A few weeks ago I posted on my Instagram stories about some easy swaps I have made over the past few months to be a little bit more sustainable, and I was blown away by the number of messages I received. You guys are seriously into living a more sustainable life!
One thing that was really important to me when making changes to be a little more sustainable was to make small changes first. I know I have a tendency to want to go all-in, but with changes that are intended to be life-long, I knew I wanted to form good long-lasting habits. If you are on the road to a more eco-friendly life, I recommend tackling one thing at a time and then building on it. My second biggest suggestion is to use what you already have! Don’t throw out all your plastic wrap and switch to beeswax cloths. Use what you have and then as those items run out to replace them with more sustainable options.
Here is a list of items I have swapped out.
- Dryer sheets for wool dryer balls
- Plastic wrap and sandwich bags for Stasher bags
- Cotton rounds for reusable/washable cotton rounds
- Throw away coffee cups for a Yeti
- Cleaning supplies are now all from Blueland
A lot of you had so many other switches you had made like cloth napkins and rags instead of paper towels, creating a composting routine, taking glass to the glass recycling, and ordering products from package free companies. Let me know in the comments below what changes you have made!
Hi Bailey, I’ve really been enjoying your podcast Soul and Wit, I remember you mentioning the reusable cotton swabs! This year I started composting, which is something I’ve been meaning to do forever. My city has curbside composting so it’s super easy. Forming the habit turned out to be much harder. I like what you said about tackling one thing at a time and building on it. For me, making composting a part of a routine I already had going (like cleaning out my cat’s litter box everyday), was really helpful. Now when I take out the litter I also take out my compost. So far it’s worked! I’m glad you guys are staying safe and continuing to podcast.
Composting is next on my list! It has always seemed so intimidating to me, but I think with the practices I have already started I can see this fitting in nicely.
I just switched to a French press so no more coffee filters! (Even though there are reusable ones) Also microfiber cloths instead of makeup wipes. And lastly a SodaStream to cut back on aluminum cans. I’ve been looking into a reusable cotton swap (aka QTip), but am still on the fence about it so if anyone has tried it please let me know!
What a good idea! I have not found a swap for a Q-tip yet, but I will definitely keep you posted if I do.
I bought the wool balls so I could quit using dryer sheets. But maybe I bought cheap ones or something? Everything started making me itch! I decided the wool was leaving particles in my clothing and bedding. Quit using wool balls and quit itching! Has anyone else had this issue?
Oh no that’s terrible! I haven’t had that happen thankfully, but hopefully, someone can suggest some other ideas.
Try Alpaca balls instead of wool!
You could also try the hedgehog dryer balls!
Hi there Bailey, Enjoying Soul and Wit, and interested in this post of yours. We switched to the silicone bags too, and we are really liking them. Conscious Cooking is our favorite, but we like the stasher-style too. Using them in the fridge and freezer both. I have had a reusable coffee cup for years, and had been stepping up my use, but COVID has put a crimp in that. We aren’t allowed to bring reusable cups to our coffee shops and restaurants at this time. And since I’m hanging around the house more, I mostly just drink water from the tap/filter pitcher/soda stream in a regular drinking glass instead of single use plastic water bottles. That will be an easy switch to use my S’well bottle once again when I’m out and about more.
Yes, I think if anything COVID has shown me how easy it will be to just remember my reusable mug and cups.
Yay! I’m glad you mentioned Blueland. I’ve been curious about making that switch! I go back and forth between making my own cleaners out of Castile soap or buying concentrates. I like the Grove concentrates, but really like the idea of the tablets and these simply labeled bottles by Blueland. I also love the idea of using reusable cotton rounds! I make my own baby wipes with super soft wash clothes, and they’ve been great for my baby’s bum. We use European dish clothes instead of paper towels and love them. And I have been using a shampoo bar and lotion bars to reduce packaging in my daily routine. Thanks for the tips!