The Small Green Swaps I'm Making and My Fave Eco Products
This year Christianne and I are very focused on trying to make as many green swaps as we can to live more eco-friendly lives. Some of the changes are small (and not so small) lifestyle changes and others are product swaps for greener alternatives.
Here are some of the easy green swaps I’ve been making:
No more plastic bags - Instead of Ziplock’s I’ve been using Stasher bags. I picked up a large variety pack last year and now I swear by them. I use them to pack food, make busy bags for my toddler and for makeup when I travel. They are really sturdy and can be used in dozens of different ways. I also recommend signing up for the Stasher newsletter for more tips on how to use (and clean) the bags as well as eco friendly tips in general.
Reusable straws - I really dislike paper straws but hadn’t found a great, easy-to-clean non-paper alternative until I discovered the Five Two straws. Not only are they adorable but they are a breeze to clean and come with a handy carrying case so you can just throw them in your purse.
Bar soap - For some reason many years ago, I decided that I didn’t like bar soap and I started only using pump soaps. Fast forward to current times and I realize it’s far more cost-effective and environmentally-friendly to use bar soap. I just ordered these from by Humankind and I’m happy because it comes with a free soap dish which is great because I don’t currently own one.
Dryer Balls - I bought some plain white dryer balls from Amazon years ago that I somehow lost (but they were great) so I recently upgraded to these from Five Two. I really don’t know why but they make me so happy. I love the colors, they help clothes dry faster and you can put in some essential oils if you want your clothes to have a little scent like lavender.
Nuuly subscription - Christianne and I both tried this service out last month and I’m continuing on this month. Nuuly is a clothing rental service (with no ongoing commitment) that allows you to have six pieces for a month and then you send back in the same box you receive them in. You select the clothes you want from brands carried at Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters and the online service itself is very intuitive to use. While it’s not a perfect service (i.e if something doesn’t fit you can’t return and get something else like you can if you use Rent the Runway) but overall I’m very happy with it and will probably do it on and off throughout the year. If you’re interested in checking it out, you can use this code for $10 off.
Refillable deodorant - Deodorant is something I always buy, so it was a no brainer when I discovered refillable deodorant. I found this Myro deodorant at Target last year (I don’t think they carry it in the store anymore) but you can still buy online and here is another option from by Humankind.
Prepare ahead of time - I have dozens of reusable bags, multiple to-go mugs and enough washable rags to clean every house on my block, but if I don’t have them when I need them it’s easy to resort to a less earth-friendly alternative. Now I leave bags, water bottle and to-go cup in my car in preparation for the inevitable.
When it comes to going green, every little step you take counts. You don’t have to be perfect and buy all organic, free trade, refillable, etc, etc. Instead focus on the little changes that make sense for you and once you start making little swaps here and there it’s easy to continue making more and more. Speaking of, here are the next steps I’m going to take:
Consume less in general - While it’s tempting to be swayed by all the marketing we see telling us we need new “green” products, one of the biggest takeaways for me is that it’s very easy to feel like you constantly need to upgrade and buy all new products, but that really defeats the purpose of trying to be more eco-friendly. I was tempted to buy a new Planetbox lunch box for my kid and new All Birds or Rothys for myself, but the reality is that I don’t actually need those products right now.
Focus on refillable products - Like my deodorant, I want to find makeup products and other frequent-use products of mine that I can refill.
Buy in bulk - It’s easy to get sucked in by the convenience of snack-size packs (especially when you have little kids) but I’m trying to buy in bulk as often as I can (and as much I can fit in my house without edging into hoarder territory). For example, if you open my pantry right now you will find possibly the largest box of goldfish in the entire world.
Try reuasble paper towels - Has anyone used them and had a good experience? Paper towels are definitely one of our weaknesses and even though we leave cleaning cloths out on the counter we often find ourselves reaching for paper towels first. I think this one might be the hardest swap for me.
Try this reusable swiffer duster pad - I recently saw this reusable microfiber pad product written up and I think I’m going to check it out. Seems like an easy swap to make and the cost isn’t too high. Any of you used it?
Do a vegan challenge - This is another one that’s going to take some prepping but I’m really excited for it. I currently eat very little meat but I’d love to try going vegan for a few weeks and then see how I want to adjust my diet on a more permanent basis.
And lastly here are a few of my favorite resources:
Tiny Canal Cottage - Whitney lives in a cottage and gives amazing tips on being eco-friendly and consuming less in general. Reading her blog really opened my eyes to how tempting it is to buy new products because they’re marketed as eco-friendly or green when many times they aren’t really needed.
Fresh Exchange - Megan lives up in Northern Michigan (a place very near and dear to my heart) and talks a lot about eating locally and seasonally and focusing on quality in products over quantity. She has an amazing newsletter and is really a wealth of knowledge when it comes to food and gardening.
What other greens swaps have you guys been trying? We’d love to hear from you!
-Callie
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