this journey? Start where you are and do what you can. I used to stress over every piece of plastic I encountered, but I’ve learned to focus on progress over perfection.

PlasticFreeChallenge-SkiptoMalou

Barbados’ Single-Use Plastic Ban and Sustainable Tourism Goals

One of the most exciting developments since I started this journey was Barbados’ Single-Use Plastic Ban:

• April 2019 – Ban on importing petroleum-based single-use plastics (e.g., cups, plates, styrofoam containers)

• July 2019 – Ban on retail sales of single-use plastics

• January 2020 – Ban on plastic shopping bags

This was a major step in the right direction. While enforcement and behavioral shifts are still ongoing, the impact is evident. My hope is that Barbados continues to push for sustainable tourism, making eco-friendly choices more accessible for residents and visitors alike.

Final Thoughts: One Step at a Time

Looking back, I’m proud of how much my habits have changed. Friends still tell me they think of me whenever they see a plastic straw, which wasn’t exactly my goal—but if it makes them more conscious, I’ll take it.

If you’re considering reducing plastic in your life, my biggest advice is:

• Start small – Pick one area to focus on (travel, kitchen, bathroom, etc.)

• Find what works for you – Not every swap is a perfect fit, and that’s okay.

• Educate and inspire others – Change is easier when people around you get involved.

Have you tried #PlasticFreeJuly or made any sustainable swaps? I’d love to hear what’s worked (or hasn’t) for you.