ByThere is an environmental alternative for almost anything out there. I was surprised to find that I seemed to be much healthier since switching some of these things as well. My hair grows faster, my skin is clear, and I’m leaner than I’ve ever been.
Some things take getting used to, but so does anything that changes our habits. These alternative options are not only better for the environment but will actually save you quite a bit of money in the long run. At times, zero-wasting can be hard, really hard.
In some situations, I didn’t have a waste-free option and had to go with the standard plastic protocol, but the idea isn’t to make your life hard. The point of this is to live consciously and make better choices.
After diving into this full force, I realized I was in over my head. Start slow and don’t overwhelm yourself. Use what you already have, because you’ll be surprised how long it will take for some things. Here are some swaps I’ve learned during my low-waste life that I hope will help you out.
Straws
Of course, I started with this little devil. This is one of the most talked-about plastic wastes. Although all plastic is a threat to our oceans, this is currently the talk of the town. Plastic straws are not recyclable, and they break up into microplastics (as do all plastics). There are tons of plastic-free options out there, from metal to silicon to bamboo. You can find an option that fits your needs and style.
Plastic grocery bags
This one is easy! This has been a concept for a while now, and there are companies giving away reusable bags for free to promote themselves. You can also purchase them for a few dollars. If you are frugal like me, you can make your own.
Produce bags
Only a very few grocery stores carry compostable starch produce bags for single use, but we hate that phrase. Bring your own homemade ones (make them out of old shirts you don’t want anymore), or you can buy mesh produce bags that are transparent and reusable. You can purchase them in most grocery stores in the produce aisle.
Paper towels
They cost you a ton of money and are super wasteful. Have a set of rag towels for cleaning up and drying hands. I honestly rarely use paper towels, and that’s usually only to clean up the animal poop. If you’re trying to be eco-friendly and just can’t make the switch yet, just don’t buy bleached paper towels.
Tissues
Cloth hankies or, if we’re being honest, take care of that business in the shower.
Aluminum foil
I saw this swap by Madeline Olivia, who uses silicone baking mats for her cooking channel. They work great! Aluminum foil is recyclable, but try to reduce, not just recycle.
Plastic water bottles
There are so many reusable options, it’s insane. You can get any design, color, shape, or style you want nowadays. There is almost no need for a plastic water bottle anymore. I have had a handful of situations where I had to get a plastic water bottle (at events that didn’t allow unsealed options), but I try to limit it to only when I have no other alternative.
Water filters
Charcoal sticks. I have not actually tried this yet, as we are still using down our filter,s but a lot of zero-wasters I know say it works great.
Body wash
I was worried about switching to a bar because they are often very dry. I had to try several different kinds of bars, but found that Lush products are the best. You can also experiment with making your own.
Shampoo
I switched on and off from commercially bottled shampoo to a bar. I found that if I washed my hair every other day or every third day with the shampoo bar, it was less irritating to my scalp than regular liquid shampoo, and my hair actually started growing faster. If you don’t like bar shampoos (try giving it a few months for your hair to adjust), there are refillable liquid shampoo companies.
Cleaning Products
It’s actually quite fun to make your own products. Simply Pinterest/Google it, and you can find tons of recipes that are zero-waste or are natural if you are worried about your kids or pets. You can get supplies here or recipes here.
Beauty Products
There are a few companies that sell makeup in bamboo (or plastic-free). I personally buy most of mine in glass from Lush, or you can try making your own. Again, there are tons of recipes out there that work better than commercial makeup and are nicer for your skin.
Toothbrush
In the US alone, we throw away 850 million toothbrushes every year. As much as we would like to think that we individually don’t play a big role in that, obviously, every single person does. Get yourself a bamboo toothbrush. Plenty of companies make them, and you can get them online easily now. Something to consider when purchasing one, however, is that the bristles themselves are nylon and do need to be removed and recycled properly.
Single-use razor blades
Buy a reusable metal one. They last longer and are much better than their alternative. Disposable ones cost you more in the long run, so save yourself the money. You can always embrace your natural hair, too. I shave my legs once a year. Go ahead, judge me!
Coffee cups
Make your own coffee at home, it’s way cheaper. If you don’t want to, and it’s really a convenient thing for you, then simply bring your own reusable cup. Most places are fine with you bringing your own cup; you simply have to ask. I know plenty of people who have done it at Starbucks.
K-cups
These come in refillable sets, although they require you to purchase the coffee grounds. There are compostable versions as well, but if you are on a budget, the best way is to make your coffee at home, or you can try what I did and stop drinking coffee.
Utensils
There are tons of sets out there made of bamboo, or you can try carrying your metal set around, but the bamboo ones are nice cause you can travel with them. I personally have kept a plastic set that I’ve had forever for traveling, but I will upgrade to bamboo when it reaches the end of its life.
Oil spray cans
I used to buy these a lot for baking/cooking. I switched to a manual pump, and it’s amazing! I can put whatever oil I want into it, so I don’t have to worry about all the extra chemicals of the disposable ones.
Sponges
I have a compostable walnut sponge (that takes about 4 months to break down in the bin). We also have a wooden brush, which I wish I had brought into my life a long time ag,o because it works better than the abrasive side of the sponges. They also make natural Luffa plant sponges.
Plastic zip-lock bags/plastic wrap
Reusable silicone bags work great. I also use beeswax wraps instead of cling wrap.
Luffa
Did you know you can grow your own (Luffa is a plant)? If that’s not for you, there are plenty of natural options out there.
Plastic tapes
Simply switch to paper tape.
Pens
These are so wasteful because we as a society have made them an advertisement, and there they are super cheap. Most of the time, we can get them for free, but that’s why they are so easy to throw away. Try purchasing a refillable pen. Yes, there is still some waste that comes with this, but much less, and they last longer than those freebies you have too many of. Try using the ones you have first. I bet it takes you longer than you think.
Paper cupcake liners
For your bakers out there, they make silicone cupcake liners. They also make reusable icing pipe bags.
Drier sheets
Wool balls are my alternative, and you can add your essential oils to them if that’s your forte. I still notice some static, but not as much as when I had dryer sheets. A vegan option, because wool can be cruel, is bamboo dryer balls. It is best to know where your products come from and if they are cruelty-free and sustainable.
Litter
So this one can be tricky. For me, it didn’t work out, but I’m determined to try again. You can get compostable litter (even if you don’t compost, at least the litter will break down and not pollute the earth). You can buy litter that is made of corn, wheat, grass, soil, wood, etc. It’s safer for your cats and the earth. Personally, wheat litter worked great up until I caught my cat eating it out of the box. I tried newspaper and Pine, but he started urinating on the carpet, so we switched back for now. If you buy Yesterday’s news, it comes in a recyclable bag too.
Toilet Paper
Just use your hand. Ok, I’m kidding, don’t freak out. Some people make their own “toilet paper,” but I personally could not take that route. If you can, more power to you. Instead, I focus on the toilet paper packaging. I used to buy tube-free paper, which was great except it came wrapped in plastic. So now I switch to rolls that are wrapped in paper, but I can compost or recycle them at least. You could also get a bidet to reduce your use of paper. I hear it’s all the rage.
Cotton tip applicators (Q-tips)
I rarely use these now (not saying you can’t help the planet if you use them), try to get ones that are not plastic, yes, they make plastic ones; it’s horrible. The colored ones are made with plastic tubes, so stick to cotton/paper if you’re going to use them.
Floss
Switch to silk (you can buy it online, and they make refillable containers); it’s better for your health and works just as well.
