Ink Cartridges

On average, 70 percent of used ink cartridges are thrown into landfills, where it will take over 1,000 years for them to decompose, according to tonerrecycle.net. "When something is tossed in the garbage and either landfilled or incinerated, the value of that material is lost forever," Lauren Taylor, the Global VP of Communications for TerraCycle, says. "When an object is recycled, it provides a more circular solution." Instead of letting those cartridges spend centuries in a landfill, look for recycling instructions on the cartridge's package. Staples will give you $3 off your next cartridge purchase for bringing in your used ones, and HP accepts old HP-brand cartridges via mail. Here are more simple ways to reduce waste—and save money.

Juice Pouches

Because most juice pouches are made of plastic polymer and aluminum, they unfortunately can't be recycled. You don't need to dump them, though. For every Honest Kids, Capri Sun, and Kool-Aid Drink pouch you send to TerraCycle, the company will donate 2 cents to the charity of your choice. (They provide free shipping, too!) What's more, your old juice pouches will get a second life as colorful purses, totes, and pencil cases, which are sold at Target and Walgreens stores throughout the U.S.

Having recently toured our Lycoming County landfill and recycling facilities, learning of a local company with nationwide and global ties, commitment to sustainability (recycling, reusing, composting) is rewarding.   Bimbo Bakeries USA (Grupo) will be bettering the environment and reducing landfill waste with their packaging partnership with TerraCycle. They are putting their plan into action.   As a conscientious consumer and environmental justice proponent who reuses as often as possible before recycling and composts much household waste, TerraCycle is one more step, involving mail return.   TerraCycle is a broad-based social enterprise for hard-to-recycle waste streams. It involves a large category of specific brands which can be returned by boxed mail with free shipping. Participants redeem points measured by weight. These points can be directed to charities of choice or cashed and donated. TerraCycle recovers 97 percent of collected waste.   I encourage researching the TerraCycle programs and beginning the New Year as Bimbo Bakeries is doing. The Earth thanks you too.  

LOL Surprise toys are some of the hot-selling toys that are preferred by children. They come under the bestseller lists, bringing in huge profits.   However, they are bringing in huge plastic wastes through their plastic bags and wrappings, especially as they are on the top-of-the-wish list item.  Now MGA Entertainment making LOL items is trying to make up for the plastic wastes that come with the packaging.   CEO Isaac Larian of MGA Entertainment says that the company will be bringing down its plastic wrapping usage. Instead, it will wrap the toys with other materials that are more environment-friendly.   MGA Entertainment is pairing up with TerraCycle, a recycling company to cut down on wastage. The plastic paper and the plastic toys will be recycled and used again, says the company. The company has further plans for the recycling, which has not been announced as yet, says CMO Hailey Wu Sullivan.   Larian says that the LOL items are some of the top best-selling toys. They come in varying price ranges with as little as $5 to higher prices like $240. LOL Surprise has seven to 15 best-selling toys, says Larian.   The LOL toys are expected to bring in good revenue of more than $500 million for this year alone, according to analysts. MGA Entertainment owns Bratz too.   The company will be recycling the packaging material and the toys too. Customers can now pack both packaging and toys in a fitting box and ship them to TerraCycle. They will then be melted down and turned into pellets.   From 2020, the plastic packages are expected to be replaced by paper for the inner packaging of the LOL Surprise toys. Biodegradable plastic will be used from next year and the company is working on these plans, says Larian.   The company is planning for a sustainable environment by cutting down on plastic wastage from its packaging and toys.  

During the early Saturday morning hours of  Oct. 22, volunteers lined up in front of Ocean Beach yet again. They were here just two weekends ago, But they knew they could fill their buckets mainly with one thing: cigarette butts. They were ready to spend the next two hours of their weekend ensuring the beach was clean for the public. The volunteers had three waste containers: one for trash, one for plastic and one just for cigarette butts. Cigarette butts are not only the highest form of trash collected from national parks and beaches but also the most littered item in the world. Every year, 4.5 trillion butts are disposed of and 3 billion butts are littered. In response to this, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new law that will ban the use of cigarettes, nicotine and marijuana vapes at state parks and beaches. Starting Jan. 1, the state’s Department of Parks and Recreation will be required to put up no-smoking signs at beaches and parks. There will be a fine up to $25 for a person caught smoking, and it will be considered an infraction. Cigarette butts contain heavy metals, including poisonous  lead, that leach into water and soil, threatening water quality, marine life, and seafood safety. A study from San Diego State University conducted in 2010 suggests one cigarette butt in a single liter of water is sufficient to kill both marine and freshwater fish. Although how this translates from the laboratory to an actual aquatic setting isn’t yet clear, but researchers speculate these numbers have gotten worse. Dr. Thomas Novotny, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Professor at San Diego State University, and one of the researchers who conducted this study. “We don’t think the [cigarette Butt] does any good for people. It’s not really a filter, it’s just a marketing tool,” said Dr. Novotny, one of the researchers who conducted the study and a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics. “Cigarette filters are a form of pesticide that devastates marine life. People Have to stop smoking.” Although the state beaches ban will further discourage smokers from contaminating beaches and parks, he worries the law has very vague wording. “Bonafide religious groups can have an exception for smoking on beaches, which just opens the door to a lot of deception and irregularity,” he said. Native Americans smoke for religious ceremonial rituals and are not specified in the law. The efforts to stop cigarette use on beaches in California goes back to 2005, “Hold On To Your Butts” is an example of a campaign that has been fighting for years to end cigarette smoking on beaches nationwide. It is run by SurfRider, an organization who partners with local businesses. Along with installing trash cans specific for cigarette butts called “Buttcans” throughout San Francisco, they educate smokers. One of the biggest lessons they impart is that cigarette butts are not filters for the nicotine, despite what companies have historically claimed. SurfRider is the umbrella organization that runs volunteer beach cleanups. Cigarette butts collected in the beach cleanups are sent to a company TerraCycle and recycled. TerraCycle recycles cigarette butts through its Cigarette Waste Brigade program, which launched in Canada in 2012. The program has since expanded into the US, Australia and Japan. They introduced a free recycling program in the US, where a person can earn “TerraCycle points” which are redeemable for charitable gifts, like donations for local schools or non-profit of the person’s choice. Lisa Pelligrino is Terracycle’s Strategic Partnerships’ Manager. TerraCycle’s headquarters in NYC is completely decorated with recycled items as Pelligrino explained her desk is a recycled old door, her walls are recycled art-covered from the ceilings to the floors. “The cigarette filter is made from cellulose acetate, like plastic. It’s a misconception that they’re cotton or biodegradable.”  Pelligrino said, adding that this is a social habit. “ People think it’s socially cool to flick a cigarette butt, even worse, they think they’re heroes for not throwing them in the trash and causing a fire.” Melanie Napelz, a beach cleanup coordinator, said that she doesn’t think the penalty of $25 will be effective. “California coastline is National Park Service including Ocean Beach, most of San Francisco, even the aquatic Park area down by Crisfield. That’s all covered by the National Park Service. I do think it’s a great step. I don’t know how they’re going to enforce it. Especially at a beach of this size,” said Napelz. Naplez’s opinion was shared by regular visitors to the beach who believed that “butt cans” could be a solution to this problem. People should change their fundamental behavior of disposing of cigarette butts, since, “ a lot of people were taught to be able to throw it [cigarette butts] on the ground,” added Napelz. Some of Ocean Beach visitors are dog walkers and regulars who enjoy the Ocean breeze of the Beach, playing fetch with their dogs, and Frisbee matches on the weekends. “The amount of butts that I was throwing out was a lot, even subconsciously I was throwing them out, after quitting I realized it was 44 butts a week.” said Richard Matt, a beachgoer, while holding his dog’s leash and pointing at the beach. Matt went on to explain that this law will help smokers like himself  limit smoking on beaches all together, as people don’t have the knowledge to differentiate between State and National beaches and parks. He added, “I believe it’s a step in the right direction.”

Considering how normal it is to temporarily excommunicate your BFF from the group chat for admitting she still uses cotton rounds to remove her mascara at night, it's safe to say that almost everyone is looking to be more eco-friendly in 2020. Unfortunately, quitting our worst beauty habits is hard — single-use cotton rounds, makeup removing wipes, non-recyclable plastic. . . we are criminals to doing it all. Of course, going waste-free or completely vegan overnight is, well, nearly impossible. Luckily, you can start small, like for example, with a sustainable holiday gift.   Reality checks come in all shapes and sizes, but finding out that your beauty routine is environmentally irresponsible is one a lot of people are facing lately. But taking the first step towards a more sustainable lifestyle can start with one cool product that can slowly, but surely, change your MO. Whether you're looking to encourage yourself to be a more mindful recycler or convince your roommate that refillable shampoo bottles are, in fact, chic as hell, there's a gift worth giving. Find our favourite sustainable beauty gifts ahead.    

Lush Santa’s Workshop

  Lush has always been at the forefront of sustainable innovation. So, when it comes to naked and vegan products, Lush does 'em best. What it does even better? Holiday gift sets. Lush's Santa's Workshop ($50) is a six-piece present filled with holiday magic, joy, and most importantly, festive bath essentials that are sure to convince anyone to cancel their weekend plans to, instead, soak in the tub with a bath bomb shaped like Rudolph. Even better, you can skip the wrapping paper thanks to the reusable — and cute! — tin holding it all together.  

Beauty by POPSUGAR All You Need! Gift Set

  Face it: it's time to be strict about the kind of beauty formulas you're investing in. Is your lip gloss tested on animals? Does your mascara use animal-derived ingredients? Does it come packaged with the kind of pomp and circumstance that will, ultimately, end up in a landfill? Hopefully, your answer is a resounding no; guarantee that it is with Beauty by POPSUGAR's All You Need! Gift Set ($36.60). This gift set doesn't just help you look good, but it can make everyone on your list go guilt-free this holiday season thanks to its non-toxic, cruelty-free formulas. Plus, this makeup essential trio — including the Be The Boss Lip Gloss, Thick + Thin Mascara, and Be Relentless Stay Put Eye Line — comes inside a reusable pouch you'll kind of want to keep for yourself.  

Aveda Rosemary Mint Travel Trio

  It's not really the holidays until travelling plans officially ensue. If you know a jet-setting friend who will be moving across the country for about two weeks straight to appease every side of their extended family, offer up the Aveda Rosemary Mint Travel Trio ($21). Not only does the minty formula utilise organic ingredients, but each one is packaged inside 80-100 percent post-consumer HDPE, so you can feel good about using these to the last drop (as long as you recycle, of course). Just think about all of the hotel shampoo bottles you'll help them save. . .    

Follain Seasons of Suds Set

  For the friend who doesn't go anywhere without their Hydro Flask and a minimum of three canvas tote bags, there's the Follain's Seasons of Suds Set ($30) to satisfy their sustainable needs. If cutting down on plastic waste is 2020 #goals, why not offer up the Everything Soap, which is packaged inside a pretty glass bottle? Better yet, it comes alongside a 38 oz. refill sure to last your pal months.    

Floral Street Discovery Set

  When you think sustainably-sourced materials, biodegradable packageing, and an animal-derived ingredient-free formula, perfume doesn't immediately come to mind. Now, thanks to Floral Street, it can. It's modern, accessible, affordable, and addicting (seriously, you'll probably consider picking up a bottle for yourself). Of course, buying perfume is a personal practice, so gift your S.O., mother, or BFF the Floral Street Discovery Set ($19) so they can find their perfect signature scent.  

True Botanicals Bodywash & Lotion Duo

  While you're in good company by making this brand your new go-to — Olivia Wilde and Laura Dern are fans — that's not the only reason why the True Botanicals Bodywash & Lotion Duo ($66) is so special. In fact, the appeal comes directly from the luxe formula packaged inside aluminium bottles. Better still, this set of two is housed inside a fully-recyclable box that's too good to hide underneath a bow. (Sure, it looks pretty, but it'll end up in the rubbish.)

Weleda Let It Glow Kit

  Some people's holiday wish is for it to snow; others just want their skin to stay quenched and bouncy even while engulfed in dry radiator heat. Consider the Weleda Let It Glow Kit ($7.99) hydrating duo for the coworker who sits by their desk with a mini humidifier and ceramide hand lotion on deck. While they'll feel safe knowing the unique blend of sunflower seed oil, chamomile, and calendula extracts are protecting their skin and lips, they can also feel good about the fact that the packageing is entirely recyclable; in fact, TerraCycle will do it for them.  

Best of E.l.f.

  Going vegan doesn't stop at your diet; it also extends to your beauty routine. Pick up the Best of E.l.f. Set ($15), a certified vegan and cruelty-free gift for yourself or that college roommate who still makes you feel guilty when you eat the occasional chicken nugget at 2 a.m. You know how it goes. . .  

Ren Atlantic Kelp Recycled Hand Wash & Lotion Set

  While Ren has yet to make all of its product packageing 100% recyclable, we stan a brand that is doing the hard work to get there the right way. Its latest innovation comes by way of a metal-free pump housed inside the brand's Atlantic Kelp line, including a body wash and lotion. Each bottle is also made with 20 percent reclaimed ocean plastic, while the other 80 percent is made from recycled plastic bottles. Bonus: every Atlantic Kelp Recycled Hand Wash & Lotion Set ($35) comes inside a 100 percent recyclable FSC-approved gift box that uses biodegradable lamination and is printed with vegetable-based ink. We consider that one a win-win-win.

No one ever had trouble finding examples of corporate hypocrisy. Recent months seem to have brought a bounty. The same companies who submit to Chinese authorities have no problem resisting American ones. Corporations threaten boycotts against states whose legislatures pass laws restricting abortion and affirming sex differences and religious freedom. Wealthy CEOs join letters opposing the Trump administration’s efforts to limit illegal immigration. Technology giants that collaborate with China and inherently the Chinese military on AI and Internet censorship express qualms over working with the Pentagon.   The U.S. industries most obsequious to Chinese audiences present themselves as socially, culturally, and economically progressive at home. The National Basketball Association, Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and major financial institutions are exemplars of the “woke capitalism” that has transformed the business landscape in recent years. GM cannot meet the demands of 48,000 striking workers, but it wants you to know that it supports wind power and gender equity. GE suspended pension benefits, but remains a signatory to the U.N. Global Compact, is a highly rated workplace according to the Human Rights Campaign, and received a State Department award for “inclusive hiring in Saudi Arabia.”   What might look like a contradiction is actually a concurrence. Corporations are terrified by the specter of controversy that attracts scrutiny and regulation. Supporting Hongkongers invites rebuke. To be “woke” in America today does not. That is the difference between the celebration of Nike and the demonization of Chick-fil-A. Given the cultural power of the new progressivism, protests from conservatives weigh little in the balance.   Whether they are collaborating with the People’s Republic of China or publicizing efforts to achieve social justice in the United States, America’s woke capitalists are operating according to the instinct of self-preservation. This is not simply about the bottom line. It is about the legitimacy of the corporation in the global economy.   Cynics might ascribe the corporate embrace of woke capitalism to self-seeking. Social justice, they say, is merely a veneer that masks profits. That might be true. On September 5, “Activate: The Global Citizen Movement” premiered on the National Geographic channel. Produced in partnership with Procter & Gamble, and featuring Hugh Jackman, Gayle King, Pharrell Williams, Usher, and Darren Criss, the program is a parody of advertising masquerading as activism.   The episode on the “clean water crisis,” according to a multi-page advertorial in National Geographic, highlighted the fact that “844 million people around the world lack access to clean water.” Fortunately, “P&G, makers of Tide, introduced its ‘Children’s Safe Drinking Water” program in 2004 and since then, with the help of over 150 partners around the world, has provided more than 15 billion liters of clean water to people in need.” The episode “Ending Plastic Pollution” mentioned, “For over a decade, P&G, the makers of Head & Shoulders (H&S), has partnered with TerraCycle, a global recycling company on a mission to eliminate waste.” The episode “Social Justice Reform” is premised on the idea that “while some racial bias is conscious, much is unconscious and can be shaped by images in entertainment, advertising, and media.” That’s why “P&G believes in using their voice in advertising as a force for good by addressing important societal issues while ensuring positive, accurate portrayals of all people.” By contributing to P&G’s $68 billion in annual revenue, you too can help clean water, reduce plastic consumption, and foster racial justice.   Yet the cynics ignore the context in which businesses operate. Corporations don’t generate revenues automatically. They must provide a good or service that consumers want. And they must be relatively unmolested by the heavy hand of government. Procter & Gamble’s “Activate” may be well intentioned. It is also a form of insurance.   Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey probably didn’t think he was about to start a diplomatic incident when he Tweeted support for the Hong Kong protests on October 4. More fool he. Chinese social media accounts denounced him within moments. The Chinese Basketball Association, whose president Yao Ming played on the Rockets for about a decade, cut ties with the club. The Chinese consulate-general in Houston instructed the Rockets to “correct the error.” Morey deleted the Tweet.   The episode was an ugly demonstration of the insidious nature of corporate America’s relationship to Beijing. To guarantee safe returns, moguls, companies, and industries with investments in China are more than happy to toe the party line. A week before Morey made the “error” of advocating democracy, Michael Bloomberg, who holds an annual “New Economy Forum” in the Chinese capital, denied that Xi Jinping is a dictator. Earlier, when the trailer for the forthcoming Top Gun sequel made its debut, it did not take long for people to notice that the filmmakers had removed images of the Japanese and Taiwanese flags from the hero’s bomber jacket. The global box office now counts for more than the accurate representation of democratic allies.   Note, however, that the outrage over Morey’s Tweet started online. It then migrated to officialdom. The Chinese public is nationalistic. It becomes outraged at any perceived offense to national honor. American corporations have to take into account the attitudes, sympathies, and sensibilities of the Chinese consumer as much as the wishes of the Chinese government.   Consumer preferences also matter in the United States. Over the summer, Nike removed certain shoes in its Chinese stores because the designer expressed solidarity with Hongkongers. Around the same time, it withdrew from the market shoes carrying images of the Betsy Ross flag because Colin Kaepernick said they promoted white supremacy. In both cases the apparel company was acceding to consumer demands rather than risk government rebuke.   America’s corporations, forever in search of yield, cannot afford to ignore the reality that young consumers are drifting left. The Millennial generation is politically moderate compared to the rising Generation Z. The ideologies of diversity, equity, and inclusion, of intersectionality, of gender fluidity, and of environmentalism, secularism, racial justice, and assaultive speech have become the cultural mainstream (to the degree one exists). Woke capitalism isn’t a passing fad. It’s a sign of things to come.   Corporate behavior evinces the dominant beliefs of society. In China, those beliefs are not pluralistic. And that is increasingly the case in the United States.  

As part of the brand’s plan to Reduce, Recycle and React, L’OCCITANE en Provence has cut down on excessive holiday packaging. In a bid to minimise the amount of packaging materials, the company reduced its use of cardboard by 31 tonnes in this year’s Christmas range. With sensible sustainable thinking at its core, L’OCCITANE designed its collection of Christmas products and gift sets with the environment in mind. Using a new, micro-corrugated cardboard structure, the brand reduced the weight of its most popular holiday gift boxes by 20%, which led to an overall reduction of 22 tonnes of cardboard compared to last year. In addition, L’OCCITANE optimised the format of its gift boxes, cutting another 9 tonnes of cardboard without reducing the number of products they contain.   L’OCCITANE is also committed to ensuring all its wrapping paper is made from recycled and recyclable materials. The brand has never used plastic bags in its stores, using paper bags instead. Its gift ribbons are made of a new cellulose-based material which biodegrades within six months, whilst its silk paper is 100% recycled and FSC® certified. As part of its recycling efforts, L’OCCITANE partners with TerraCycle – a collection and recycling programme that specialises in hard-to-recycle packaging – to enable the upcycling of beauty products from any brand. Customers are able to easily recycle their empties at all participating L’OCCITANE boutiques. Currently, over 40% of L’OCCITANE’s 1,572 owned stores worldwide offer in-store recycling, and L’OCCITANE has pledged to expand that to 100% by 2025. Corinne Fugier-Garrel L’OCCITANE’s Director of Packaging Conception Development, "We are proud of what we have achieved so far, but we want to go much further. We are fundamentally rethinking our approach to packaging and products and sharing our expertise with other manufacturers to collectively shape a sustainable future."

It’s nearly 2020 and it sometimes feels like our society is just starting to figure out that plastic sucks. Like, really—all plastic is pretty terrible. It ends up in our oceans, kills our wildlife, plants, and natural habitats, emits dangerous greenhouse gases that exacerbate global warming, and somehow, even makes its way back into our own bellies as microplastics. Say it with me: Gross.   But single-use plastic in particular is some of the worst stuff on (and for) the planet. If you’re new to the sustainable living game, single-use plastic is a plastic item specifically designed for a single use.   So, for example, you use a sandwich baggie to house your lunch, remove the sandwich, and throw away the baggie. #SingleUsePlastic. You grab a plastic bag at the store to bag your fruits and veggies. You bring the produce home in the bag, then throw out the bag. #SingleUsePlastic. You’re parched while out in public so you visit the nearest vending machine and buy a bottle of water for $3. Once you finish the water, you throw out (or even recycle!) the bottle.   It’s still #SingleUsePlastic even if you throw it in the recycling bin, as even correctly-recycled single-use plastic can find its way into our oceans and also doesn’t break down in landfills for hundreds of years.   So, how can you break this single-use plastic cycle? By reading up on the best plastic-free tips and tricks.  

Here are the 50 best tips and tricks for living plastic-free:

 

Tips for getting started on a plastic-free life

  More and more stores are banning plastic bags (or by “banning” we mean, charging for them, too). If you want to help the planet and also save yourself the five cents for a plastic bag at the store, bring your reusable tote bags whenever you go shopping.   Reusable tote bags aren’t the only way to cut down on plastic when shopping.  Did you know that single-use produce bags aren’t the only option you have at the grocery store? Sure, it’s the option food stores provide in the produce section, but you can actually bring your own reusable produce bag to most grocery stores and they’ll honor it. “One of the best alternatives we use is reusable produce bags,” says Hayley Tillard, Co-Founder and Director at EcoLust. “The ones we get in particular are made from recycled plastic bottles and are mesh with a drawstring. They are super light so they won’t add too much weight when buying fruit and veg and because they are mesh they allow the produce to breathe and you can wash your haul while they are still in the bag. They also are great for hiking, you can fill one with nuts, seeds, lollies and chocolate to keep your energy levels up.”   Now for tip #3. Once you invest in a few reusable mesh produce bags and reusable tote bags, make sure to leave them in your car or somewhere where you will remember them. There’s nothing more annoying than getting to the grocery store and realizing you don’t have your reusable bags. #SustainableLivingFAIL!   “Being prepared at all times is something I have learnt the hard way, multiple times,” Tillard says. “Going to a restaurant, you would think you wouldn’t need to bring your reusable cutlery but some places only serve plastic cutlery. Having a reusable straw, cutlery, and tote bag can help you avoid almost any situation when you are out and about.”       Tip #5 is invest in reusable cutlery and keep it on you at all times (in the car, in a bag, etc.). When eating out, you’ll also want to bring a tote bag and sustainable to-go container — those are tips #6 and #7. If you end up bringing leftovers home, you’ll avoid the single-use plastic often involved in takeout by instead bringing your own sustainable container and tote bag to carry it in. For sustainable containers, glass, silicone, or stainless steel are better reusable options than plastic.   While you’re at it, you may want to throw a reusable, sustainable straw into that tote bag, too. Reusable straws can be made from many different materials including glass, stainless steel, and even bamboo.   Speaking of a to-go tote, keeping a tote of all the to-go zero-waste essentials will do wonders whenever you find yourself traveling or even while running errands. “Bringing a reusable tote bag packed with travel cutlery, a reusable water bottle, a travel cup, and produce bags can help you avoid much of the single use plastic waste that pollutes our oceans, landfills, and ground waters,” says Gonzalez. Throw a straw in there and you won’t accidentally find yourself trying to drink a smoothie as if it’s water.     Speaking of water, you’ll want to avoid single-use plastic water bottles whenever possible. To do this, keep a reusable water bottle on hand at all times. “Instead of buying disposable bottles of water, everyone in my family has their own reusable water bottle,” says Addie Fisher of The Old World New. “To fill it up, we use a Brita water filter and recycle the filter cartridges through Brita and Terracycle.”   Water filters are a great way to make sure your water is “clean” and devoid of harmful toxins, but in most cases, filters are made from plastic. If you want to ditch plastic 100%, you could choose a charcoal stick. Charcoal sticks naturally detoxify water and each stick can be used for as long as three months each. No plastic and no toxins!  

Plastic-free tips for the home

Start slowly. According to Melanie Gonzalez, Founder of Simple Good, “The most important thing to remember when you start your journey to reducing plastic is to do it slowly.” Gonzalez has a point—in order to reduce plastic, you have to use it all up first. “Simply throwing away all your plastic actually adds to the plastic waste in our landfills and having to buy lots of new things is costly,” she adds.   Give composting a go. It may seem daunting to get into composting, but it’s actually even easier than throwing something in the trash. If you have a yard, you can start a backyard compost or if you live in an apartment or residence without yard access, you can invest in an indoor compost bin. Any organic food scraps that would break down on their own — egg shells, veggie and fruit scraps and peels, cardboard egg boxes, paper, and even things like leaves — should be added to the compost. Try a silicone sponge in place of a conventional sponge. Not only do silicone sponges have a longer life span — as they can be used for up to one year—but they’re also healthier for you, since they’re not as porous as traditional sponges. All the nooks and crannies of traditional sponges actually hold onto bacteria longer, which can make you sick and reintroduce the dishes to bacteria.   Say no to plastic baggies of all kinds. Sandwich baggies? You don’t need them anymore. A great sustainable alternative to sandwich baggies and freezer baggies are silicone bags. Brands like Stasher, ACCA, and LunchSkins make reusable baggies in snack bag, sandwich, and even bigger sizes. Even better: Silicone bags can be used to cook and can even go in the freezer.   Give biodegradable garbage bags a whirl. Did you know traditional garbage bags actually don’t break down? They can’t—they’re made of plastic! So, how can the garbage inside of these bags break down? The answer is it can’t either. Even if you throw a banana peel in there. It won’t break down inside the plastic bag! That’s why it’s important to invest in biodegradable bags like Bio Bags, which break down on their own as to give the trash inside a chance to also break down.  

Plastic-free tips for the bathroom

There’s more plastic and single-use plastic associated with your bathroom than you may realize. Did you know your toothbrush is primarily made from plastic? Sure, it’s designed for more than a single use, but even still, toothbrushes account for 50 million pounds of the trash that sits in landfills in the U.S. Tillard recommends bamboo toothbrushes as an alternative. “Bamboo is a sustainable material and very durable,” Tillard says. “When the toothbrush comes to the end of its life, remember to break off the head of the brush with the bristles and throw that in the bin and the bamboo handle can be composted.”       Toothbrushes aren’t the only mainly plastic item in your bathroom wreaking havoc. Have you ever considered how much plastic it takes to make a razor? And if you keep throwing out your disposable razors, how much waste that equates to? According to the EPA, 2 billion razors are thrown away each year. “Switching from disposable razors to safety razors is a priority,” says Gonzalez. “This switch can also save you money since you can buy a great safety razor for under $20 that will last you a lifetime. And because the blades (as well as the razor) are recyclable, we can keep lots of plastic out of the landfill.”   Your shampoo, conditioner, and body wash are likely packaged in plastic. But how can you avoid plastic packaging when seemingly every brand makes shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel in plastic bottles? Two words: bar soaps! Bar soaps aren’t just for washing your hands. “A great first step would be to switch to bar soap for your body and hair. Water is the first ingredient in body wash and shampoo and is added by manufacturers so that you run out faster,” says Gonzalez. “You can find all-natural soaps that are package-free (and cruelty free, too) that will last you the equivalent of three medium size plastic bottles!”   Here’s another tip once you switch to bar soaps. Actually, it’s more of a hack, really.  “I recommend buying yourself a soap saver sack for your bar soaps,” adds Gonzalez. “Soap savers help you prolong the life of the soap by allowing the soap bar to dry out between uses, helps prevent the soap from breaking apart, and ensures you use every last ounce of that soap bar!”   Say you have curly hair and are wary of bar soaps. Never fear. According to Fisher, the Heali Kiwi shampoo bar by Ethique is a saving grace bar soap for curly-haired humans. “To utilize less plastic in our bathroom, we buy bar soap and shampoo bars. Shampoo bars have been the hardest adjustment because of my naturally curly hair,” Fisher adds. “I finally found one that works amazingly for me.”   Let’s not forget toilet paper and how harmful it can be (especially the chlorine-bleached stuff) for the environment. With TP, you have a few options. First TP tip is that you can buy recycled toilet paper made from a more sustainable material — bamboo. Who Gives a Crap is a TP company that makes sustainable toilet paper and delivers it right to your door without excess (plastic) packaging. Their rolls come wrapped in paper, not plastic, and the cardboard rolls can be shredded and added to the compost.   Now, for TP option #2. Did you know using a bidet actually reduces how much toilet paper you need? Think about it, if the water spray from the bidet washes you off, there’s less work for the TP to do. Using a bidet in your bathroom can actually reduce how much you spend on TP by 75 percent according to Business Insider.   Now we couldn’t talk about sustainable bathrooms without discussing sustainable periods. Even if you’re a person that has a period, you might not realize how much waste period management takes. National Geographic reports that people in the U.S. bought 5.8 billion tampons in 2018. Since a single menstruator will use anywhere between 5,000 and 15,000 pads and tampons in their life, all of that single-use product (including its plastic applicators and packaging) will inevitably end up in landfills.   So, what sustainable options are out there? “A menstrual cup is another favorite of mine,” says Tillard. “This can be intimidating for a lot of women and it was for me too. It is very convenient when traveling and lasts a long time.” Since silicone menstrual cups can last up to 10 years, theoretically, one menstruator could only use four menstrual cups in a lifetime as opposed to 15,000 pads or tampons.     If a silicone menstrual cup isn’t your cup of tea, another sustainable period management option is reusable cloth pads. “I have now coupled my menstrual cup with some reusable pads just in case of leakage and towards the end of my cycle when the cup is not required,” Tillard says. “The brand I use donates a pack of reusable pads to women in need for every purchase.” Reusable cloth pads can be thrown in the washing machine.  

Plastic-free laundry tips

From the plastic laundry basket to the container our Tide Pods come in (not to mention the toxins and microplastics that may be lurking in traditional fabric softeners and detergents), your laundry routine has a lot of hidden plastic. When it comes to mitigating plastic-use in your laundry routine, let’s start with the plastic bottles that detergent generally comes in.   “You can buy laundry drops in bulk that are package-free, as well as laundry powder that comes in kraft paper bags,” says Gonzalez.   Even some bulk stores offer laundry detergent. “If you are lucky enough to have a bulk store near you, you will be able to visit and refill your old laundry detergent bottles,” says Tillard. “They should have other household cleaners that you will be able to refill there as well. Google will be your friend in finding a store near you!”   And what about our clothes? They, too, contribute microplastics, polluting our water. Gonzalez adds, “Much of our clothing is made from plastic. Synthetic fibers such as polyester, acrylic, nylon, and rayon release microplastic fibers into the wash that ultimately wind up in our ground water.” Luckily, there’s a way to mitigate this issue. “This is especially true if you wash your clothes in hot water.” Instead of washing clothes with hot water, use cold water. It also uses up less energy, which means a lesser carbon footprint for you!   Another way to help reduce microplastics in your laundry routine is to buy clothes made from more sustainable fibers. “Try to avoid buying clothing from these synthetic fibers. Clothing made from organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo are better choices,” advises Gonzalez.     That’s not all you can do — washing your clothes with a special filter can help. “There are also special filters like a Guppy Bag that you can put your clothes in to stop micrplastics from entering the water.”   If the Guppy Bag doesn’t suit your lifestyle, give the Cora Ball a whirl. “You can toss a Cora Ball in the wash and it helps to catch microplastics.”  

Plastic-free tips for the kitchen

Remember that “start slowly” advice? A meaningful way to do that is to be intentional with the plastic in your kitchen as you start to phase it out. “As your plastic kitchen items reach their end of life, try to find different uses for your plastic containers or donate them instead of throwing them away.” Examples of repurposing items include using anything (literally, anything) as a planter, turning containers into bird feeders, and so much more.   Gonzalez adds, “And of course, recycle what you can.” Not sure how to best recycle old plastic items? There’s probably a Terracycle program for that. Terracycle is a nationwide social enterprise with the goal of eliminating waste. Via mail, they accept all kinds of products that normally can’t be recycled. And it’s free!   Cleaning products are typically packaged in plastic and often contain harmful and toxic ingredients. Bypass both of these issues by making your own green cleaners at home. All it takes is a few simple ingredients. “A huge source of plastic (and toxins!) are kitchen cleaners, since they come in plastic bottles,” says Gonzalez. “Try making your own cleaners from essential oils and vinegar, which are [both] naturally anti-bacterial.”   Once you make your at-home, non-toxic cleaners, you need a bottle to put them in, right? Skip the plastic bottle at the five and dime and invest in a better, healthier option. “Store the natural cleaners in reusable tinted glass spray bottles to preserve the potency of the essential oils,” says Gonzalez. These typically come in blue, green, or amber.   Reusable containers can save you a lot of waste but even multi-use plastic isn’t the best. Luckily, stainless steel is a much more sustainable option. “Preparing lunch for yourself (and your family) also creates lots of plastic waste,” says Gonzalez. “Try to eliminate things like disposable snack bags, plastic bento boxes, and food storage containers. Stainless steel containers will last you forever and are dishwasher safe.”       If you’re not into the silicone snack bag trend, there’s also another option: cloth snack bags. “Although silicone bags have become popular, I prefer cloth snack bags since they degrade faster in a landfill than silicone,” Gonzalez says.   What about all that Saran wrap and tinfoil? That stuff is single-use. You use it once, it goes in the trash. So, if you’re looking for a longer-lasting, healthier alternative, beeswax wrap is an excellent option. “Beeswax wraps are a fantastic plastic-free swap for the kitchen, “explains Tillard. “You will never need to buy cling wrap again and they can be used as snack cups for kids, so they are great for school lunches. Buying beeswax wraps can help to support local beekeepers and they can be composted when they are at the end of their life.”   If you’re not sure which materials are considered “sustainable,” then you should know that bamboo is generally always the more sustainable option. “Bamboo is also a great alternative to plastic,” says Gonzalez. “It grows as much as two feet per day and can be grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Unlike plastic, it can be composted and does not take hundreds of years to degrade.”   So, what kinds of things could benefit from a bamboo alternative? If silicone sponges aren’t your style, Gonzalez recommends replacing your sponge with a pot scrubber made from bamboo or other sustainable materials like coconut wood or agave. “These sustainable alternatives are super affordable, highly effective and will not wash microplastics down the drain and into our ground water.”   Another great rule to live by in the kitchen is to focus on the “reuse” part of “reduce, reuse, recycle.” You know, rather than the “recycle” part that everyone seems to harp on. Recycling actually isn’t the way — reducing and reusing can make much more of an impact. That’s why Fisher likes reusing glass jars. “One of my favorite ways to avoid plastic is to reuse glass jars that were once full of honey, alfredo, pickles, etc.,” she says. “They are great for storing leftovers or bulk foods. By reusing these jars, I don’t have to continuously buy plastic storage containers that eventually go bad or go missing.”   Stop buying paper towels. Sure, they’re not plastic, but they certainly are single-use. Instead, invest in something called “un-paper towels,” which is basically the reusable version. They’re made from bamboo and can be washed many times before the end of their life.   If un-paper towels aren’t your jam, take a hint from Jules Hunt, Founder of Om and the City. “First I’d like to say I don’t think plastic is necessarily evil. It has allowed us to advance in society and it’s great for items we need to be long-lasting and durable,” Hunt says. “With that said, when it’s treated as disposable and is thrown away within a matter of seconds, that’s where it has become a big issue. I’m proud to say we’ve virtually eliminated most single-use household items. Instead of paper towels, we use cotton dish rags to clean surfaces.”       Also stop buying paper napkins. “But it’s paper, right?” A lot of paper napkins are actually bleached, which means they won’t break down since they’ve been treated with toxic chemicals. Buy cloth napkins instead or you can even make your own napkins out of t-shirt or old towel scraps. Get crafty with it!   And what about all the plastic packaging that comes with grocery shopping? According to Hunt, making certain things at home can really help you cut down on waste. “I like to make my own nut milk and nut butters to avoid plastic packaging, but when I do purchase these items, I typically go for the glass container.”  

Plastic-free tips for the bedroom

“There’s not much plastic in my bedroom, right?” Wrong! The first tip to reducing plastic in the bedroom is to take survey of what you have. What’s in there that’s plastic or single-use? Maybe a tissue box, a hairbrush on your dresser, phone chargers — even your sheets might be made of microplastics. So, where do you start?   In lieu of tissues, you can try three other options. First, Who Gives a Crap also makes “forest-friendly” tissues, also made from 100% bamboo.   If you’d rather try a reusable option, you can make reusable, washable hankies from old t-shirts or other scrap fabric.   And if that doesn’t work for you, you can always repurpose some of those un-paper towels and use them to blow your nose in ’em!   Now, let’s talk phone accessories. Your phone’s charger is likely made from plastic and while it’s not single use, there are more sustainable options out there. Nimble For Good is a sustainable company that makes phone accessories like wireless chargers, phone cases, and more out of materials like hemp, recycled plastic, and corn. Even their packaging is 100% made from recycled scrap pulp paper.   “Not directly for the bedroom, but [this is] bedroom related,” says Tillard. “You can use an old pillowcase as a bread bag. Take it to your local bakery and ask them to put the bread in the pillowcase instead of a plastic bag.” Whatever works, right??     What about your sheets, pillow cases, and comforter? Are they sustainable, too? It depends on what materials they are made with. Buffy makes sheets and other bed accessories out of eucalpytus; organic cotton, wool, linen, satin, silk are generally regarded as sustainable materials. Note: silk and wool are not vegan options.   Have you ever stopped to wonder what your hairbrush is made out of? What about the packaging your cosmetics come in? Chances are the answers are plastic and plastic. Ugh.   There are some sustainable hairbrushes on the market that are made from bamboo rather than nasty plastic. Just make sure the bristles are also made from bamboo, too.   As for your makeup, a lot of makeup comes in plastic packaging. If you’re looking to make the switch to some plastic-free cosmetic brands, the good news is they definitely exist. They’re just generally lesser known because many plastic-free cosmetics aren’t available in big beauty stores like Ulta or Sephora. Brands like Axiology, Elate, Antonym, and Kjaer Weiss offer sustainable packaging and non-toxic makeup thanks to either recycled aluminum, bamboo, or glass packaging.   And for the 52nd tip, you can eliminate a lot of paper waste by simply opting out of bills my mail. Simply switch your car bill, electric bill, insurance bill, phone bill, and any other monthly bill to the online option. That’ll cut down the mail waste you get by a lot and you can feel good about paying your bill online, all while helping the environment!   That’s a whole lot of sustainable tips and while it might seem overwhelming, remember that the goal isn’t to do zero waste perfectly. It’s for a whole lot of people to try. Even imperfectly!   “All in all,  I do my best to avoid single-use plastic by planning ahead, anticipating, and understanding my daily habits and needs, and slowing down so I can be more aware of my actions and impulses,” says Hunt. “I’m far from perfect and I realize I am privileged to be able to have the money, time, and resources to consider the environment. We have to realize perfection isn’t the goal and that strength lies in numbers… So the more of us making imperfect efforts is what really makes a difference.”