Small changes, big difference
A recent evening natter with my girlfriends got us on the topic of sustainable swaps and what we can do to be more environmentally friendly in our everyday life. When we are in a new country, on the go, or even at home, we will find ourselves coming across new products at local stores or even in our hotel rooms, that we may never have seen before or even knew existed. This gives us a great opportunity to try out new products and implement some permanent sustainable swaps in our everyday life.
It all started with the bag for life – but there’s so much more we can do!
WHY DOES IT MATTER TO MAKE SUSTAINABLE SWAPS?
We’ve all seen the detrimental effects our throw-away society has on our planet. We’ve witnessed the fight against single-use plastics with the introduction of carrier bag charges, the ban of plastic straws or stirrers, banning microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics such as shower gel, and efforts made in reducing the use of disposable coffee cups.
Nowadays, many companies are making huge moves toward being sustainable and friendly to our environment. And there’s also a lot of emphasis on greener homes and hotels and energy and emission reduction by running fully electric cars (I have a company self-charging hybrid car called Greta).
But, there are some swaps you can make yourself wherever you are. And we’re not just talking about plastic swaps, but environmentally friendly swaps. This is an area I constantly strive to make improvements by choosing better products.
I’m not saying that just me making these changes will make a huge impact, but collectively we can make a massive difference.
CLEANING PRODUCTS
This is the area of my first sustainable swaps shopping spree purchases. There are several cleaning products available on the market which offer a more environmentally friendly option using fewer or no harmful chemicals to clean your home.
Can you effectively clean your home with natural products? Of course, the concern that comes with this is if you can still disinfect and appropriately clean your home without using harsh chemicals? Apparently, you can! Of course, you can opt to make your own too and there are plenty of “recipes” for homemade cleaning products which are not harmful to the environment and are even cheaper.
Eco-cleaning products can sometimes come with a higher price bracket, but for the cost of helping save the environment – I don’t mind spending a few extra pennies! You might also want to explore deeper and look at the background companies behind eco-branded products to be absolutely certain they have sustainable intentions.
DIRTY LAUNDRY!
Ok, so technically, this could come under the cleaning products, but I felt it needed its own bracket.
My recent sustainable swap purchase was for the Ecoegg. This little egg reduces single-use plastics by eliminating the need for separate laundry detergent and conditioner, is kind for your skin, and contains no harmful chemicals. Plus, it helps save money as it is more cost-effective per wash than its alternatives.
Ecoegg pellets give you chemical-free, skin-friendly cleaning and up to 70 washes.
I was initially sceptical, thinking that it would not get my laundry as clean as I’d like. And I’d read reviews of other sustainable laundry options as being a bit dull on the fragrance front.
The fragrance is also down to a mind-over-matter situation; synthetic fragrances can be used in some detergents, giving off the impression that our laundry is clean – but is it really?
My only criticism of this would be that it’s quite clunky in the machine!
TRAVEL MUGS AND REUSABLE BOTTLES
Did you know that many of the disposable coffee cups on the market contain a layer of plastic on the inside of the cup?
Don’t be fooled by the term biodegradable either – many of these products take many years to break down into the earth, needing the right conditions to do so.
The alternative – take a reusable cup with you. I’m a fan of china reusable mugs, and I hate the taste of my tea in some of the metal or bamboo alternatives. I’ve also got a cupboard full of reusable water bottles and various drinking cups!
COFFEE PODS AND TEABAGS
Did you know that teabags contain plastic?
A common misconception is that all tea bags are compostable. However, many contain polypropylene, which is what the tea bags are sealed with. So, by putting them in your compost you’re actually putting in toxic chemicals which will eventually seep into the ground. Biodegradable product is used by some brands which require the right conditions to break up into the ground.
You can, of course, go for loose leaf tea as an alternative. There are some brands out there that are making an extra effort to go completely plastic-free. It’s worth a bit of research if you’re wanting to make that change. As a Brit, tea is a major factor in my every day, and as a nation, we consume up to 60 billion cups of tea per year. That’s a lot of plastic leaching into our environment. It’s one of those small changes I make that has a substantial long-term impact.
Coffee pods are also a huge issue, with many not accepted by local recycling collections. Some brands are getting on board with the biodegradable option and have a compostable pod. This is a step in the right direction, and some brands offer a recycling service for the used pods.
There’s a whole lot more we can do to halt food waste too—another area I need to do better in.
PERSONAL CARE
I’ve noticed a lot of new subscription services and products come on the market, helping us to make environmentally friendly sustainable swaps. Of course, things like handmade natural soaps have long been on the market too.
Last year, I swapped out my disposable razor for an FFS Beauty razor subscription. The service provides you with a reusable quality metal handle and a razor recycling scheme on a subscription basis. The razor is good too and the subscription service is really flexible to suit your fuzzy needs. Not only that, it comes in a handy case for travel!
My most recent swap has been in an effort to reduce the amount of plastic waste and in particular, shampoo bottles. I purchased a Gruum shampoo bar. Again, a small bar goes a long way and I’ve loved the difference it’s made to my hair. Also, shampoo bars and solid shower gels are brilliant for travelling with as they take up less room in your holdall and are less at risk of leaking thanks to their solid form once dry.
Another subscription service available currently is that of solid deodorants. The product I selected is aluminum-free which is my reason for choosing it, but it also offers compostable plastic-free refills. Of course, the effectiveness of this deodorant is a huge consideration for me, and if it doesn’t work, I will seek alternative options. With it being aluminium-free, it is not an antiperspirant, but the company promises that its natural ingredients help absorb moisture to keep you dry. Watch this space!
I’ve also been busy searching for a nice solid shower-gel too. Shower-gel is another product that’s needlessly supplied in plastic containers!
SUSTAINABLE SWAPPING CONTINUES
That’s only the start of my sustainable swaps journey. There’s a still long way to go, including the dreaded cling film and foil debacle.
There are many other areas you can help the environment too, from swapping books for kindle or making use of the library and swap services, purchasing local produce and watching your food miles, supporting sustainable agriculture, and by recycling and upcycling items instead of buying new.
When it comes to travelling, you might choose to go by train rather than plane or hire an electric vehicle. You might even choose to go off-grid completely and stay at a sustainable eco-pod! The possibilities are endless, and the options are getting far easier to find. Little things can and will help if we all make the effort together.
