Plant saucers serve the important functions of retaining water and keeping dirt off your floor. But there is no reason we have to settle for those plastic ones that look uninspired and are bad for the planet.
One content creator warned their followers against buying flimsy plastic plant saucers.
The scoop
"We as a society can do much better than these flimsy plastic plant saucers," Elena (@thishouse5000) told their 648,000 Instagram followers.
Instead, Elena suggested that plant parents head out to their local thrift stores to buy used glass serving trays.
"They're actually cheaper than the plastic, they're durable, they're washable, they look much, much better, and they serve the same purpose," Elena explained.
Other experts agreed. One home design writer shared in a piece for Apartment Therapy the story of how they too had been converted from plastic plant saucers.
"Gone are those dreaded, discolored plastic saucers, and in their place are intricate and antique-inspired silver plates that bring an unexpected, fancy touch to any room," they wrote.
How it's helping
In addition to saving you money and upgrading your home aesthetically, buying things you need from secondhand stores instead of buying disposable plastic items is a win for the planet.
Our society has a major problem with plastic — creating, consuming, and throwing it away at a rate that is unsustainable. Plastic does not biodegrade, and when it is sent to landfill it just sits there, taking up space while leaching microplastics into the ground and nearby water sources.
And that's not even the worst-case scenario for single-use plastic, as a huge amount of it ends up in the ocean. Scientists estimate that there will be more plastic by weight than fish in the ocean by 2050.
When you buy from a thrift store, however, you are taking something that may have been bound for a landfill and putting it to use, all while decreasing the demand for new plastic.
What everyone's saying
Elena's Instagram followers were into the advice.
"Agree. And they don't crinkle and split," one commenter wrote.
Someone else commented: "Why have I never thought of this!!! I can't wait to go thrifting and pick up some plant platters!"
"Brilliant," another said.
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