Top 10 easiest plastic free swaps for students

Shampoo and conditioner bars are popping up everywhere now, and there's a good reason for this. They are amazing! Instead of purchasing a plastic bottle filled with shampoo or conditioner, they come in bar form and are used just like a bar of soap.

 Everything you want from a shampoo or conditioner, just in a bar. They're easy to use, last much longer than a bottle and can quite often end up being cheaper. Win, win right?! You can purchase them online and supermarkets now, or at shops like Lush.

Pencil highlighters are perfect for highlighting important notes, colour coding your lists or just doodling with. They are completely plastic free and work the same as your normal highlighters. 

The OU Students Shop sells recycled pencils.

Chuck out your cling film! These reusable beeswax or vegan wraps are perfect for wrapping up sandwiches, left overs or snacks. Warm them gently in your hands and then wrap whatever you fancy, once finished with give them a wash in cold soapy water and use again and again. 

They come in all different sizes and patterns, so not only do they keep your food fresh, they make your fridge look pretty too!

Instead of buying a notebook made from virgin paper, why not buy a notebook that's made from recycled paper? It will work just as well and you're doing your bit for the planet by not having a tree cut down.

The OU Students Shop will soon be stocking recycled notebooks with our brand new 50th anniversary branding. 

Made from super fast growing, sustainable bamboo, these toothbrushes are a nice and easy bathroom swap. No longer do we need to have plastic toothbrushes sitting in landfill not decomposing (studies show that they take around 500 years to decompose). 

When you've finished with your bamboo toothbrush, pop into your waste and it will decompose in as little as 3-4 months.

Following the bamboo theme - get your study station set up with a super chic, super sustainable bamboo desk tidy. Instead of using a cup, a bamboo desk tidy is perfect for organising your pens, pencils and (pencil) highlighters. They're available from most stationary or DIY/home improvement shops. 

Natural deodorant is an excellent way of cutting out plastic, but also a great way to reduce the amount of nasty chemicals on your skin. 

They come in stick, bar or cream form and contain all natural ingredients. But most amazingly, they work! I have tried a fair few and can safely say they are no worse performing than my previous roll on. It holds up to a gym class, a run or general day to day parent life (think wrestling the kids into the car)! 

I dare say it would hold up to the dreaded exam sweats, too.

Reusable coffee cups have been around for a little while now, but I think they still deserve a mention. They're excellent to have on hand during a lecture or sat at your study station keeping your favourite beverage hot, whilst you're busy writing up an essay. I even keep a spare one in my car in case I fancy an impromptu Starbucks trip. 

They come in all sorts of sizes and materials, from bamboo, recycled plastic and even glass. 

If you're more of a cold drink lover, why not grab an OU reusable water bottle from our shop?

My easiest plastic free swap has to be soap bars. I remember when I was kid, thinking how funny it was that my grandparents used bars of soap for everything, I can still smell the Imperial Leather. 

Now I'm older, I realise how great they are. Soap bars can be used to replace your handwash or shower gel in the bathroom. They last loads longer then a handwash or shower gel, and I mean loads longer! And, depending on what brand you go for, they can be much cheaper too. 

You're not throwing away tons of plastic bottles away each year so you're safe in the knowledge that you're reducing your impact on the planet. 

Laptop bags are a must for a busy student, and I have found a range of bags and sleeves that are made from sustainable or recycled materials. 

These vary from hemp, paper and even leaves (yes leaves!). They are often made from recycled plastic bottles and most are Vegan Society accredited. So keep an eye out for one of these and keep youe laptop protected whilst protecting the environment.