According to The United States Environmental Protection Agency, the average person produces 4.51 pounds of waste per day. If they do recycle, they only recycle 1.51 pounds of it: which is a big if. Throughout the year, it is estimated that the average person produces 1,642 pounds of waste, while families produce about 6,570. The average municipal solid waste in the United States is 267.8 million tons. Only about 35.2% of it is recycled.
The average person is not to blame for the deterioration of the planet (I’m looking at you major corporations, but that’s a discussion for another time). Not everyone can afford or have the resources for a zero-waste lifestyle, either. However, our collective effort to ditch the plastic and other harmful waste for eco-friendly product alternatives can make a world of difference. I’ve gathered a few eco-friendly product alternatives to help you get started.
- Dental Hygiene
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Every dentist will tell you to replace your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months, and I agree we have to keep up healthy dental hygiene habits. Did you know that 1 billion toothbrushes are thrown away annually in the United States, amounting to 50 million pounds of waste added to landfills? That’s a lot. But fear not! Eco-friendly dental care products have emerged to help you reduce waste. Bite is a dental care brand that offers toothbrushes, toothpaste bits, and floss made from and shipped with recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable materials. Bamboo Switch is a sustainable brand that also carries a selection of dental care products with plastic-free shipping. Local retail stores like Target and Walmart also have a selection of eco-friendly dental products, such as Hello, which works to responsibly source materials in sustainable packaging.
- Cleaning Products
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Now, more than ever, it is imperative we keep ourselves and space as clean as possible. However, cleaning products are traditionally sold in disposable plastic bottles. It harms both us and our environment, so why not try some greener options. Cleancult is an eco-friendly brand that sustainably ships glass bottles of cleaning products and offers refills delivered in paper-based milk cartons(No plastic!). Cleancult is also transparent with its coconut-based ingredient list, unlike other traditional cleaning brands. Blueland is another brand similar to Cleancult that offers essential refillable cleaning products, recyclable, compostable, biodegradable wrappers, and sustainable shipping.
- Office Supplies
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What if I told you that instead of throwing away your old wooden pencil, there was an alternative pencil that could grow into a beautiful flower or a fragrant herb or even a fresh vegetable. Well, it exists, and it is incredibly wholesome. Once you are done with your Sprout Pencil, you can grow a plant from the seed capsule! Package Free, which carries the Sprout Pencil, has a large inventory of eco-friendly office supplies and other everyday items. Buy Eco Green is another brand that specializes in green office supplies, school supplies, and art & craft products. With school back in session, I finally have a real excuse to buy stationery supplies. Why not try out sustainable alternatives?
- Footwear
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Different chemicals are needed to produce different parts of a shoe, and many of which are harmful to the environment. This is why it is important to consider sustainable options made from eco-friendly materials. Allbirds is a footwear company with the goal of creating the most comfortable shoe out of the planet’s natural resources. Allbirds uses recycled bottles, recycled cardboard, and ethically farmed sheep wool. The foam soles are made from sugar soles, and the eyelets are made from bio-TPU, a microorganism that ears plant sugars. The fibers used are responsibly taken from eucalyptus trees. Allbirds is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, meaning that sourced material meets the strict standards to protect forests, animals, and people who depend on the materials.
What More Can We Do
I want to reiterate once again that not everyone can suddenly turn to a zero-waste free lifestyle, especially when it can be expensive. That’s okay! Using a tote bag to carry groceries instead of plastic bags, having a reusable water bottle instead of re-buying plastic ones, picking up litter on your walk on the beach, responsibly thrifting, and helping in any way you can to improve the environment goes a long way. Also, you don’t have to throw away all your plastic to immediately switch to another alternative. Instead of tossing your old toothbrush, maybe use it to clean all the tiny spaces you can’t reach. Repurpose your empty cleaning bottle into a flower holder, or fill it with water to spray your existing plants. Turn your freshman year notebook scraps into new paper. Donate your old shoes to a local thrift store or shoe drive. Let’s take care of ourselves, each other, and the planet.
