Living through a pandemic and being expected to continue life as usual just without as much face-to-face human interaction is certainly a burden that none of us expected at this point in our lives. The COVID-19 pandemic has also certainly brought up many new issues many of us had not previously encountered or brought new issues to light. For some, the environment is always at the forefront of one’s mind, for others not so much. Regardless of which of the two you may fall into, everyone has room for improvement!
With single-use items resurfacing around the world, some for good reason and others with questionable backing, figuring out what can safely be done and kept as or transitioned to an eco-friendly alternative is an important task. Some things cannot be as eco-friendly right now as in the past merely based on the safety and well-being of the entire population, but here are some things that can be done by most people from the ease of your own home. Included are some stores or brands to consider purchasing from, many of which are BIPOC-owned.
- Cloth Face Masks
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Cloth face masks are not a suitable alternative for those working in the medical field due to the need for a completely sterile environment. However, for the average person going on an afternoon walk or going to the grocery store, a cloth face mask, or one with a bit more protection that has a filter in it, is a suitable choice and more environmentally friendly alternative to single-use surgical masks or N95s. Some stores to consider are Sand Cloud, Saint Olá, and FaceMasksMN.
- Reusable Wax Food Wraps
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Instead of using plastic wrap or aluminum foil to wrap up or cover food, opt for soy wax or beeswax food wraps! Not only does this save money in the long run, but it keeps your food fresher longer and significantly reduces the amount of landfill waste and contaminated recycling produced. Some stores to consider are Bee’s Wrap and Bees4Seas.
- Menstrual Cups
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For anyone with a uterus, menstrual cups have likely been thrown around as an alternative but seem scary and different. For some, they want to hear one of their friends rave about it before considering making the switch. Let me be that friend for you because menstrual cups are truly amazing. Not only do they save you money and limit the amount of the pink tax that you pay, but they have no chemicals and are much safer to use than the majority of tampons and pads. There is a slight learning curve, although it does not take long to get a handle of, and once you do you will never go back. Some brands to consider are OrganiCup and the Honey Pot Company.
- Home Cutlery
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This one may seem more obvious to most people now as we are primarily homebound and cooking the majority of our meals. However, for some, when they decide to order delivery, which no shame for that, we all do it, plastic cutlery becomes an unnecessary temptation. Regardless of if you have a dishwasher or not, washing cutlery takes less than a minute, and not contributing more and more plastic cutlery to the landfills tremendously benefits the environment. For those times that single-use cutlery is a necessity, however, there are plenty of commercially compostable options available. Some brands to consider are TwentyFiftyFork and for home use products the Black Home.
- Package Free Cosmetics
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International brands such as Lush have increased people’s awareness of and access to package-free and low-waste cosmetics such as makeup, skincare products, and haircare. The challenge is making the switch; it takes time to figure out just what works for you, but it is worth it. Some brands to consider are Lush and Dirt Don’t Hurt.
There are some other items that may be of interest in the future but may not be realistic now due to different restrictions put in places, such as reusable shopping bags and reusable coffee cups. I hope this helps regardless and that you’re able to find some new alternatives that may work well for you!