10 Easy Sustainable Swaps For a Greener Life

1) Cotton Balls /  DIY Cotton Rounds

This is probably the easiest, cheapest, you-have-no-excuse-not-to-do-it swaps. Yes, cut up t-shirt squares sitting on your counter isn’t exactly aesthetic, but it is 100% less wasteful than buying cotton balls to remove your makeup, nail polish, dead skin, shame, etc. Here’s a tutorial on how to make them. Best part? It’ll only take you five minutes.

*If you do want something more aesthetic you can buy pre-made reusable cotton rounds.

2) Plastic Bags / Reusable Bags

Before heading to the grocery store grab every free tote bag you’ve received from an employer, a charity, a concert, a museum or Lululemon. If you have somehow drifted through life without ever receiving a free promotional tote, then ask your friends or family members if they have any extras. Buying a new one should be a last resort. The manufacturing of cotton requires more water and contributes to more air pollutants than the manufacturing of a plastic bag. As a result, cotton tote bags need to be used thousands of times before they’re considered more environmentally sound than their plastic counterparts. If you do find yourself using plastic bags, save them (don’t throw them in your recycling bin) and take them to a Target or another location that recycles number 2 plastic. 

3) Plastic Water Bottles / Reusable Water Bottles

Ok so everything I said about grocery bags, same thing applies here. Avoid plastic bottles whenever you can, opting for a reusable option (again, I bet you’ve been given plenty of free promotional water bottles). If you do need to purchase one, try out one of these conscious options. 

4) Plastic Bottle Hand Soap / Blueland Hand Soap

Instead of repeatedly buying conventional hand soap in a plastic container, try bar soap or Blueland hand soap. The company sends you “forever bottles” that you can use (spoiler alert) forever. The cleaning product itself comes as quarter-sized tablet that dissolves in water and the packaging is 100% compostable. 

5) Plastic Toothbrush / Bamboo Toothbrush

Nearly all standard plastic toothbrushes are not recyclable because they’re made of a combination of plastic that is nearly impossible to break apart. Also, because of their small size, they’re likely to get stuck in standard recycling machinery. An alternative option is a Bamboo toothbrush. Equally as effective as whatever your dentist gives you, but instead of tossing it in the trash at the end of its life, you can remove the bristles with pliers and then compost the handle.  

6) Throwing Away Food Scraps / Composting

Food does not break down properly in landfills. Let me say that again for the people in the back. FOOD DOES NOT BREAK DOWN PROPERLY IN LANDFILLS. Food (or any other organic matter) lacks the necessary light and oxygen to break down in a landfill. Instead it releases methane, a greenhouse gas that that is 27 times more destructive than carbon (making this one of the most important and impactful sustainable swaps you can make). So instead of throwing away your food scraps, compost them—you can either start your own backyard compost pile, or subscribe to the many compost collection services across the country (unfortunately most do charge a fee, so if you’re unable to afford a monthly compost collection check out these tips to prevent food waste in the first place).

7) Sponges / Bamboo Scrubbers

I’m just gonna say it: sponges are disgusting. On top of being a breeding ground for bacteria, they are made of plastic and often come wrapped in it too. I cannot speak more highly of Zefiro’s bamboo pot brush. The handle and head are made from sustainable bamboo and once the head gets unsightly you can pop it off, throw it in the compost bin and purchase a new one. 

8) Tea Bags / Loose Leaf Tea

A conventional plastic tea bag can shed billions of microplastic particles into your relaxing morning beverage—yuck. Additionally, when you throw that tea bag away you’re adding more plastic waste to the landfill and the tea leaves won’t be able to break down properly since the landfill won’t provide them with the correct conditions to do so. Swap for loose leaf tea that you can steep using a diffuser. My favorite brand is Arbor Teas. They’re a Michigan based brand that sells organic, fair trade tea in compostable packaging. 

9) Conventional Toilet Paper / Bamboo & Recycled Toilet Paper

Most major toilet paper brands are made from 100% virgin forest fibers. So when you flush conventional toilet paper down the drain you’re flushing away a tree. In fact, worldwide, the equivalent of ~27,000 trees per day get flushed into our sewer system as toilet paper, which as you can imagine contributes to some pretty serious deforestation. Toilet paper made from bamboo or recycled materials is an easy low waste alternative. For instance, utilizing recycled materials is much less water and energy intensive, while the rate at which bamboo regenerates makes it a much more sustainable option. For a recycled option I recommend checking out Who Gives a Crap and for bamboo I recommend Reel. 

10) Reusable Food Wraps

Aaand for the last of our easy sustainable swaps, we have reusable food wraps! Watch your consumption of single use plastic-wrap decline drastically with this handy swap. They’re perfect for storing leftovers, taking food on the go, and they can double as a grip to open difficult jars.