Education, Products/Services

10 Swaps I Made at Home to Be More Eco-Friendly

by Katelynn Kellogg

You may not be able to save the entire planet, but you can damn sure work hard to preserve it!

I am not entirely sure when my desire to live more consciously really took hold, but it was sometime during/right after grad school. I may have watched some random Netflix special about the ocean that really wore me down and made me think critically about everything I was doing on a day to day basis to contribute to the production of, and therefor disposal of single-use plastics, plastics in general, and all the other things I waste on a regular basis.

I started to really notice everything I was throwing into the trash.

I started to realize how often I was taking the trash out and thinking about where all of that trash was going.

Once my brain started thinking that way, I couldn’t stop. I care about the planet, I love being out in the mountains hiking, swimming in clear lakes and a clean ocean, and even the smell of fresh air… which are all things people take for granted way too often.

At some point I made a commitment to do my research, to start shopping smarter, and start eliminating the amount of waste I was producing week-to-week.

Of course, these things do not happen overnight and changing habits takes time. This is not something you typically do overnight. To be someone who really does their part takes planning, research, and active commitment to change.

Image by: Sunrise Sanitation

Rule #1 – Swap when necessary!

The main reason I’ve made these swaps in my home is to take control of my waste and pollution and to start consuming smarter.

If you’re interested in doing something similar, remind yourself why you’re doing it every step of the way. Do not swap something out until the product you were previously using is gone, empty, no longer usable, worn out, etc.

If you have a perfectly good toothbrush, razor, hairbrush, etc… do not throw it away just to swap it out with something more sustainable. You’ve already made the purchase, you’ve already consumed the product, don’t send it to a landfill or recycle it before it’s ready to be thrown out. Just swap it out when it’s all used up and then continue to use your more sustainable products from there forward.

Rule #2 – Do what works for you!

If you’re reading this, you’re probably already thinking about what you can do to be a better consumer and leave a smaller footprint… you’re are already on your path to success.

I follow a number of Instagram accounts, Facebook groups/pages, and other blogs that have so many people commenting about things that they are doing to be better and then getting immediately bullied by others because they could have done MORE… (can you imagine the deflation this can cause?!)

We’re not here to judge, we’re here to share stories, educate, and promote eco-conscious living people. Let’s do just that. And tell yourself that too! When you do a walkthrough of your house and really internalize how much plastic and single-use items you buy, it can be a bit overwhelming and disheartening, but do what you can, when you can. As long as you’re thinking about what you can do better, making improvements in areas you’re able to, and educating yourself often, then you’re doing just fine.

10 Items I Swapped Out at Home

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  • Russbe reusable ziplock bags – $9.99 (set of 8)
    • When starting my sustainable journey, I knew I wanted to eliminate single-use plastic bags and ziplock bags so I briefly looked into purchasing reusable bags. These are plastic bags, so not the best option (you can also get silicon or honey wraps, or other products that may be better overall), but they none-the-less helped me eliminate a LOT of waste. I’ve had these bags over 2 years now and they’re still going strong.
    • I got snack and sandwich size bags and use them all the time for bringing food to work, for putting my toothbrush in while I travel, for carrying makes up when I travel and more.
  • Us Razor by Bic – $9.97.
    • I love this razor because it is stainless steel and silicon, so it should last a REALLY long time. I’ve had mine for about 9 months and it’s in perfect condition. You only have to change out the razor part when it gets dull and I’ve only had to change it out 2 (maybe 3?) times since I purchased it 9 months ago!
    • This has not completely eliminated my waste, but has GREATLY reduced it as I only throw away the actual razor part, and I do it much less often than I had before swapping.
    • Additionally, I support the message this brand has put on this product. It is called an US razor because it is for everyone. It’s not specifically marketed to men or women, but just people who are trying to shave…all of us! There are certain products that just do not need to have a gender slapped onto them and this is one of them. #fightpinktax
Product: Bic "Us" Razor
  • Silicon Body Scrubber – 2 pack for $9.99.
    • One of the things that I found myself throwing away every couple months was my loofah. Once it came to my attention that 1) I don’t throw them away as much as I probably need to for it to be sanitary and 2) I still throw them away every couple months.
    • I started doing some research and found MANY companies and organizations that have started making these silicon scrubbies. Silicon is a long-lasting product that is VERY easy to clean and keep sanitary so that’s what I decided I wanted to swap to. I did not do a lot of research, I just went to Amazon and picked one I liked based on color, affordability, and came in a 2 pack for my bf and I.
    • I’ve been using this body scrubber for about 3 months and love it. It feels amazing on my skin, it works really well with bar soap, and my hair never gets stuck in it! With my loofah, my hair would get stuck in it all the time and it would feel dirty just because there was hair and soap scum and all that build up. (Now that I think about it, it was kind of gross.)
  • Reviews from others: From reading reviews of these types of products, I advise against swapping if you’re a liquid soap user. People are saying it’s more wasteful because they need to use more soap to get sudsy enough to feel clean and that the liquid soap falls off the silicon too easily. I use bar soap so idk about all this, but it makes sense.
Silicon Bathroom Body Scrubber
  • Diva Cup – $39.99
    • I was incredibly skeptical about trying this product because 1) putting anything new in my body kind of freaks me out and 2) it was an expensive item to purchase if I wasn’t ultimately going to be using it. However, I stuck with it and am now a HUGE advocate for menstrual cups (any brand).
    • I had to use this product three times before I became comfortable with the application process and cleaning process. Now I’m a pro, and a huge advocate.
    • My favorite part about using the cup is I don’t have to change it all day. I can put it in in the morning, go to work, go to the gym, and then take it out and clean it when I shower at home at night. If it’s in correctly, there are no leaks and it’s incredibly reliable. I’ve also used mine while swimming and traveling for long periods of time and it’s held up and eased my mind so I never have to worry.
    • To clean it, I simple take it out, rinse it while in the shower and then when I’m complete finished with my period, I just boil it to sanitize and then put it back in it’s sanitary bag until I use it again.
    • I switched to a DivaCup about a year ago and it’s still clean, sanitary, and holding up well.
  • Advice: If you do not have access to a private bathroom with a sink, this may not be your best option. I am lucky and have private bathrooms in the home and at work so if I do need to take it out to readjust it or if you’re someone who has a heavy flow and may need to change it throughout the day, it could be more inconvenient than carrying tampons.
  • Reusable Napkins – $22.00 (pack of 12)
    • One of the main single-use paper products I found in my home was napkins and paper towels. I did some research (again not much, I just knew I wanted to get something to replace my paper products when they were gone) and landed on an Etsy page that sold reusable napkins. I chose these ones mostly because they were 1) affordable 2) simple, but had a cute pop of color and 3) came in a pack of 12.
    • The ones I purchased are SUPER thin, but I love them. I use them for everything in the home EXCEPT pizza fingers. The oil on pizza stains them and I can’t ever get those stains out – I learned this the hard way. So, when we eat pizza, we pull out one of the 100’s of napkins collected from fast food restaurants (even though I tell them no napkins all the time. If they give them to me, I still use them because I can’t give them back and I don’t want to waste them).
    • They are washer and dryer friendly and I’ve had mine for over a year now and they’re all still in great condition.
  • Fun Fact #1: I also use one of these in my VIPKID classroom as a white board eraser so I do not have to by non-recyclable erasers.
  • Fun Fact #2: My bf, who doesn’t care about sustainable living, uses these napkins all the time and has no complaints. I stopped buying napkins, replaced them with these, and guess what?! He uses them because they’re there.
  • Bamboo Hairbrush– $12.99
    • I am not at all attached to this brand, but the hairbrush I was using at the time was losing all it’s bristles, the handle was torn and breaking and it was just time to swap.
    • I went to amazon and found this product. I purchased it and am still using it today (3 years later!).
    • I have really long, thick hair and I’ve had no problem using this brush, although I do use detangling spray in addition to just brushing every day.
  • Silicon & Stainless Steel Straws – $4-$15
    • I received both of these straw sets so I’m not sure how much the ones I received cost, but there are many options on Amazon between $4-$15
    • I am not a huge fan of my stainless steel straws because 1) they’re loud. I typically use stainless steel reusable bottles so putting these two together doesn’t work too well. 2) I ALWAYS end up clanking my teeth and it doesn’t feel good.
      • You can also buy silicon tips for the stainless steel straws, but I like the silicon straws better so I use them more.
    • I have only one silicon straw and don’t feel the need to buy any more. I take it everywhere with my in it’s little storage box that fits in my pocket, purse, or backpack.
    • I typically drink water so putting into the storage container directly after use doesn’t typically cause any mess but if you’re a soda drinker or drink things that are sticky, the container is still super easy to rinse out after use.
  • Overview: I prefer silicon to stainless steel due to sheer flexibility, storage, and silicon is silent in my cups.
  • Action: To live what I preach, I’ve worked on continually telling restaurants I do not need/want a straw. I keep a stainless steel one in the glovebox of the car (in a reusable bag) and I keep the silicon one on me at all times as well.
  • Bar Soaps – It varies A LOT!
    • There are a BUNCH of options out there for bar soaps. You can buy them at your local farmers market (which I only do when I have some extra money… doing this all the time is not a sustainable option for me) or you can buy them at your local Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Ross, or Homegoods type stores (which is what I do!).
    • I like the thought of using only organic soaps, but I haven’t yet gotten to that point, however, I have transitioned to bar soap to eliminate buying soap in plastic bottles. The soap I buy comes with a recyclable paper wrapper.
    • I’ve loved exploring different scents with bar soaps! Right now I’m a big fan of the natural coffee grounds bar I have.
  • Dropps Laundry Detergent – Starting at $18 per 56 ct.
    • One of the biggest plastic items in my house was my Laundry Detergent container. I knew when I started thinking about living more sustainably that this was an item I wanted to get rid of and FAST.
    • After doing some research, I’ve chosen to swap out my plastic container (only when it’s gone of course) to these Dropps laundry pods.
    • I strongly connect with the mission of this company and the the effort they’ve put in to ensure they’re providing a quality product at an affordable price that is not contributing to landfills or other consumer waste.
  • Cotton Pads – $10 (pack of 7)
    • When I was making changes around my house, I wanted to look at not just plastic items, but the single-use items, such as napkins, paper towels, cotton balls, etc. Which is what led me to replacing my single-use cotton rounds that I had and purchasing machine washable cotton rounds.
    • I’ve had these for a little over 2 years now and they’re still in great shape. I use them for removing makeup, for applying toner and even for applying rubbing alcohol when I have a cut or something like that. They are very gentle on the skin, look cute, and are super easy to wash.
    • I haven’t completely stopped buying cotton balls yet though because I still use them for nail polish remover. These pads will not withstand the scrubbing and the nail polish will most likely stain if you do soak them enough to use them so I’ve just stayed away from that. However, I’ve had one back of cotton balls in my bathroom for about a year now because I no longer have to use them for much.
    • Advice: If you have the option to make your own, it’s way more affordable. I just do not have any tools to sew my own in my house.

Swaps I tried, and Did Not Stick With

Sometimes I know I want to do better in one area or another so I’ll do some research and swap out products when my old products are gone or have run their course. Doing this does not always result in a happier me and when it doesn’t work out for me, sometimes I revert back to my not so sustainable products and keep looking.

As long as I continue to look for alternatives and am open to trying new products, I feel good about my goals and do not get down on myself for using the not so eco-friendly products until I find something that works for me.

  • Bamboo Toothbrushes –
    • I tried a couple different brands of bamboo toothbrushes and didn’t like any of them. Toothpaste scum tends to stick to them even after a good rinse after use and they just always look dirty, which makes my mouth feel dirty.
    • The bristles are never hard enough for my liking either.
    • May try again in the future, but for now, I’m perfectly content using my plastic toothbrushes ( say “brushes” because I use a regular manual toothbrush in the mornings and a spin brush at night. I dont feel like either of them does an excellent job on their own but I’ve found a great balance now to ensure my mouth feels clean and fresh all the time!)
  • Natural deodorants/antiperspirants –
    • I have a whole blog post of content for this category. I’ve tried many different natural deodorants and haven’t found a single one that I actually like.
    • I have a few I’m still willing to try when the one I’m currently using is all used up. I hate that I have to buy a deodorant to try it out and if I hate it, I force myself to use the rest of it because it’s not really something you can give to someone else after it’s been used and I hate wasting it so I just suffer through and then try something new the next time around.
    • The next one I’m going to try is by Hey Human. It comes in a cardboard recyclable container (which is rare with deodorants) and is affordable (only sold at Target). This company has the environment in mind when creating all their products! They have soaps, shampoos, and more.
      • Fun Fact: They are vegan, cruelty free, 99% plastic free in their packaging, and all their products are made from naturally derived formulas and fragrances, and entirely made in the USA!
    • I was VERY interested in trying out Native deodorants, but again, it’s fairly expensive and for me, is not a financially sustainable plan so I haven’t yet invested in trying them out, but I’ve only heard great reviews if you have the funds and want to try their products out!
  • Natural Peanut Butter –
    • I am a HUGE consumer of peanut butter. I absolutely love peanut butter. I eat it with breakfast, on sandwiches, with crackers, in my protein shakes, and more!
    • My peanut butter containers are one of the biggest plastic containers in my home (after laundry detergents and shampoo/conditioner bottles) so I knew I wanted to try to replace them with more eco-friendly options.
    • I tried buying organic peanut butter in glass containers for awhile… but it is much more expensive AND they only come in smaller containers. So I was getting much less peanut butter at a much higher cost and I just couldn’t sustain that financially, so I swapped back to my large plastic container and I’m okay with that for now until I find a better option.

Items I Want to Swap Out

  • Cleaning products –
    • As we know, most cleaning products come in plastic spray bottles. When doing my home sweep to really review my consumption and what I can do better, I realized this was an area I was being really wasteful in. There was no need for all the different cleaning products I owned and when I started looking at all the chemicals, I just decided that’s not what I want for myself and my home.
    • I did some research and recently purchased Blueland’s Clean Essentials starter kit. This organizations mission is to create eco-friendly cleaning products that are convenient, effective, and affordable (all of which I believe it will be if their products work well!)
    • I’m not going to say much about it here because I hope to do another pre-use post about their box!
  • Reusable Qtips- $12.99
    • Now I know we’re not supposed to stick qtips in our ears to clean.. yada yada.. I do it anyway all the time. Call me crazy…buuuut I realize that using qtips is using single use paper and/or plastic that goes right into the landfill and I do not want to do that anymore.
    • The product I would like to try in the future (when I get lower on the qtips I currently own and take the plunge) are called LastSwab Qtips by LastObject.
AND LASTLY… ADVICE WANTED!

I’m looking for some advice, recommendations on the follow products that I’d like to swap out but haven’t yet found a brand/organization that I want to try out. I prefer the products to be 1) made in the U.S.A. 2) cruelty free and 3) as plastic/zero-waste as they can be in terms of shipping and packaging, and development of the product.

  • Shampoo/Conditioner Bars
  • Dishwashing sponges/brushes (I do not have a dishwasher and have tried a bunch of different brushes and sponges and am still not satisfied with the amount of waste I am creating in my regular dishwashing practice).