Waste Production: Eco-Friendly Checklist

Disposable batteries take a very long time to break down and can be the cause of toxic chemicals like mercury, cadmium, lithium, and lead (1) making their way into our water supply and land. While they don't fully prevent this risk, switching to reusable and chargeable batteries can significantly increase the lifespan and prevent massive volumes of batteries from making their way into landfills.

Though thankfully, hair brushes and combs in general are not single-use, they still contribute greatly to plastic pollution that takes hundreds of years or more to break down.

Plastic wrap for food is not only a nightmare to use without it getting stuck, torn, and tangled - it's wasteful! Reusable wax based food wraps are easier to use and can be used again and again.

Though this may not be as much of a frequent use item as many other hygiene products, every bit counts - plastic pregnancy tests still take 500 years or more to decompose. Multiply that by the everyone that uses a pregnancy test and it starts to add up. Fully plastic-free, biodegradable, and even flushable pregnancy tests are starting to become more available.

A decent dish scrubber doesn't need to be anything fancy if you use the right natural cleaning agents - and they definitely don't need to be plastic! So many commonly available products create microplastics that make their way into our oceans and landfills.

If we're trying to be more conscious of the waste we produce, it wouldn't make sense to wrap it all in plastic, would it? So many households discard plastic (often recyclable) items, wrap them in a plastic bag, and send it off to a landfill. Switching to durable, compostable trash bags can assist in the decomposition of discarded items and avoid additional unnecessary plastic waste.

Investing in creating your own home composting process can be very rewarding in addition to more intentionally disposing of different waste types. Especially if you're a gardener, home composting food scraps and other compostable items, is a great option.

Condoms are a difficult product to find a fully sustainable solution for. While there are definitely more eco-friendly options than others, almost all condoms are made from latex to some extent, which is not biodegradable. They're also always single-use. However, there are brands that offer condoms that are free from harsh chemicals, animal products, and made from sustainably sourced natural rubber - which is a step in the right direction.

Buying organic insect spray can avoid harsh chemicals that are often produced in ways that harm the environment. Making your own insect repellent is even better because you can use bulk, organic ingredients and reuse spray bottles instead of throwing them out.

Finding a reusable alternative for paper towels can be significant, especially if you live in a household with little ones creating little messes! These can often go right into the dishwasher or laundry for super easy cleaning.

Toilet paper made from bamboo is far more sustainable because of the amount of land required, the rate at which bamboo grows, and the manufacturing process. And despite what you might think, it's often just as soft and comfortable!

Plastic toothbrushes can take hundreds of years or more to break down, making them extremely unsustainable and damaging to our environment.

It's pointless for soaps to come in wasteful plastic bottles. Additionally, many liquid gel soaps are packed with unnecessary harsh chemicals. There are many sustainable and plastic free options for bar soaps that are either unscented or have incredible scents.

Using paper bags from the grocery store is better than plastic - but using no bags is better than that! Bringing your own bags and avoiding extra unnecessary bagging can help fight against the tremendous amount of plastic waste that the grocery industry creates.

Similar to shampoo bars, conditioner bars give you more control and an equally (or better) clean and healthy wash without the waste and chemicals.

There are many options when it comes to dish soap: soap-handle sponges, chemical packed liquid gel bottles, soap powders, etc. Most of these options are full of plastic waste and unnecessary chemicals. Just a classic soap bar does the trick, creates no plastic waste, and often lasts longer.

Including plants in your yard that produce food has many benefits: your health, the air, the environment, and your wallet! Growing your own food at home reduces the emissions caused by shipping food to stores, you driving to get the food, all of the wasteful packaging it so often comes in, and allows you to focus on low-carbon footprint foods.

Shifting to reusable and washable glass storage containers like baking trays and sealed jars can reduce our reliance on limited-use or single-use plastic storage methods.

There are many problems with common laundry detergent products - plastic waste, overuse, harsh chemicals… the list goes on. Switching to all natural and organic laundry detergent sheets ensure you use a pre-portioned and sufficient amount of detergent, you avoid soaking your clothes in chemicals, and there is no plastic waste created in the process.

Typical menstrual hygiene products like tampons and pads create more that 200,000 metric tons of waste every year, including their packaging (2). Reusable and washable menstrual cups can help reduce this enormous amount of plastic that ends up in our landfills and oceans.

Mouthwash often comes in plastic containers with plastic lids that are simply discarded after they're gone. Mouthwash tablets or mints that come in plastic-free containers and potentially compostable packaging refills provide a wonderful alternative.

There are many better options for hand soap out there than disposable plastic bottles. Getting a refillable glass dispenser with tablets you can add water to is a great method, or you can simply use a bar that comes plastic-free.

Hot beverages like coffee or tea is an essential part of billions of people's morning and/or evening routines. Wasteful plastic or plastic-lined cups, single-use coffee pods, and plastic wrapped tea bags are all awful for the planet. Just think of a few cups per day, times billions of people over the course of a year. That's a LOT of non-biodegradable waste.

Fibers and microplastics in standard disposable facial wipes can take forever to break down or end up in our oceans, rivers, and lakes. Reusable is best, which you can find made from all natural materials.

Once you start washing your hair with a shampoo bar, you'll never want to go back. It lasts longer, feels better, and is free of harsh chemicals and unneeded plastic containers.

It doesn't make much sense to throw out a whole razor when only the blade needs replacing, right? Getting a safety razor with replaceable blades is a great solution to eliminate plastic waste from shaving.

There are several companies that offer chewable toothpaste bits. Just chew and brush away! No more wasteful toothpaste tubes.

Many people don't know how many things simple ingredients like vinegar and baking soda can be used for! These powerful cleaners can be used for just about anything. They're far cheaper than mass-produced cleaning supplies, are more natural and free from harmful chemicals, and easy to find in plastic-free packaging.

Standard floss and especially plastic disposable floss picks can be incredibly wasteful. Investing in a water jet flosser and/or biodegradable floss picks can make a big difference.

Browsing local thrift shops can be a lot of fun. Purchasing things second-hand reduces product creation demand and works to reuse items. Many thrift shops also donate to charities or support great causes. So do some research about the thrift stores near you.

This is a total mindset shift. Once you get into this headspace, you'll find yourself thinking of everything - how can something be reused or made to be multi-purpose? This can have a huge impact. You'll find yourself buying less, creating less waste, and increasing your creative thinking skills!

If you're building a new house, installing an addition, or remodeling - considering natural and recycled building materials like recycled steel, cork, reclaimed wood, bamboo, or clay can make a big impact. While this is a one-time use and not a habit over time, the savings can really add up depending on the size and complexity of your job.

Where we can't reuse or compost, we recycle. Getting into the habit of this order of operations can maximize the usefulness of the things we buy, reduce our individual carbon footprint, and combat the demand for single-use and first-time materials.

A bidet is a specialized type of toilet that uses water to clean you after using the bathroom, rather than using excessive toilet paper.

Modern mass produced disposable diapers can take an extremely long time to break down and decompose. If you've had children, we're sure you know how many diapers a single baby can produce before they outgrow them! Though it might be a difficult transition to get used to, switching to washable cloth diapers can make a big impact.

Not everyone has the ability to build and tend to a full garden. But you can grow your own food to whatever extent you're able and willing, whether that's a simple potted herb garden or a full backyard variety. Every bit counts!

Not every sustainable or 'good' product will have a certification. Sometimes they can be difficult and costly for companies to obtain. However, if you do see one, you can be more confident in your purchase. It's a good habit to take a closer look at any certifications and materials.

As you start to review ingredients and materials of the products you buy more closely, you'll be able to notice patterns or common things you'll want to avoid. Try to lean towards reusable items and compostable or biodegradable materials as much as possible.