Easy Sustainable Swaps for Eco-Friendly Living
With almost more plastic than fish in our oceans, it is time to make eco-friendly changes in our lives. Sustainability doesn’t have to be perfect. Making a few small conscious choices still makes an impact to help our Earth.
No need to run out and buy all the new fancy zero waste items! Wait until you need a new toothbrush or run out of parchment paper and swap those items with a sustainable option.
Here are some Easy Sustainable Swaps for Eco-Friendly Living
Home
| Instead of… | Try… |
| plastic wrap | silicone or fabric covers |
| snack/sandwich/freezer bags | silicone bags |
| plastic straws | metal or silicone straws – or opt for no straw |
| paper towels | cleaning cloth, Norwex cloth, or cut up old clothing |
| tea bags | tea ball infuser, tea infuser basket, or a french press |
| coffee pods and filters | reusable pods, reusable filters or a french press |
| parchment paper | silicone baking mat |
| paper napkins | cloth napkins |
| plastic containers | glass containers, metal containers, jars, or reuse jars and containers food was purchased in |
| paper baking cups | silicone baking cups |
| a clothes dryer | air drying laundry |
| air fresheners | essential oils (I recommend Plant Therapy or Young Living) |
| throwing away food scraps | composting or making vegetable broth |
| dryer sheets | dryer balls (silicone or wool) |
Personal Hygiene
| Instead of… | Try… |
| plastic loofahs | natural loofahs |
| plastic toothbrushes | bamboo toothbrushes |
| disposable razors | safety razors |
| toothpaste tubes | tooth powder or natural toothpaste |
| body wash | castile soap or natural bar soap |
| cotton rounds | reusable cotton rounds |
| cotton swabs | reusable swabs |
| disposable menstrual pads / tampons | reusable menstrual pads, silicone menstrual cups, menstrual underwear (Thinx or Knix) |
| toilet paper | bidet |
Lifestyle Changes
| Instead of… | Try… |
| disposable coffee cups | reusable travel mug |
| purchasing new items | purchasing second hand |
| plastic water bottles | reusable water bottle |
| plastic shopping bags | reusable shopping bags |
| plastic produce bags | reusable produce bags |
| eating an animal based diet | more plant based foods |
| heavily packages items | items with less or no packaging |
| commercial products | natural products |
| driving a car | biking, cycling, bussing, car pooling, walking |
Happy Sustainable Swapping 🙂
Do you choose more sustainable options? Leave a comment with your favourite sustainable choices!