There are certain things you can't go without: soap, laundry supplies, and medications, for instance. And for those trying to do their part to reduce waste and improve the planet, buying your daily consumables can be frustrating.
These single-use items often contain plastic and paper that will eventually be thrown away and sent to a landfill.
MORE: Ginger Zee takes a look at how donated clothes are processed: Reporter's NotebookThat adds up. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American throws away nearly 5 pounds of trash daily. That's 2,000 pounds of waste a year. But many of our daily necessities can actually be purchased without the packaging.
It's a concept called refill and reuse. And it's an easy way of getting what you need without all the extra waste.
MORE: Get rid of post-holiday clutter: How to recycle unwanted toysDryer sheets are often made from plastic and filled with synthetic fragrances. These single-use products can take hundreds of years to decompose and are known to release volatile organic compounds into the air. A good alternative is dryer balls.
MORE: Plastic bags from Walmart US recycling bins tracked to controversial plastic facilities in Southeast AsiaThese reusable balls go right into the dryer and eliminate the waste of sheets. They can also save you money. For added freshness, just add a drop of essential oil to the ball before throwing it in the dryer.
Cabinet Health says over 194 billion plastic medicine bottles are produced yearly, with 90% ending up in landfills or polluting our oceans.
So, the company offers a sustainable alternative: refillable, shatter-proof glass medicine bottles. Medication refills come in compostable, biodegradable pouches, eliminating plastic waste.
Refill shops are another fantastic way to reduce everyday waste. From hand soaps to shea butter, these stores allow you to refill your own containers with products you use regularly, cutting out unnecessary packaging and saving costs. Refill shops are popping up in more and more communities and the benefits extend beyond just your household—refilling reduces the demand for single-use plastic packaging globally.
MORE: Plastic recycling directory ends, citing lack of 'real commitment from industry'These little changes can make a big difference if enough people swap out single-use for refill and reuse.