Her Campus at U Ottawa acknowledges that we are located on the stolen and unsurrendered land of the Algonquin people.
Recently there’s been a dramatic increase in eco-friendly products and environmental sustainability as a whole. In 2021, around 50% of all new products were defined as ‘sustainable’, an increase of 20% from 2017.
While this trend is amazing, and increased awareness of the environment in the commercial space is a good thing, oftentimes the best choice you can make is to not buy anything at all. There’s a reason that ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ begins with the word reduce—one of the most effective ways to practice sustainability is to limit your consumption.
Below is a list of popular eco-friendly products that you probably don’t need, and alternatives you can use with items you already have.
1. Mason jars
Mason jars are an excellent and trendy way to store virtually anything—dry food, prepared meals, Q-tips, flowers, etc. Instead of going out and buying brand-new mason jars, try to repurpose the glass jars you already own. Things like pasta sauce or salsa often come in glass containers that serve the same functional and aesthetic purposes as Mason jars. Simply give these containers a good wash and remove the labels with nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol, and you’re good to go!
2. reusable cloths
Reusable paper towels, cleaning cloths, and makeup pads are simply pre-cut squares of cloth that you can use, launder, and reuse. They retail for anywhere from $15 to north of $40 and often feature fun colours and cute designs. If you can live without the aesthetic design (and want to save a significant chunk of cash), this product can be easily DIY-ed by taking any old t-shirts, towels, or scrap pieces of cloth and cutting them up.
3. products made from bamboo
Bamboo is lightweight, durable, anti-microbial, and biodegradable, making it a popular material for a range of products like cooking utensils, combs, toothbrushes, cutlery, and sponges. However, there’s no need to buy new versions of all these things simply because the product is made from bamboo. If you already have a toothbrush, sponge, or spatula made from plastic that’s in good condition, it’s more sustainable to just keep using it rather than to needlessly throw it away.
4. reusable straws
When thinking of popular eco-friendly products, reusable straws are probably the first thing that comes to mind (I’m sure many of us have seen heartbreaking videos of marine animals choking on plastic straws). But before you go out and purchase new reusable straws, ask yourself if this is something you will actually use often. Do you have any plastic straws in your home that you can easily wash and reuse?
5. cloth produce/grocery bags
As Canada moves to ban single-use plastics, you’ve likely seen an increase in the number of people bringing their own bags to the grocery store. You probably don’t need to go out and specifically buy cloth produce or grocery bags—things like cardboard boxes, old plastic grocery bags, shopping bags, or totes can be easily repurposed and brought to the store with you.
This is only a small list of eco-friendly products you can easily substitute with things you already have. If you’ve bought these products or continue to buy them, that’s totally okay! A sustainable lifestyle looks different for everyone, and it’s virtually impossible to be entirely zero-waste. If you remember to prioritize using what you already own, limit your consumption, and put in an honest effort, you’ll be sure to make a positive impact.