The Best & Worst of Zero-Waste, Pt. 4
"The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it."
-Robert Swann
Updates
Buy less stuff (again). Businesses produce far more waste than the average person, so positive changes made by them make a greater difference than even a large number of individuals. However, the more things you buy, the more you are paying to businesses to produce more waste than you would produce personally. So, yes, being zero-waste as an individual pales in comparison to a business being zero-waste, but those businesses can only keep operating in that way as long as consumers continue to support their practices.
Georganics mouthwash. In my last post in this series, I discussed toothpaste tablets, and I had been using Bite at the time with plans to try Georganics after. Now that I've tried both, I have to say that, overall, Bite is my preference. Their tablets generally make my mouth feel cleaner and are mintier; the Georganics tablets dissolve better, but I don't feel they're quite as effective. On the whole, they both get the job done, and I'd say whichever one you choose largely depends on your budget.
The Best of Times
Hold yourself accountable. Every time you buy something new -- not including essential items like toothbrushes -- choose to get rid of something you don't use or need. Everything you bring into your life should give you joy or be used for a particular purpose. Buying superfluous products that may seem, in the moment, so very important will often languish on shelves or tucked in drawers for most of their lives. If you are going to buy something new, find at least one thing you already have with which you are willing to part. Also, take into account how easy or possible it will be to get rid of items you already have or want to bring into your life: Can they be donated or sold? Can they be upcycled? Can they be recycled or composted?
Plastic-free straw cleaners. I've been a little wishy-washy on my opinion on straws, but if you're going to use them, then you're going to clean them. And if you have to clean them, you might as well do it without those cheap plastic brushes that come with most reusable straws. Brush with Bamboo makes a 100 percent plastic-free straw cleaner made with agave fibers, a good addition to your zero-waste kitchen.
Other zero-waste scrubbers. Brush with Bamboo also makes a completely home-compostable loofah that can be used for cleaning your home (or yourself), as well as a bath-specific scrubber made of agave. The German brand Redecker produces myriad low-waste household products, including this plastic-free dish brush with a removable and replaceable head. (Some of their products contain leather and other animal-based materials, so check the materials before ordering.)
Coffee products. Coffee-drinking is probably one of the most wasteful daily habits of many people (other than eating an animal-based diet). Whether you get it at a store or make it at home, there's usually something to dispose of afterwards. Since I'm not a coffee drinker, I'm less familiar with specific products to use, but start by researching glass coffee makers (such as a French press), compostable/reusable coffee filters or pods, and sustainably- and ethically-sourced coffee beans. You can even try making your own plant milk at home and then compost the pulp along with your coffee grounds!
Recycled jewelry. In "Sustainable Vegan Gift Ideas," I offered recycled metal jewelry as a good replacement for traditional jewelry. But this doesn't have to just be metals recycled into new products; you can find pieces of jewelry made from upcycled soda cans and recycled ocean plastics, or you can even find more luxurious items from local pawn or thrift shops.
BPA-free cans. BPA is a dangerous chemical -- with links to our leading killers like heart disease and diabetes, as well as hormonal issues, including PCOS and various forms of cancer -- and it's found in many seemingly innocuous items, including cans of food, receipts, and airplane boarding passes. When it comes into contact with skin, it's immediately absorbed into the bloodstream, and when used in cans, it is absorbed by the food, so the only way to protect yourself against it is to avoid it altogether.1 Because it's often used to line cans, those cans may not be recyclable, so the best option is to always choose BPA-free or choose fresh ingredients instead.
Eco-friendly hobbies. For some people, shopping is not just a necessity but a hobby, and that's not healthy for us or for the planet. Find interests that are beneficial to both ourselves and the environment, and check out "10 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day Every Day" and "The Best & Worst of Zero-Waste, Pt. 3" to learn more about environmentally-friendly hobbies and activities.
Soap containers. I've had the same toiletry travel bag for years, and I don't see getting a new one until this one falls apart (which probably won't happen any time soon), but finding ways to transport all my bars of soap has been more challenging than I originally thought. After all, I have soap bars for my hands, body, face, and hair. (Recently, I've switched to using the same kind of soap for hands, body, and hair, but I still need to travel with, at the very least, two bars of soap. And I need containers that are big enough to hold them.) Most soap containers are made of plastic, which are fine to use if you already have them, but here are some other options I've found useful: Booda Organics (maker of my favorite soap) scrub sack, metal food containers, and small Stasher bags.
Eco-friendly wires. I mentioned Nimble in "Earth-Friendly School Supplies," but in addition to portable chargers, they make BPA- and PVC-free cables, and they provide customers a free return envelope to send back old tech products to be recycled (see more about this below). Plus, their products are shipped plastic-free and carbon-neutral, and their materials are sourced and produced ethically.
Properly recycle old tech. Like Nimble, Apple offers trade-in and recycling options for all your old devices. When I recently wanted to recycle a broken pair of headphones, they emailed me a free shipping label, which I attached to a used packing envelope and dropped off at my local FedEx store. Obviously, recycling isn't usually a great option, but some of these products contain heavy metals that could be dangerous if released into a landfill or even regular recycling facilities.
The Worst of Times
Cora Ball. It pains me to place this product on the bad part of this list, but I feel like I must. After using it for several months, I had a recurring problem: the ball, designed to emulate a piece of coral, would almost always get tangled up in the wash, and I'd have to spend several minutes extricating snagged threads that had been pulled out of clothes or blankets before drying them. Now, I was willing to deal with this, even though it seems to reduce the longevity of my clothes (though their website specifically says it does the opposite because it reduces the amount of fibers released while in the wash), until one incident. One small, loose string on the waistline of a pair of leggings got gobbled up by the Cora Ball like the Blob, resulting in half the waistline being separated from the pant legs. Even though the ball may reduce 31 percent of microfibers from washing out with the rest of the water, I only feel comfortable using it with my sheets and towels.
Animal-based slippers. I've been wearing the same slippers for four or five years now, and it shows. While on the hunt for eco-friendly vegan slippers, I discovered that most "sustainable" shops only offered slippers made from wool and/or leather or suede. Alpaca wool, sheep wool, and cow leather are among the top five materials with the worst overall environmental impact.2 So, there's certainly nothing "zero-waste" about them. (Luckily, I found some homemade knitted slippers on Etsy, 100 percent vegan.)
be conscious, be kind, be vegan
Related posts you may enjoy:
The rest of the "Best & Worst of Zero-Waste" series
"Proof That Wool is an Environmental Hazard"
"Starbucks & Panera: Why Environmentalism Isn’t Enough"