National Marine Week happens every year from 24th July to Sunday 8th August, and is a time to reflect on the wonders of our oceans, as well as how we treat them.
Most modern products were not designed with environmental impact in mind, and it’s no different when this comes to sea life. What we use, flush and throw away has a direct effect on our oceans, so to make things a little easier we’ve rounded up 4 everyday swaps you can make to help protect marine life.
Every action adds up, and these swaps are so easy that they’ll be minimum effort for you, but cause maximum change to our oceans – win win!
1. Harmful product: beauty and cleaning bottles > Use this instead: beauty and cleaning bars
Plastic pollution is one of the biggest environmental concerns our oceans face, with plastic from all aspects of our lives winding its way into our waterways (including some of the plastic you do recycle!). By removing the unnecessary plastic in your life you can help to prevent this, and bars are a great place to start! 
Conditioner, shampoo, shaving foam, kitchen cleaning soap and plenty more essentials are all available in bar form, so you can meet your beauty and household needs without any unnecessary added plastic.
2. Harmful product: on the go quick purchases > Use this instead: on the go reusables
Even the most eco-conscious amongst us struggle with our impact when we’re on the go. And whilst this is an unavoidable aspect of modern life, there are swaps we can make to help with this. Carrying items like a reusable straw, drinking bottle and coffee cup on you are great for avoiding single use products when you’re out and about, as are reusable food wraps which save both money and plastic when you bring your own lunch!
3. Harmful product: toothpaste tubes > Use this instead: toothpaste tabs
Toothpaste tablets are a fantastic swap if you’re looking for a simple change that makes a big difference. With 1.5 billion toothpaste tubes ending up in either landfill or our oceans every year, just imagine how much marine pollution could be prevented if we all made this one small switch. Toothpaste tubes are notoriously difficult to recycle too, making toothpaste tabs extra heroic as they’re completely plastic free!
4. Harmful product: single use items > Use this instead: reusable items
Anything that can be thrown away - and especially smaller items - have a strong chance of ending up in our oceans. By making the switch to reusable where possible, you’ll drastically reduce your impact, as well as save yourself money in the long run! From make-up wipes to face masks, and sandwich bags to razors, you’ll be stunned at how many of the daily products you use can be made long-term reusable. Browse our site to discover more. 
Curating a more plastic free lifestyle is one of the most fool-proof ways that you can limit your environmental strain on the ocean. Not sure where to start? Check out our starter blog post on how to go plastic free, or head back to the blog for more eco tips and tricks!