How many disposables can you live without?
July 13, 2009 by Jennifer Chait
Filed under Green Living
Disposable resources are not eco-friendly. Every item you use once or twice then toss is basically resources down the drain in terms of materials used and energy wasted both in manufacturing and transport. Luckily, there are currently tons of reusable options available that take the place of conventional disposables. Below are some traditional disposables and some alternatives you could be using instead. Even if you just choose a few disposables to give up, it’ll still make a positive eco-impact.
Snack baggies from Plum Creek Mercantile
- Instead of plastic baggies use cloth snack bags.
- Instead of paper coffee filters use a reusable coffee filter.
- Instead of store plastic produce bags use cloth produce bags.
- Instead of plastic water bottles invest in a reusable water bottle.
- Instead of hose water try rain barrel water for washing your car and watering the garden.
- Instead of foil save leftovers in a food container, cover your pot with a lid, and line your cookie sheet with a silicone sheet.
- Instead of paper towels clean with old dust rags or recycled newspaper (for cleaning windows).
- Instead of baby wipes use washcloths dipped in water.
- Instead of ice pops from the store choose reusable ice pop molds and make homemade ice pops.
- Instead of disposable menstrual pads choose cloth Moonpads Reusable Menstrual Pads.
- Instead of paper napkins use cloth napkins.
- Instead of one-time-use batteries use rechargeable batteries.
- Instead of disposable razors choose an electric razor.
- Instead of hand soap in a plastic bottle get a refillable liquid hand soap pump.
- Instead of disposable diapers try reusable cloth diapers.
- Instead subscribing to print editions of a newspaper or magazine try reading it online.
- Instead of new bottles of shampoo, get a refillable bottle and buy shampoo in bulk at the co-op.
How many disposables are you currently living without, or how many do you think you can give up?
Instead of toilet paper – use cloth wipes!
Instead of Kleenex – use a hankie!
Many meant for one-time use plastic containers with fruit salad or veggies can be washed and re-used over and over and over instead of buying other plastic containers.
Wash and re-use plastic cutlery.
Wash and re-use plastic bags that used to have frozen fruit or seaweed or quinoa, bags that “zip” up can be re-used many, many times.
Instead of vacuum bags, use bagless models that feature HEPA filters.
Use real plates instead of paper ones. For traveling or picnics, get washable plastic ones. They last longer and are more sturdy.
In China, there is an abundance of disposable chopsticks in the trash. That’s a lot of wasted wood and/or bamboo. Let your Asian food delivery person know you don’t need the disposable chopsticks with your order or be sure to wash them and reuse them for next time.
Forgo bottled water and use tap. Bottling companies are not required to list the source of the water. In many cases, it’s municipal tap – the same kind that comes out of your faucet for free. If you still aren’t convinced that tap water is filtered enough, consider an in home water filter system. It can be as simple as a pitcher with special fitted filters or one that attaches to the sink faucet.
Buy in bulk when at all possible.
Packaging is the worst. Most cardboard can be included in the curbside recycling bin but some have a coating that doesn’t allow it to be recycled (some cereal boxes, definitely pizza boxes). Same for plastics. In most neighborhoods, only numbers 1 & 2 can be recycled. But check out the plastic # on your products such as shampoo and deoderant. There is a lot of health & beauty products that are packaged in unrecyclable materials.
It’s the responsibility of the manufacturer for better sustainable design. If we the consumer don’t have better choices, we can’t be part of the solution.