Eco-friendly is getting easier these days with countless companies picking up on the requests of their customers. Many of them have worked hard to make their products eco-friendly and sustainable, meant for prolonged use to cut down on waste.
In a world where recycling and reusing are becoming more and more common, there are many different ways to make your home more environmentally friendly. Some of them might surprise you, so this list is worth a look even if you’ve taken the first steps!
1. Who Gives A Crap Toilet Paper
The company name is definitely eye-catching, and also ironic, because their customer base definitely gives a crap. WGAC was launched by Danny, Jehan, and Simon in 2012. They love toilet paper, and they aren’t shy about it.
WGAC has created eco-friendly products that range anywhere from 100% recycled toilet paper, 100% bamboo toilet paper, forest friendly tissues, paper towels, clothes, and more.
They utilize a great ordering system – plan your deliveries ahead by family size, and get notifications when they’re coming your way, so you can adjust if you’ll be out sooner or later. WGAC also uses plastic-free products, free carbon neutral shipping on most orders, and they donate 50% of their products to help build toilets.
2. Brush with Bamboo Plant-Based Toothbrushes
Brush with Bamboo is the world’s “first and only plant-based bamboo toothbrush” company, according to their website. They make products with USDA certified bio-based bristles. They are also vegan, FDA registered, and Green America certified.
If you’re not sure how to switch over to a bamboo brush, Brush with Bamboo’s website provides steps for caring for your new brush. If cared for correctly, they can last just as long as a plastic toothbrush but should still be replaced every 3 months for hygiene purposes.
Each order is sent out with compostable packaging and you can also explore their options for personal care, oral care, and home and living products.
3. Plaine Products Shampoo and Conditioner
Shampoo and conditioner might feel like the one thing you can’t compromise on – if you have long or general unruly hair, you know how important a good conditioner can be for maintenance!
Luckily, Plaine Products doesn’t sacrifice on quality in their call to “refill, reuse, rejoice.” They’ve created a chemical free hair-care line that will tame your mane.
How does it work? When you order products from Plaine, they send you a recyclable package of refillable bottles. When you get low on your product, you can place an order, receive another bottle, send back the empty one (with free return label), and reuse the pump!
4. LastSwab Reusable Cotton Swap
LastObject has created the LastSwab, a pretty self-explainable product, although at first glance you might feel iffy about it. According to LastObject, 1.5 billion cotton swabs are made each day, and when they’re tossed out after one use, they sit in landfills or can even cause damage to your waste system.
The LastSwab was created as a replacement for every single swab you toss out. Made of nylon with medical silicone grade tips, the LastSwab can be used over 1,000 times before it will need to be replaced. After each use, you can run the tip under warm water with some soap for a quick rinse and you’re good to go!
Each swab comes with a biodegradable carrying case, and they are surprisingly comfortable to use.
5. Misfits Market Box
Misfits Market found a place in the market where they could actively fight food waste and make groceries more affordable, delivery included.
They source organic products from farms and food hubs to gather items that might not meet the high standards of grocery stores when it comes to damage or quirkiness. This doesn’t mean the food is close to rotting; usually, there is a blemish of some sort that would lead to the product eventually being tossed in the waste, when it was perfectly good for use!
Misfits’ site says that they “rescue” produce and guarantee that their packaging is eco-friendly. They use compostable clamshells, insulation, ice packs, and more to keep your food fresh. You’ll have a three day window to create your order, which has to hit a minimum of $30. New items are added every week so this service can be quite an experience!
6. KeepCup 12 oz Reusable Cup
16 billion disposable coffee cups are used each year, and coffee is the second most frequently consumed beverage in the world. If you can’t imagine a day without caffeine, it might be time to look into reusable coffee cups, guaranteed to help cut down on your take-out waste.
KeepCup produces reusable coffee cups that are barista-approved. They’re beautifully designed and made to keep your beverage hot or cold while also protecting you from excessive heat. Their products come in a variety of colors and styles as well as sizes, so take your coffee to go straight from home, and skip the waste bin.
7. High Sierra Showerheads
David Malcom saw a need for eco-friendly shower heads and designed a product to do the job. High Sierra products are low-flow and built by hand, meaning that you’ll use less water for every shower (the average of which is 17 gallons for 8 minutes of shower time).
They’ve incorporated other solves into their showerheads, as well; lower cost, longer life, and resistance to hard water and clogging. High Sierra is a two-part investment – cut down on both your water and energy consumption by utilizing their design.
8. Parachute Wool Dryer Balls
The history of dryer balls is a complicated and unclear one, as tracing the origins is based more on story than facts. Either way, dryer balls have proven themselves when it comes to creating sustainable laundry habits.
Parachute uses tightly compressed wool, one of the most common ways that dryer balls are made (there are also plastic/rubber option out there). These balls prevent laundry from sticking and clumping together, cutting down on static and circulating warm air to reduce drying time.
9. OXO Reusable Straws
If you can’t go without your morning or early afternoon beverages, we totally understand – there’s nothing like an iced matcha in the middle of summer to pick you up! But did you know that 500 million straws are used every day, and are harmful to animals as well as the environment?
OXO reusable straws are made of durable stainless steel, and each set comes with a cleaning brush as well. Buy a two or five pack and keep some in your home, in your purse, in your car – wherever you can cut down on single-use plastic straws!
10. GoodCups Reusable Keurig Filter Pods
These days, it’s hard to find a home without a Keurig if there’s a coffee drinker there. But Keurig pods are often single-use and you toss them out immediately. This may seem like a great idea if you don’t like to drink the same coffee every day, but you’re actually creating a lot of waste.
GoodCups’ reusable K cups are compatible with most Keurig brewers and are made 100% BPA, lead and DEHP free. They make it easy to buy your own coffee – even if it isn’t Keurig’s brand – and use eco-friendly products for your morning cup.
No matter where you are in your quest to become more eco-friendly and sustainable, there may be little tips and tricks you’ve missed – we hope our list has given you some ideas on how to make small changes with big impacts!
