Easy Zero-Waste Switches (Week 4)
Let’s switch it up!
Part 4 of 4
Here we are in our fourth and final week of Easy Zero-Waste Switches, which means we're almost through January already. Wow, that went fast!
How are we feeling? Like we need a snow day? Or perhaps a snow week? Hot cocoa and a blanket sound p-r-e-t-t-y good.
Here's this week's list:
🌿 Refill hand soap/switch to bars: Waste from plastic soap dispensers aside, bar soap uses fewer resources for packaging, production, and transportation (up to 5 times less) than liquid soap. Plus, bar soap lasts around 7 times longer than liquid soap. There are so many amazing scents to choose from, and it's often made locally! For those who prefer the pump, simply bring in your container, fill 'er up, and off you go. You've got options!
🌿 Reusable cotton swabs and makeup remover pads: If you've seen the photo of the seahorse with its tail wrapped around a plastic cotton swab instead of sea grass, you're probably looking for alternatives. Luckily, there are a couple options! One is a straight switch to bamboo & cotton swabs (instead of plastic). The other is a reusable swab, like LastSwab. Reusable swabs have a small learning curve, but are super easy to use, and each one is meant to replace 1000 single use cotton swabs! The other easy switch is ditching single-use makeup remover pads. Each year, billions of these are thrown away after being used for only about 15 seconds. The easy switch? Get back to fabric. Not only are reusable makeup remover pads better for the earth, they feel better on your face!
🌿 Rethink how we do gifts: Whether it's for a birthday, holiday, or "just because" (the best kind!), we all want to give something special. But the current "need-to-buy-new" mindset creates a lot of extra "stuff" for our planet, much of which will eventually end up in the landfill or ocean, and stay there for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Why not opt for alternatives like home-made gifts? Get in touch with your creative side and maybe learn a new skill/craft while you're at! Another great option is to give your time and/or unique experiences - forget the "stuff" altogether. And one last suggestion is giving pre-loved items. There are so many wonderful gifts in your own home and in thrift/consignment stores just waiting to be loved again!
🌿 Opt for beeswax wraps: Plastic wrap is another single use product that is difficult to recycle. This means it will either be left to leach chemicals in the landfill for years as it tries to decompose, or end up in the ocean where marine life can get caught in it or ingest it. One of the easiest switches is beeswax wraps. Not only do they smell amazing, you can wash them, reuse them, and re-coat them when they lose their stick. Plus, they are completely biodegradable!
🌿 Refillable makeup: Every year, over 120 billion units of cosmetic packaging are produced globally. This packaging is made from fossil fuels, and creates products that - for the most part - are not recyclable. Refillable makeup is a wonderful solution for this, and several makeup companies are moving in this direction. Another option is to look for glass and/or bamboo packaging, which can be either recycled or composted.
🌿 Conserve water: During this season, it hardly seems like something we need to think about. But every year, we are getting droughts, and conserving water just makes sense. Some simple ways to do this include turning off the tap when washing your hands, face, or brushing your teeth, instead of letting the water run. Or using your grey water for watering your garden. Try only running the laundry/dishwasher when it's full. And a favourite saying for some around the toilet etiquette is, "if it's yellow, let it mellow... if it's brown, flush it down!"
🌿 Bring your own bags & containers when shopping: Each year, Canada produces the equivalent to 140 000 garbage trucks full of plastics, with a large majority of that coming from trips to the grocery store. With only 9% of Canada's plastics being recycled, that leaves a lot of our waste for the landfills and ocean to hold... and they're bursting. Not only do plastics leach into the earth and injure/kill marine life, they have made their way into the food chain. Yuck. Some easy switches to get away from this are reusable grocery, produce, and bulk bags. Bringing your own jar/container for liquid/deli items is also a great idea. Stores had to shut this option down for a while, but many are open to it again. Get out there and ask!
So that concludes our 4 weeks of Easy Zero-Waste Switches. It's a lot to pack into a month (especially the first month of the year!), so remember to take what you can, and save the rest for later. And as always, remember to be gentle with yourself as you strive to be gentle with the earth. ❤🌎