Tea bags

What you can do

Consider choosing loose leaf tea, or creating your own caffeine-free alternatives with herbs.

How can you do it

Going for loose leaf tea is a popular choice when it comes to avoiding plastic that many tea bags are made with. Some people bring their own container to a local bulk or food store, and others buy loose leaf tea at the supermarket without the extra plastic packaging or simply choose teabags that aren’t individually packaged.

Coffee drinkers aren’t the only ones doing morning tea in style. A ceramic or glass teapot is a great daily reminder and an easy way to build a new habit of refusing  single-use plastic with every cuppa. A one-cup tea-infuser is another handy alternative for enjoying tea at home or in the office. Some people find reusable natural fibre tea bags a good option.

Homemade herbal teas are a tasty alternative. Mint leaves, lemon slices, ginger, water and a spoonful of honey makes a calming brew. 

If sticking to the old faithful tea bags, it’ll just take a bit of research. Doing a search for ‘plastic free tea bags’ on the Internet is your best bet, as companies are continually changing their packaging and policies

Taking the next steps

Many people use their loose tea or plastic-free tea bags as a valuable addition to the compost.

Consider buying unpackaged tea bags or loose leaf tea in bulk for the office or workplace. A teapot or tea infuser is a thoughtful addition to any tearoom. Hosting a Plastic Free Morning tea is a popular idea to start a conversation about reducing plastic in the workplace.

Next time you are planting your herb garden or herb pots, consider including options that can double up as ingredients for herbal tea such as chamomile, lavender, ginger, and mint varieties. 

The impact

• Switching to loose leaf tea reduces the unnecessary use of precious resources.
• Tea bags made with plastic can contain chemicals that may leach into fluids at high temperatures, so avoiding them is better for your health.