There are no shortage of articles out there encouraging us to reduce our carbon footprint, go green, and make sustainability a part of our everyday experience. If you are like me, you recognize the urgency of our climate situation and have every intention of doing your part, but somehow still find yourself producing bags of waste and recycling to be lugged out to the curb each week. I’m not saying we all need to be zero waste producers living in yurts, but I know I can certainly lessen my waste, and chances are you can too.
To actually put this intention into action I devised a plan to go greener without compromising the quality of the products I use or my paycheck. Instead of listing out a bunch of products to replace current ones, I started by being mindful about what items I was actually disposing of, and picking rooms in my home to reduce the waste I produce. Not only has it been fascinating to see my trash pile shrink, I feel more connected to what I am using, and mindful about how these small actions can truly make a huge difference. I highlighted some of my favorite green products below, and hope you will be inspired to try them as well!
Problem Area #1: The Bathroom
I found that on a daily basis I consistently used the highest volume of unsustainable products in the bathroom. I also realized that while I always considered bottles of shampoo and lotion to be recyclable, chances are the “empty” bottle is never actually clean enough to be recycled and may compromise your entire batch of recycling. Yikes! Luckily there are no shortage of easy swaps!
Package-Free Bathing
Lush Cosmetics is my favorite one stop shop for “Naked” products. They have packaging free shampoo bars, conditioners, face cleansers, lotions, etc. Not only do the products last super long, they are high quality (I actually prefer them to there packaged counterparts), and easy to travel with since there aren’t any liquids. They also have plenty of options for every hair and skin type.
Toothbrush Time
If you don’t use an electric toothbrush bamboo toothbrushes are a super easy swap! Did you know that a plastic toothbrush takes up to 1,000 years to decompose all while leaking toxins into the surrounding soil? Luckily bamboo toothbrushes are biodegradable and even compostable! Pick up a pack here!
Toothpaste tubes are another huge non-recyclable waste product that we use on a daily basis, that can be easily swapped out for a sustainable option. Toothpaste tablets, replace the tube and are cleaner to travel with (win, win!). I will admit it took a little getting used to, but I love my Bite Toothpaste Bits. You simply chew the tab until it starts to foam and then brush as usual. This company has an awesome subscription plan that sends you toothpaste bits every 3 months in compostable packaging, super convenient!
Everybody Goes…
Let’s face it we use a lot of toilet paper in a given day, so swapping out this product for an equally (ok almost equally) soft sustainable option is a great way to go greener! Whole Foods offers recycled unbleached toilet paper options, that will make you feel like a champion for the earth with every flush!
Ditch the Soap Pump
One of the easiest and most fun bathroom swaps was choosing to use bar soap rather than liquid soap in a plastic pump, or body wash. Most bar soaps are also packaged in cardboard and wrapped in plastic, but smaller grocery stores sell artisanal soap without the packaging. I have had so much fun picking out soap from Whole Foods, and I simply bring my own container to transport it home in. I’ve been loving my Good Soap bars!
Problem Area #2: The Kitchen
Second to the bathroom, the kitchen is where I found myself creating the most waste. Most of my trash and recycling came from food packaging, paper products, and water storage, so I zeroed in on these areas.
Guilt-free Hydration
First things first, invest in several reusable water bottles, so you will always have one washed and ready to go when you need it! There are so many great options like Thermoflask and Aladdin, that offer a bottle for just about every beverage. I love my Aladdin plastic bottle because it is not only recyclable it is made from recycled plastic, high-five Mother Earth!
Secondly, commit to ditching the plastic straws and purchase an inexpensive reusable one. Even if you don’t think you are a straw user, chances are if you order to go drinks or eat a restaurant you will be given one. Make sure to tell the waiter or barista in advance that you would like to go without a straw.
Packaging
The process of getting food from the grocery store and onto your plate has the potential to create a lot of waste on a regular basis. Bringing your own reusable mesh produce bags and reusable grocery bags makes a huge dent in waste production.
For food storage, ditch the plastic containers and ziploc bags and try glass storage containers and beeswax wraps. Beeswax creates a natural seal and if reusable so simply wrap anything you would put in a bag and you are good to go! I highly recommend Beeswrap for all of your sustainable food storage needs!
Ditch the Paper Products
I know that paper towels and paper napkins are something we are used to seeing in a modern kitchen, but there really isn’t a need for them. I ditched paper towels and napkins for cloth with no noticeable difference, except a huge reduction in paper waste, and slightly more items in my laundry. If you want to be extra thrifty you can cut old cotton t-shirts to use as rags when wiping down kitchen surfaces.
If paper towels are still a must for you, give bamboo paper towels a try! You can find them here and each sheet is so durable it can be washed in your washing machine and reused!
In going through the process of making these simple changes in my life, I identified so many others sustainable practices I could be putting into place. My goal is to keep expanding this practice and shrinking my waste. This list will hopefully serve as a good starting point for you, and just remember you don’t have to change everything all at once to make a difference. Small sustainable steps towards a greener lifestyle, make a huge impact. So feel free to try a couple of the recommended products and practices above, and make every day Earth Day!
