Written By Campbell Fauber for Our Sustainable Future

Drawn by Eleni Beaumont, OSF Co-Founder

Sustainability is something we should all strive for, whether it be at home, school, or the grocery store. Even though being 100% sustainable isn’t always possible, still taking part, even in small ways, is so worth it! So put away perfection and do what you can to educate yourself on the various ways you can make a positive difference in your community and on the planet. Here is a list of my favorite sustainable products that I use every day with links to check them out!

Plaine Products Hand Soap, Body Wash, and Hand Lotion

Plaine Products is my go-to sustainable hygiene brand. Not only is their packaging made from 100% recycled material, but their products are also vegan, biodegradable, all-natural, and cruelty-free. The products I mentioned above come in a metal bottle (instead of single-use plastic) and can even be sent back to the company for reuse later on. I highly recommend checking out Plaine Products!

Hydro Flask

Okay, I’ll admit it. I am a little basic because I own a Hydro Flask. But seriously, these water bottles are amazing, and not just because they keep your water cold! Hydro Flasks are metal bottles that are perfect for people who love cold, refreshing water. They are also a great alternative to single-use plastic bottles, which are downright awful for the environment. Keeping your water cold and helping the planet? It’s a win-win for me!

Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste & Mouthwash

Every morning and every evening I use my Tom’s of Maine toothpaste and mouthwash to keep my chompers squeaky clean. I made the switch in mid-2021 because I didn’t like all the artificial ingredients in my typical toothpaste and mouthwash. When I made the switch, I was ecstatic! I learned that their toothpaste tubes are recyclable and that Tom’s is partnered with TerraCycle to help everyday consumers like you and me recycle personal care packaging that isn’t traditionally accepted through curbside recycling. Every Tom’s of Maine oral hygiene product is made with all-natural ingredients and free from artificial colors and dyes.

Food52 Reusable Food Storage Containers

If I’m being honest, my reusable Food52 food storage containers always come in handy. They’re perfect for storing different types of food, whether it’s popcorn, pancakes, or soup. Sustainability-wise, they are perfect for people who want to ditch single-use storage containers or ones that are made from plastic; the ones I own are reusable as well as dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe. I highly recommend checking out the Food52 website to explore all of your options!

Dropp’s Laundry Pods

I saved the best product for last: Dropp’s Laundry Pods! I use them whenever I do laundry and, wow, are they incredible. The ingredients used in their laundry pods are ethically sourced, clean, and safe both for you and the environment. Their packaging is also eco-friendly; it’s made out of cardboard, the paper tape they use on their packaging is compostable, and their shipping labels are recyclable and compostable. Another perk is that their laundry pods come in many different scents and sizes; there are also different pods for people with sensitive skin and for those who work out and sweat a lot. From one Dropp’s lover to hopefully another (yes, you), their laundry pods are perfect for people who wants to incorporate sustainability into their daily lives!

The world has a plastic problem. By 2050, the oceans will contain more plastic than fish, by weight. That’s because over 50% of plastic consumed in the world today is used once and disposed of, including toothbrushes.   In fact, Americans throw away over one billion toothbrushes each year. And because toothbrushes are made from nearly indestructible, non-biodegradable polypropylene plastic and nylon, almost every single plastic toothbrush ever produced is still in existence.   But, plastic toothbrushes are a relatively new phenomenon. Prior to the 1930s, toothbrushes were produced from more eco-friendly materials, like bark or porcupine quills. Luckily, today you don’t have to find a porcupine to be able to clean your teeth in an environmentally friendly manner. Bamboo toothbrushes are more popular and more effective than ever.  

Why Bamboo?

Bamboo wood is a fully biodegradable substance made from the bamboo plant. It’s also highly sustainable as bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth which usually doesn’t require the use of fertilizers, pesticides or irrigation to grow.   Therefore, the only parts of a bamboo toothbrush that can potentially harm the environment are the bristles and the packaging. However, the bristles are normally recyclable, and most companies provide paper packaging for their bamboo toothbrushes.  

How to Dispose of a Bamboo Toothbrush

Because bamboo toothbrushes are made from two different substances, the first step in properly disposing of the toothbrush is to remove the bristles from the handle. This can easily be done with a set of pliers.   The bristles can be disposed of along with your plastic recyclables. The bamboo handle can then be composted, burned or used around the house as a plant marker, crafting accessory or DIY tool.   If you’re ready to make the switch to a bamboo toothbrush, keep reading to find out more about the eight best options available for purchase on Amazon.  

The ugly truth about beauty products is that disposing of the detritus they create isn’t easy. For one thing, mascara tubes, foundation sponges and anything else that could be contaminated by microbes or bacteria is actually considered a biohazard, which means you shouldn’t even throw it in the regular garbage.   Beyond that, most cosmetic containers can’t be recycled, even if they’re made of plastic or glass. Blue bin guidelines generally “do not include any material that has liquids, and that can contaminate other materials in the bin,” says Ernel Simpson, a V.P. at TerraCycle, a New Jersey-based company that has branded itself the go-to for all things “unrecyclable.”   Luckily, TerraCycle offers a few beauty-disposal options. Empties from its partners—Burt’s Bees, Bausch + Lomb, DECIEM, eos, Gillette, Tom’s of Maine and Weleda—can be dropped off at those stores, or sent directly to the recycling company for free.         Devotees of other brands can purchase a Zero Waste Box, fill it up with cleaned out lotion bottles and lipgloss tubes, and send it over to the company for recycling. (There are also Zero Waste boxes for everything from plastic snack packaging to cigarette butts and used chewing gum.)   Here, a few other companies trying to help green your cosmetic disposal routine.       The beauty giant was thinking about recycling well before it was trendy. Its Back-to-M.A.C. program dates back to the 1980s: customers who bring in six empty M.A.C. makeup containers receive a free standard lipstick, lipgloss or small eyeshadow. The brand says it reuses more than 100,000 pounds of material in the U.S. and Canada each year, and anything that cannot be reused is incinerated at waste-to-energy facilities.         A partnership with TerraCycle makes L’Occitane a convenient drop-off hub: customers who bring in empty beauty containers from any brand receive 10 percent off during their store visit. The brand has also pledged that every single one of its bottles will be made of 100 per cent recycled plastic by 2025.       The eco-conscious company’s goal is to get naked—a bunch of its products, from shampoo to body lotion, are sold entirely packaging-free. Last year, customers bought two million shampoo bars, keeping millions of plastic bottles out of landfills or the ocean. Liquid products come in the brand’s signature black pots, made from 100 per cent recycled plastic. Customers who return five empty pots get a free face mask.         Another TerraCycle partner, the Body Shop’s Return. Recycle. Repeat. program collects empty packaging from any brand for recycling at all of its Canadian locations (excluding products marked flammable or hazardous, such as perfumes). Bonus: club members get $10 worth of points when they bring back five Body Shop brand containers. It also launched a program last May to buy plastic waste collected in Bengaluru, India, which is recycled into shampoo and conditioner bottles.         Everyone from B.C. to Manitoba can take advantage of this Western chain’s extensive recycling program, available at all of its stores. Makeup isn’t accepted, but small beauty appliances such as hair dryers and curling irons are, as is most packaging, like the hard plastic and Styrofoam that cradles products bought online, as well as batteries and lightbulbs. In the last 10 years, the Canadian retailer has recycled more than 113 million pounds of waste—enough to fill two container ships.  

The world has a plastic problem. By 2050, the oceans will contain more plastic than fish, by weight. That’s because over 50% of plastic consumed in the world today is used once and disposed of, including toothbrushes.   In fact, Americans throw away over one billion toothbrushes each year. And because toothbrushes are made from nearly indestructible, non-biodegradable polypropylene plastic and nylon, almost every single plastic toothbrush ever produced is still in existence.   But, plastic toothbrushes are a relatively new phenomenon. Prior to the 1930s, toothbrushes were produced from more eco-friendly materials, like bark or porcupine quills. Luckily, today you don’t have to find a porcupine to be able to clean your teeth in an environmentally friendly manner. Bamboo toothbrushes are more popular and more effective than ever.  

Why Bamboo?

Bamboo wood is a fully biodegradable substance made from the bamboo plant. It’s also highly sustainable as bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth which usually doesn’t require the use of fertilizers, pesticides or irrigation to grow.   Therefore, the only parts of a bamboo toothbrush that can potentially harm the environment are the bristles and the packaging. However, the bristles are normally recyclable, and most companies provide paper packaging for their bamboo toothbrushes.  

How to Dispose of a Bamboo Toothbrush

Because bamboo toothbrushes are made from two different substances, the first step in properly disposing of the toothbrush is to remove the bristles from the handle. This can easily be done with a set of pliers.   The bristles can be disposed of along with your plastic recyclables. The bamboo handle can then be composted, burned or used around the house as a plant marker, crafting accessory or DIY tool.   If you’re ready to make the switch to a bamboo toothbrush, keep reading to find out more about the eight best options available for purchase on Amazon.  

Henkel is transitioning to fully recyclable toothpaste tubes for their entire oral care portfolio by early 2021. The German consumer goods company said that the move supports their sustainable packaging target of reaching 100% recyclability by 2025.   The classic toothpaste tubes that consumers use by the millions daily have a multi-layer construction that makes the packaging difficult for recycling facilities to process, according to Henkel. In response, the company plans to use technology from their packaging supplier Albéa that allows the tubes to be fully recyclable.   Both the Association of Plastic Recyclers in the United States and Suez. Circpack in Europe recognize Albéa’s Greenleaf tubes as recyclable within existing HDPE bottles recycling streams, Henkel said. Albéa’s process is proprietary, but Henkel did say that the technology for making tubes uses a single-blown film that significantly reduces the carbon dioxide footprint of the packaging.   Spanish toothpaste brand Licor del Polo will have the first fully recyclable tubes with the rest of the oral care brands transitioning by the start of next year, Henkel said.   The switch to Greenleaf tubes allows more than 700 tons of packaging material to be utilized and recovered by waste recycling streams annually, according to Philippe Blank, head of packaging sustainability at Henkel Beauty Care.   Beyond rolling out the recyclable tubes, Henkel and Albéa said they are working together on addressing other aspects of toothpaste packaging. “We have a clear goal: Together we want to launch the world’s first full HDPE tube in 2021, which will then include the cap as well,” Blank said.   Initiatives to keep toothpaste packaging out of landfills have increased over the past few years. In 2018, Colgate and TerraCycle launched a UK program for consumers to recycle oral care products and packaging, regardless of brand. More recently Colgate introduced a fully recyclable tube made from HDPE for its Tom’s of Maine brand in the United States and a new line called Smile for Good in Europe.

A couple months ago, I decided to try and start using less plastic in my daily routines. While a large part of pollution and climate change in our world is due to inadequate regulation and policies by large corporations, I still wanted to try to find products I liked that were less wasteful. Unfortunately, eco-friendly products can be expensive, and it can be hard to tell if the product will actually work for you. So I asked my pals on Instagram what their favorite eco-friendly products were, and I was surprised by all the brand, product, and DIY recommendations that I received! Without further ado, here are eight recommendations for moving towards a more environmentally conscious lifestyle, one step at a time:  

1. Bamboo Toothbrushes

  I got my boyfriend to buy me a pack of bamboo toothbrushes for Valentine’s Day (so romantic, I know) and I love them! You can get packs of them in bulk on Amazon for really cheap. (Also, pro tip: if you go to Amazon’s Customer Service chat box, you can request all future orders on your account to be plastic free when possible.) If you would rather not go through Amazon, there are many other companies that sell bamboo toothbrushes, like the brand Package Free!  

2. Recycled Plastic Toothbrushes and Razors

  One person recommended the brand Preserve to me for toothbrushes and razors, and their products are mostly made from recycled yogurt cups! (You can also get these at Trader Joe’s.) Another brand that can be found in many mainstream stores is Tom’s of Maine, who have toothbrushes with handles made of recycled plastic as well.

3. Recyclable Packaged Toothpaste

  Typical toothpaste tubes are not recyclable. If you want to avoid the hassle of recycling altogether, the brand Bite offers refillable glass containers for their little chewable toothpaste “bites,” and they use recycled paper materials for shipping. Tom’s of Maine has recently released a recyclable tube for some of their products. Unfortunately, the new tube isn’t accepted for recycling in all areas, but they also have a partnership with TerraCycle where you join a waitlist for a bunch of free recycling programs that accept hard-to-recycle plastic waste.  

4.  Bar Soap, Shampoo, Lotion, etc.

  Plastic soap bottles are typically recyclable, but sometimes recycling isn’t as reliable as you would think. I live in a rural area that recently stopped offering recycling for most types of plastic due to a lack of recycling facilities. You can get bar soap at most stores, and then you can avoid using so many plastic bottles! One of my followers also recommended the brand Ethique Eco-Friendly Beauty Bars for hair products and lotion. If you live in the dorms, and don’t have a private bathroom, you can also buy bar soap travel cases to easily store your soap. Ethique also has travel cases made out of compostable materials, but they are a bit pricey. If you want a cheaper version, reusable plastic cases can often be found at Target or Walmart.

5. Reusable Food Storage Bags

  There are multiple types of washable food storage bags available. One of my followers recommended the brand Russbe, which has bags made of durable plastic with very cute patterns (like clouds and animals!). There are also some made of silicone, like the ones made by Stasher.  

6. Beeswax Wrap

  Another person recommended Bee’s Wrap, which is basically washable wax coated fabric that can be used as an alternative to plastic food wrap. These can be a little pricey, but can last for up to a year. Just be careful not to expose them to hot food or water, as it could cause the wax to melt. Similar beeswax wrap products can be found at Walmart, Trader Joe’s, and your local Co-op. You can also DIY your own with cotton cloth, beeswax and jojoba oil (see a tutorial here).  

7. Reusable Grocery Bags

  Reusable bags are pretty common, especially since many places are starting to charge for plastic bags in stores. However, making them can be a fun DIY activity! There are many Youtube tutorials (including this one) on making totes from old t-shirts or extra fabric, and you can even personalize them with embroidery or paint!  

(StatePoint) The amount of trash people produce has increased a whopping 10,000 percent over the past 100 years, according to TerraCycle, a company that handles hard-to recycle materials.   Starting in April for Earth Month, personal care company Tom’s of Maine partnered with TerraCycle to inspire less waste going to landfills. With the average American producing over 30 pounds of trash per week, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, the #LessWasteChallenge is a simple pledge that encourages households to reduce trash by just one pound per week.   Reducing waste is actually easier than you may think. Some simple tips from TerraCycle to reach that one pound goal include:   • Use reusable containers when possible when packing lunch for you and your family. They travel better and reduce waste.   • Thirsty? Start carrying a reusable water bottle with you to refill throughout the day. By doing so, you can prevent more than three pounds of plastic from ending up in a landfill each year, according to Ban the Bottle.   • The average person’s yearly bill payments require the use of 23 pounds of wood to produce, according to Pay it Green Alliance. Modernize and green your banking by requesting to receive your bills online.   Likewise, environmental group 41pounds.org says you can reduce paper waste by 41 pounds annually by unsubscribing from junk mail lists and sending greetings online versus using paper holiday and birthday cards.   • Kitchens can also be a wasteful place. Skip the paper plates and take the extra moment to use real dishes. Likewise, swap out paper towels and stick to reusable dishtowels instead.   • Choose toiletries wisely. For example, opt for a razor with changeable cartridges instead of throwing out the disposable variety each week. Likewise, seek out brands that package products with recycled materials that can be recycled again after use.   • Be sure to learn what is recyclable in your jurisdiction and also put these materials in the proper bins. Also consider reaching out to TerraCycle to sign up your community or home for some of their recycling programs. It’s an easy way to keep items out of landfills, while also raising money for your favorite cause!   Are you up to the challenge of reducing waste this year? You can learn more by going to TomsofMaine.com/LessWaste to easily take the #LessWasteChallenge pledge with just one click.   A few simple steps today can help secure a happy and healthy future for our children and the generations yet to come.

We all want to reduce our carbon footprint and become better stewards of the earth. But for something that seems as simple and straightforward as recycling, there can be a lot of complications. And when you make a guess at something being recyclable, and it isn't, that can actually be worse for recycling programs than if you had just thrown it out with the garbage. So, in honor of Earth Day, we sat down and straightened out just what can be recycled — and how! — so we can all avoid future mistakes and better support our local recycling efforts.   You can find everything we could think of in the paper and plastic categories below, and how to dispose of it properly. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Ask us on Facebook or Twitter!     Paper Paper is a recycler’s best friend; after all, it's made out of trees, right? Alas, that is not the case. Many types of paper are not recyclable — and some aren’t even compostable. Here’s a quick rundown of what you can and can’t do with this sneaky substance:   Recyclable

• Almost anything that comes in the mail — catalogs, phone books, magazines, newspapers and packages — can be recycled, but make sure to remove all tape or adhesives first.
• Sticky notes are fine to recycle, but consider compost for the smaller sizes.
• Plain paper bags should go right in the bin, but remember to reuse them as long as you can first!

  Compostable

• Shredded paper, regardless what it is made of, should be composted; anything smaller than three inches can get in the works of recycling machines and cause a shutdown.
• Paper plates should be composted, not recycled, regardless of cleanliness level. However, if you’ve used them for an art project that involved glitter, trash ‘em.
• Paper towels and napkins are compostable as long as you didn’t use them to clean anything with chemicals.

  Throw Away

• Receipts are nature’s enemy; many are coated with BPA, which can’t be recycled, and could taint your compost.
• Bubble lined paper mailers should be thrown away, but do try to reuse them first.

  Hmm…

• Parchment paper is only compostable if lined with wax, not plastic. Check the box to be sure of your next steps.
• Wrapping paper, greeting cards or gift bags can be recycled so long as they don't have foil or glitter on them. Be sure to remove tape, ribbons, and bows.
• Pizza boxes have long been contested. We say, if the top is not soiled or at all greasy, you can recycle it. But the part that is greasy should be composted or thrown out.

   

Plastic

Plastic is in everything. Everything! Unfortunately, when it’s mixed with paper (see above) or made into Styrofoam, the process can render both items completely non-recyclable. And even when it’s on its own, some plastic items aren’t recyclable in curbside bins. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t easy — and creative — ways of recycling many of your plastic goods.

Recyclable

• Plastic bags aren’t recyclable in your curbside bins, but most Lowes and Target locations have bins right by the front door for recycling them.
• Plastic envelopes, unlined or lined with bubble wrap, and air pillows can be recycled in the same bins as plastic bags at Lowes or Target.
• The same goes for Saran wrap, plastic wrap for food, Ziploc bags and plastic wrap for products like paper towels; Target or Lowes has you covered.
• Soda stream bottles help us protect the environment — twice! They can be recycled at curbside.
• Plastic bottles are recyclable at curbside, but rinse them out and remove plastic film labels first.
• Packing peanuts might be Styrofoam, but often UPS or Fed-Ex stores will take them back to reuse.
• Yogurt cups, cream cheese containers, hummus tubs and the like aren’t always recyclable at curbside, so check your town’s recycling guidelines first. Whole Foods locations have special bins for #5 plastic, or you can find other options at Earth 911.
• Rigid Plastic, like milk crates, children’s toys, reusable plastic cups, buckets, laundry baskets, etc. can be recycled by drop-off at some local locations. Find them at Find-a-Recycler. Make sure there’s no metal attached first!

Throw Away

• Foil insulation bags might look like silver plastic envelopes, but they actually contain elements that are not recyclable.
• Plastic utensils are unfortunately not recyclable, for a myriad of reasons. Though some are made out of recyclable plastic, others are made out of compressed Styrofoam — and user beware: rarely do they say on their body which type of plastic they are.
• We all know straws aren’t great to throw away, but they are also not recyclable; they can get stuck in machinery, clogging the whole works up. Stick to your reusable straws.
• Salad mix bags, frozen food bags, candy bar wrappers and chip wrappers all have to go in the trash.

Hmmmm…

• Foam polystyrene, or Styrofoam, in any form is generally not recyclable. While some shipping stores take packing peanuts for reuse, for all other types you’ll have to search for specific drop off locations. You can find a map on the Industry Alliance page here.
• Tupperware containers are usually recyclable, but be sure to check the bottom for the recycling icon.
• Small plastic pieces under three inches can get caught in the machines, so most recycling locations won’t accept them. Check your local recycling guidelines to make sure.
• Clamshell packaging, like the kind used for takeaway salads or batteries, aren’t always recyclable at curbside, so check your local recycling guidelines.
• Deodorant tubes are… complicated. They’re often made from multiple types of plastic, which makes it hard for them to get properly recycled. However, Terracycle and Tom’s of Maine offer drop-off locations or shipping options.
• Like your deodorant tubes, Scotch tape dispensers are tricky to recycle. Luckily, they also work with Terracycle to recycle tape dispensers and cores.
• If you live in one of Massachusetts' major cities, you can find a handy printout for additional trash and recycling guidelines, as well as pickup times in your neighborhood, below:

 

There’s a lot of talk about pro and prebiotics right now, but what does that mean for personal care? Tom’s of Maine created the first-of-its-kind Prebiotic Personal Care line, and today I am partnering with them to share a few of my favorites, but first I want to chat a bit about why I love the brand. Tom’s of Maine is a Certified B Corp and at the core of their brand is their Stewardship Model, which guides their standards for balancing natural, sustainable and responsible. They’ve also partnered with Terracycle to create the Tom’s of Maine Natural Care Recycling Program, so anyone can recycle their natural care products and packaging free of cost. You can sign up here and then start collecting your waste. Basically everything I’m sharing in this post can be recycled, for free through Terracycle!   So what are prebiotics? Essentially they are nutrients that promote the growth of good bacteria in and on your body. It helps create a healthy balance, so there’s more good bacteria and less of the bad (which is what causes things like bad breath and body odor, ew). My personal favorites from the Tom’s of Maine Prebiotic Personal Care line are the Prebiotic Liquid Hand Soap (the Blood Orange scent is heavenly), Prebiotic Deodorant, and the Prebiotic Body Wash & Prebiotic Bar Soap (love the Soft Rose scent).   I think we can all relate to the reality of constantly washing our hands the last few weeks. The Prebiotic hand soap and bar soap have no sulfate based surfactants, parabens or phthalates, are cruelty free and helps retain skin’s natural moisture. They cleanse the skin without stripping it of beneficial bacteria. The Prebiotic Deodorant (I’ve been using Soft Rose, it’s really subtle but smells amazing) has the prebiotic ingredient xylitol and a vegan yogurt extract which promotes healthy bacteria and helps eliminate odors. You can shop the Prebiotic Personal Care line here.