As Earth Day is right around the corner I’m reminded of the Lorax.
Our thneed may not be made from Truffula trees, but the environmental effects are the same.
Dr. Seuss — 'Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not.'
Today, we’re going to chat about ways to switch to sustainable products.
Don’t attempt all of these at once.
Switch one thing out slowly and go down the list when you’re got your groove down!
Without further adieu here are our quick sustainable products you should switch to!
Food Storage
Are you still using disposable sandwich bags? Freezer bags?
You can stop that right now!
This is perhaps one of the easiest things you can do with one quick order of some Planet Wise!
The Planet Wise leakproof line is 100% air-tight, affordable, and can be used in the fridge, freezer, or pantry!
Skip the Sheets
Dryer Sheets can’t be recycled, they’re riddled with chemicals that are worse than carbon emissions from vehicles!
You don’t need to sacrifice softness and static-free clothing though.
Wool Dryer Balls are a sustainable product switch that will decrease your drying time, keep your clothes soft and static-free!
Stainless Steel Straws
We’ve all seen the pictures of the sea turtle with a straw stuck up its nose.
Let’s not continue to contribute to this- or the needless waste.
Pack your own straws when you’re on the go!
They’re easy to forget at home though so be sure to keep a small wet bag with spares in the glove box or diaper bag.
Plant-Based Baby Care
I asked my husband what his favorite Nicki’s product is- at first he said all in one diapers which can use diaper extenders if the baby grow in size.
I repeated the question noting that I’m writing about non-diapering sustainable product switches and he immediately said BUTT Butter.
Hey, if you know, you know. If you don’t know let’s get you in the know!
CJ’s BUTTer contains shea butter, olive oil, coconut oil, lanolin, beeswax, cocoa butter, and vitamin E. Slather this stuff on diaper rashes, dry skin, and really anything else.
This stuff is eco-friendly, affordable, and just plain awesome.
Plant-Based Cleaning Products
Natural, plant-based cleaning products have been taking over the cleaning aisle and I couldn’t be happier.
Some of the brands went even further and reduced their packaging!
I have tested out a few different brands and while they’re not all created equal, some do work much, much better than your run-of-the-mill chemical-filled cleaning product.
Want to go even further? Try a dish soap bar!
Plant-Based Skin and Body Care
Think bar. No, not that type of bar, a soap bar! You can skip spending extra money on shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and shaving cream (which all have their own forking bottles) for ONE organic bar that comes in recyclable packaging.
This sustainable product switch will save you a ton of money and space in your shower, but note that there is a transition period.
If you’re feeling gunky or greasy try an apple cider vinegar rinse.
Clean Your Teeth
With bamboo! Bamboo toothbrushes can be a mindless sustainable product switch.
The gentle bristles are pretty great during pregnancy too if you notice your gums are bleeding due to the extra blood flow.
I have noted significantly less “pink sink” after this switch!
Skip the Kupps
This may not be super easy, but it’s definitely doable.
If you can’t switch out from your pod coffee system, consider using a reusable coffee pod.
They’re washable, refillable, and will also save so much trash and money!
Money you can use to make another sustainable product switch! WOOT!
Speaking of Cups
Have you heard of a menstrual cup? Of course, you have. You read this blog religiously. No? Just jumping in?
Okay, let’s catch you up!
A menstrual cup is a silicone cup that collects your menses.
There is a little bit of trial and error in the beginning. I won’t lie, but this sustainable product switch has left me virtually cramp-free and there’s nothing that I have to throw away afterward!
Wash, rinse, repeat!
Shower Less
Or shave a few minutes off of your shower time.
Even just a few minutes will significantly impact the water you use in a year.
A five-minute shower runs 10+ gallons of water.
If you do decide to just shower less often, consider using dry shampoo for those greasy days. There are even sustainable options like this one.
Embrace the Paperless - Reading
There’s nothing like book smell. It’s true.
Reading books is a complete sensory experience, but with all of the digital devices that are already being used daily in our lives, we really should opt to do our reading on them.
Be it a tablet, e-reader, or even your phone-skip the paper versions if at all possible.
Embrace the Paperless - In the Kitchen
Paper towels and napkins weren’t always paper.
At some point, we all went to convenience instead of what’s better for the environment.
You don’t even need to spend any money.
Cut up some old t-shirts, use old inserts, bamboo prefold diapers, or flat cloth diapers, but this is one sustainable product switch you should aim to make today.
Embrace the Paperless - In the Bathroom
That unpaper towel I was just yammering on about?
Yep, that can be applied to the restroom too!
Too skeeved out?
It’s a small hurdle to get over when it’s applied-I swear.
It took me a good two years to convince my husband to just do it.
We were already using a diaper sprayer/bidet to clean our booties so why can’t we just pat dry with reusable toilet paper.
Embrace the Paperless - When Shopping
Pretty much all of us have a device that supports mobile payments and more and more venues are accepting this form of payment.
The great thing about these payment options is that we can often skip the paper receipt!
Moreover, skip the physical card that we will lose and need to have reshipped- which is just adding to our carbon footprint.
Okay, so this really isn’t a sustainable product switch in itself, but it’s definitely something you can probably do today without having to order anything.
I would still recommend getting some reusable shopping bags though for those Target runs!
Be Prepared
This is probably the third blog where I’ve shoved Klean Kanteen down the reader's throat. And I’m still not sorry.
Bring your water, wine, coffee, juice, pop, whatever beverage you know you’ll end up buying while you’re out in your reusable cup.
This sustainable product switch is hands down the EASIEST switch you can make.
Like pretty much all of the other products I’ve mentioned- this will also save you a lot of money, the oceans, and landfills.
Conclusion - 15 Quick Changes That You Can Make Today
Here’s your challenge this week. Make one sustainable product switch.
Find your groove.
Once you have settled in add in another and keep it going!
Soon you’ll find yourself yammering to your parents about how they’re wasting so much money on paper towels. (Yep, that was the husband!)
There’s almost always a way to switch to sustainable.
You got this.
Noodle over it.
Ask a friend or the Nicki’s Chatter Page if you’re stumped, but most of all make the change that’s most significant in your life.
For me, that’s beverage consumption and the would-be use of paper products.
Check out our sustainable product switch today!
