This month is Plastic Free July – a global movement to support us all to be part of the solution to reducing plastic pollution.

As with any change, it can feel overwhelming to reduce how much plastic we use or that comes with the food and products we buy, which can lead to us taking no action at all.

Just as I recommend small and gradual steps to reducing your food waste so that you can make changes which become habitual and are sustainable, so too can you make steady changes to your plastic consumption in the kitchen.

Pick one or two changes that you can make right now and then plan to review this in a month, two months or even three to pick one or two more changes. This will get you started and give you the motivation to do more.

Start by identifying what plastics are going out most regularly in the recycling – are there any quick, easy and affordable swaps you can make there? Or perhaps consider how you might reuse them before they head to the waste.

Consider what other plastics are in your kitchen – cling film, cloths and washing up sponges, food storage bags etc. – can you find alternatives such as containers or reusable, washable cloths and bags.

Are there plastics which you aren’t recycling? Could these be collected and then taken to a recycling point? There are so many more facilities available now for recycling single use plastic, though it can take a little effort on your part. Check out Teracycle online.

Cost can often feel like a barrier to leading a more eco lifestyle but it is worth totting up how much you spend on items like washing up sponges and comparing it to the cost of an eco version which is going to last months, if not years. You might be surprised by how competitive the price is.