Eco Friendly Alternatives- Basics
What's the deal with Eco-Friendly Stuff?
The world we are living in is changing, and not necessarily for the better. I don't know about you guys, but I've been seeing the term "eco-friendly" and "sustainable" being used the last few years. Which is what started me on this journey to help save the planet, and save my wallet. Actually, the reason reason is because of the scary data about climate change and our ever dwindling resources. So if I'm seeing all this information, I wonder who else is, and who else is making a change?
Three-quarters of Americans are concerned about the environment, far fewer say they make an effort to live in a conscious way all the time. Only 1 out of 5 say they make an effort all the time.
Yikes! Only 1 in 5 people are actively worried about the environment and working to live in a conscious way. That doesn't sound like a lot but we have a lot of people in this world. Those 1 in 5 can't make up for all the "convenience" that everyone else is refusing to give up, in efforts to save our planet. That is one of the big reasons people don't want to be as eco-friendly. It's too much "work" to give up plastic bags, one use items, and simply just convenient things. They have them everywhere and I'm in no way claiming to be the best at being eco-friendly, but I consciously make decisions to help our planet.
Where to start?
To be totally honest, it can be really overwhelming to make big changes and to be conscious of what you are doing. So here are some simple switches that can help you. I'll even provide some links of where to buy things! To help you out! Or make some little suggestions that I have made in other blogs or Facebook posts, some new.
Personal Hygiene Switches:
If you care about oral hygiene and environmental safety together, swap your plastic-based toothbrush for a sustainably grown Hello Boo Bamboo Toothbrushes. Our toothbrushes will help you keep your mouth fresh just as long as a normal toothbrush, but help to preserve the environment at the same time. Great for children 8 years and older, teenagers and adults.
There are many other brands on Amazon and even in some stores!
Hair Sampler- 3 shampoos & 2 conditioners
If you're looking for one incredibly solid beauty routine —pun intended— New Zealand startup Ethique (French for "ethical") makes sustainable beauty that works exceptionally well. And they're available at Amazon.
Everything — from shampoo to lotion to a beloved self-tanner— comes in bar form. The bars last 2-5x longer than their bottled counterparts, dissolve completely, and come in entirely eco-friendly packaging (even the sleeves they arrive in are 100% dissolvable and compostable, so there's zero consumer waste).
*PS- They also make, face wash bars and body bars, on top of the conditioner & shampoo.
EcoTools Ultimate Air Dryer Brush
The Ultimate Air Dryer is specially designed to dry hair 40% faster for less heat damage & faster prep time. Great for detangling right out of the shower, anti-tangle bristles nurture the hair & scalp while brushing and styling for a smooth, shiny blowout.
The unique shape allows the Ultimate Air Dryer to work as a diffuser- allowing air to travel through the brush to create gorgeous, natural-looking waves & curls. For long, short, or medium-length hair & fine, course, or kinky hair. Frizz & static-fighting
Method Concentrated Laundry Detergent
Method's detergent is made from naturally derived, plant-based ingredients and has a hypoallergenic formula. Its transparent bottle is recyclable and made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) materials. It's tough on dirt and stains, but you won't be introducing chemicals into the environment or wearing traces of them next-to-skin.
Menstrual Cup
Can you imagine the sheer amount of liners, pads and tampons you’ll use from puberty to menopause? The average woman throws away around 125-150kg of tampons, pads and applicators, which end up in landfill sites. Unlike pads and tampons, menstrual cups are reusable, eliminating waste when throwing away and the environmental impact of producing sanitary products.
And if you need a little more convincing here is another article to read! I personally own this brand, you get 2 for $8.99. That way you can use one and wash the other and alternate days! Why Menstrual Cups?
Condoms, Lubricants, Pads, Tampons, Menstrual Cups
You guys have probably seen the other blog I wrote about this company, but here we are again. But this company offers no chemical, vegan products for a lot of items. I have a link above. Better for your body, better for the environment.
Loli Beauty Products
Zero Waste Beauty™. The world's first sustainable + certified MADE SAFE® organic beauty brand. Now that’s super(food) idea. But we didn’t stop there. Upcycled food-grade-ingredients. Reusable, 100% certified compostable packaging. Earth friendly. People free.
I am a junkie when it comes to beauty products like face masks, serums, creams, etc. This company is filling that addiction for me with various products, great reviews, and sample sizes!
*PS They offer free samples you pay $5 for shipping. They also offer mini versions of things if you are a "try before you buy" kind of person.
Household Switches:
Eco Trash Bags
These trash bags are 100% compostable, meet the stringent requirements of municipal composting programs, and are BPI certified. For reference, they're almost half the price of Glad bags ( also 13 gallon, also 50-count).
Low Flow Shower Head
An inexpensive option is a showerhead by Niagra, which the company claims uses up to 75% less water than traditional "low-flow" shower heads. Though it promises drastic water usage reduction, it also uses patented pressure compensation technology so there's always a consistent flow rate regardless of available water pressure — and it's guaranteed for 10 years.
Dish Cloths
If it doesn't have to be single-use, it probably shouldn't be. Using 100% organic cotton dish towels is a great substitute to paper towels, as you can throw them in with a load of dishes repeatedly.
I personally have some of these. I've been using them for months in my kitchen and I love them. They are all holding up really well!
*PS- this is the same brand carried by Might Nest!
Reusable Grocery Bags
Each year, we use an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags, which causes a lot of avoidable waste.
Using reusable grocery bags is a simple way to cut down on the habit without missing out on convenience. Some grocery stores even offer incentives for people who bring their own bags.
Most grocery stores now offer their own versions of these, so they are super easy to get a hold of! Also, if you forget your bags, make sure you keep all your plastic bags and take them back to the store for recycling! Walmart has bins at the front!
Most grocery stores now offer their own versions of these, so they are super easy to get a hold of! Also, if you forget your bags, make sure you keep all your plastic bags and take them back to the store for recycling! Walmart has bins at the front!
Reusable Water Bottle
Even though recycling programs exist, 91% of the water bottles we use every year wind up in a landfill. And we use about a million per minute. Grab a cool water bottle you'll enjoy using and skip the plastic disposable bottles.
There are so many companies that make these in aluminum and glass. This company just had some really pretty designs for a great price!
Reusable Straws
According to the National Park Service, you could fill over 125 school buses with the straws Americans use every single day (500 million in all).
Using disposable utensils of any kind introduces a lot of unnecessary waste into the environment, but straws are a particularly easy fix.
You can get aluminum ones, glass, bamboo, you name it and it seems like it exists! Great alternatives and you can easily stick one in your bag!
Reusable K Cup
Instead of popping in a new K-Cup every morning only to toss it into the waste bin, consider saving yourself space and money with your choice of fresh ground coffee and a reusable filter pod.
In case you were unaware, K Pods are not recyclable! This is a great alternative. And for a great price!
They also have loose tea ones! Tea Infuser
Energy Saving Power Switch
This energy-saving power switch draws zero energy when the switch is flipped off.
I really love the idea behind this! I'm getting some!
Natural All Purpose Cleaner
This option was developed and tested by doctors and is plant-based. It's natural, non-toxic, hypoallergenic, vegan, gluten-free, biodegradable, and certified cruelty free.
There are also great brands you can find at almost every store that are eco-friendly! Just read the label!
They also make dish detergent! Dish Detergent
Glass Meal Prep Containers
The reasoning behind this one is obvious. Less plastic! You can find these in a number of places!
The reason I chose this brand is they have a lifetime guarantee!
LIFETIME GUARANTEED LIDS: MCIRCO Glass food storage containers use snap lock lids that comes with silicone seals to ensure your meal prep food will last much longer than normal plastic food storage containers or Tupperware sets. These lids are easy to use and will stop leaking. These lids will not break or stop working. We will replace any lids that have issues free of charge.
Want more items for home/baby/pets/etc check out my idea list on Amazon! Lots of great ideas all saved in one convenient location!
As always, Thanks for reading! Let us know in the comments or on Facebook what you want to see!
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