The investment of sustainable products
Everyone knows that the world is dying, we've heard that there is already irreversible damage done from global warming. That the oceans are plagued by plastic. That there is only a decade left to change our way before the world is so far diseased that the damage is permanent and irreversible. Yet even after knowing and hearing the facts there are still so many people who refuse to change their ways in order to reduce their carbon footprint. There are so many little changes that can be made everyday, specifically those that cut back on plastic waste.
1. Metal Straws
Everyone heard about Save the Turtles but even after the excitement of metal straws has died down it is important, and can make a difference. Packs can mostly be found between $4–10 and you would be able to reuse the same metal straw in order to cut down on plastic waste. This doesn’t mean to never use a plastic straw again just that when you can use a metal straw you should. Even if that is only at home.
2. Bamboo Toothbrush
I started using Bamboo toothbrushes this summer when I found them at whole foods. Most of the time you can get packs for $5 off amazon or several other online stores. While a bamboo toothbrush does sound quite odd there is a huge benefit to using them, they are biodegradable! Regular toothbrushes are made with plastic which can end up in landfills for decades whereas the bamboo ones can be decomposed.
3. Shampoo Bars
Shampoo bars are just like regular shampoo except you lather them into your hair. The benefit to using these is that there is zero plastic waste unlike shampoo bottles which are entirely made of plastic. These little bars retail at Lush for $12 and get about 60 uses although mine have lasted me much longer than that. There are also conditioner bars that go along with these!
4. Reusable Water Bottles
These seem like such normal things but yet there are still so many people who use plastic water bottles everyday. While I would much rather someone use a plastic water bottle than not drink water there is still something to be said about going reusable. You don't need anything fancy to drink water but there are certainly options out there if you would like that. And if you don’t like the taste of tap water you could get a brita to filter your water or a faucet with that already built in.
5. Tote bags
A simple way to cut back on plastic is to use reusable or tote bags at grocery stores as opposed to paper or plastic. Stores like aldi don’t even let you use anything other than reusable bags, you go to a counter and bag your groceries in the same bag you would use the next week.
6. Girlfriend Collective
There are several other athletic wear companies that have similar principles to Girlfriend Collective, they are just the ones I have found to like the best. Girlfriend Collective is a brand where all of its products are made from between 79% and 100% recycled materials. These won't solve the problem of plastic waste but a pair of leggings is made from 25 recycled plastic water bottles. In all fairness my favorite pair of leggings are from Girlfriend Collective which are cheaper than Lululemon or most other high end athletic brands. I figure if you're going to buy something expensive it's better to be ethically sourced.
7. RECYCLE
That’s it, recycling is the best way you can do your part to help the planet, all the products are great but recycling properly is where we would see a significant difference. You can learn some more about what to recycle at:
All of the things listed at the top are items that I have made the switch to in my life. While occasionally I will drink out of a plastic straw or use a plastic bag it is important that there are still steps being made to cut back on plastic waste. Nobody is perfect and nobody will ever be able to stop all plastic waste but doing what you can to lessen the amount will hopefully lead the world on a cleaner path.