Sneaky ways plastic shows up in your life (and how to get rid of it)

If you’re reading this, you probably don’t need to be told plastic is a problem. You bring your tote to Trader Joe’s. You stopped buying bottled water in 2016. Maybe you’ve even flirted with shampoo bars. You’re doing great.

But even the most eco-conscious among us are tangled up in plastic. Plastic is sneaky. It’s in your face wash. Your tea bags. Your “natural” deodorant. It’s wrapped around your produce and hiding in your pet routine.

So, in honor of Plastic-Free July, we’re looking at the low-key ways plastic worms its way into your life, and how to reduce plastic use without losing your mind.

1. Rethinking your dog poop bags

Let’s start with your pup. You love them. You walk them. You scoop their poop like a decent human. But most dog poop bags—even the ones that scream “eco-friendly”—are just plastic in disguise.

Enter: Earth Rated, a Canadian company making smarter bags for dog people who give a sh*t. Their poop bags are made with 65% post-consumer recycled plastic. That means they’re using plastic already in circulation—stuff that would otherwise be headed for a landfill. Every year, they help divert over 5 million pounds of waste.

That’s not nothing. And the bags still hold up—no weird tears, no smells, just a better choice in your back pocket.

2. Plastic hiding in tea bags

You thought you were being cozy and wholesome. But many tea bags are sealed with plastic or made entirely from plastic mesh. When steeped, they can release microplastics into your drink.

Try loose-leaf tea with a stainless steel strainer. Or look for plastic-free tea bags from brands like Pukka or Numi.

3. Sneaky plastic in produce aisles

You brought your tote, sure. But did you grab a plastic-wrapped cucumber? Or one of those plastic mesh bags of oranges?

Skip anything wrapped in plastic when you can. Bring reusable produce bags. And maybe buy your spinach not in a plastic clamshell this week.

4. Plastic waste in your bathroom

These two are bathroom mainstays, and unfortunately, both are made of hard-to-recycle plastics. The solution? Brands like Bite and Huppy make toothpaste tablets in glass jars. For deodorant, look for compostable cardboard tubes from brands like PAPR or Ethique.

5. What’s in your yoga mat?

Sorry to break it to you, but most yoga mats are basically plastic slabs. Even the ones labeled “eco” or “non-toxic” are often made of PVC or TPE—fancy names for petroleum-based materials that don’t break down and definitely don’t belong in a landfill (or your living room).

And when you think about how often your skin is directly on that mat—sweating, breathing, grounding—it’s worth a second look.

Enter: Oko Living. Their mats are handwoven from organic cotton and dyed with Ayurvedic herbs. No synthetics. No junk. Just beautiful, functional, biodegradable rugs that support your practice and the planet. They’re soft, grounding, and naturally grippy—without the chemical smell.

If you’re looking to detox your downward dog, this is the place to start.

Plastic-Free July isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness. It’s about realizing that every slight shift adds up, especially when it comes to the products we use every day. Just pick one and start there. No guilt. No preachiness. Just a little less plastic in your life—and a little more peace of mind.