Zero Waste Swaps
So anyone who knows me, knows I'm kind of a hippie. Not kind of, I'm definitely a hippie. I very much care for this planet and think it deserves better than what it's getting from us. According to a Ted Talk I've recently watched (for the second time) spoken by Lauren Singer, she states that the average person disposes of 4.4 pounds of trash every day. Every single day guys! That blows my mind! That's way too much. There's no way that the Earth can sustain that over time. Zero waste piques my interest because I don't want my plastic shopping bags in the ocean, I don't want my plastic products ending up in less fortunate creature's stomachs. I don't want to be part of the reason that the pacific garbage patch exists.
I don't think I'll ever be fully Zero Waste, having a mason jar with my yearly trash in it. However, if I could at least reduce my garbage by 50% I would be a happy camper. That being said I have made some Zero Waste life swaps that I want to share with you, I don't expect anyone to follow me in this journey, but if you want to then we can do it together!
The first Zero Waste swap that I made was my toothbrush. I buy them from a company called "Brush with bamboo" I believe that they are the original bamboo toothbrush creators. It's a family-run company and even if you're up not to switching I recommend that you go to their website and just watch their little about us video. It's super cute. The shipping is free which is great. A four-pack of toothbrushes is $20 so it's not bad, that comes up $5 a toothbrush. Their packaging is also completely compostable. I see bamboo toothbrushes in stores all the time which I love seeing, however, I don't love seeing that they are packaged in plastic... That kind of defeats the purpose. The bristles on my toothbrush are made from plants, I know that other companies use pig hair for them. I recommend being wary of that. I'm also trying to live a more vegan-based lifestyle so the idea of that horrifies me.
The next swap I made was my razor, I was kind of worried about this one because I know safety razors can be a little dangerous. I have cut myself a few times, you just have to be a little more careful. I bought mine from a company called "Albatross" I don't know too much about this company, I'd love to learn more. I personally really like mine. I bought a shaving cream with it as well that I'm fond of.
Reusable shopping bags are pretty much essential, where I live we can't use them right now because COVID is still a thing. I also have reusable produce bags and reusable coffee mugs that I also can't use. In lieu of those, I just won't use any bags for produce and wash them really well when I get home. I'll ask for paper bags with larger grocery purchases or not get any bags at all if I can carry my items. I've also cut down my trips to coffee shops.
I've been trying to find a more eco-friendly solution to picking up doggy droppings. I tried out a brand of biodegradable ones, but they broke down a little too fast. Also, be mindful that biodegradable doesn't always mean compostable. Most biodegradable things will break down over time, but they only break down into small pieces and stay that way. Whereas compostable items will completely break down into nothing.
Reusable water bottles instead of plastic ones are common sense to me. First, my water bottle is bigger and insulated so I have bring more water with me and it stays cool all day long. Also, the plastic from the disposable ones can leach into the water and actually do more harm than good. I'm under the impression that water bottle companies don't have as many regulations as tap water so you could be getting a little more than bargained for with those. I'd have to do more research on that though. Keep in mind that bottled water companies don't make water, they make plastic water bottles. Along the same note, I don't use straws. I know there's a lot of hype around those recently, everyone saw that turtle video. I only use reusable ones if I do use them.
Another swap I made was a Diva-cup, which is a feminine hygiene product. I started to get pissed off at the price of tampons to be honest, especially ones that were more organic. Tampons often have chemicals in them that can be harmful and can lead to toxic shock syndrome. I've tried using more organic ones in the past, they work just fine, however all of the ones I've found still use plastic applicators. The diva cup is probably the best zero waste option, I personally really like it. There's also the option of buying/making reusable pads, honestly, I'm not about that. I think it's a little gross.
The last swap I made was my toothpaste. I was finishing up a plastic tube of store-bought toothpaste and figured it was a good time to experiment with ZeroWaste options. You can always make your own, which I've tried in the past. It was pretty awful and I almost threw up every time I used it. Also, baking soda is a bit abrasive for your teeth and it can wear down your enamel. I'm trying out toothpaste tablets from a company called "Bite" so far they're not bad. I've only been using them for a few days, and I think it's going to take some getting used to. The price isn't bad, it's $12 for a container with 62 tabs in it. The average toothpaste tube is like $10. You could save by alternating between a homemade one and these if you wanted to.
Those are all the swaps I've made so far. When I was living on my own I used to buy in bulk and buy less packaging, those things become a little more difficult when you live with others who then want you to go to the store and get things for the whole household. Also bulk is not available right now.
The next swaps I have planned are a shower loofa, the one I have now is plastic. It is still good though so there's no point in switching before I have to. I would like to get either a bar or liquid castile soap for hand soap in my bathroom. Right now I'm using a scented one from the dollar store in a plastic bottle. I wouldn't mind trying out Zero Waste deodorant as well. There's quite a few options that are made of less harmful chemical and packaged in bamboo. Finding a Zero-waste body soap I like is also in the mix.
As I've said I don't expect anyone to follow me in this transition, but if it's something you're interested in feel free to let me know. Also if there are any other swaps that you know of I'd love to hear them. As always thanks for reading and have a great day!
-Courtney :)
