Non-Toxic Sustainable Swaps
Sustainable Swaps
Are swaps that are beneficial to the environment to replace products or practices that care damaging to the environment. These can include reducing single use plastic, recycling, using compostable products, etc. These Non-Toxic swaps and practices are safe for the whole family and reduce your contribution to environmental damage. Let’s dive in!
Photo by: Christa Martein Photography
Straws and Food Storage
Plastic Straws and Tupperware are not only riddled with BPA/Bs and other chemicals but are dangerous to the environment. These chemicals can leech into our food when exposed to heat like in the microwave. Plastic can take 20-500 years to fully decompose, but they never truly disappear they only turn into microplastics. These microplastics can end up in our food and water doing long term damage to our health. It is often seen that restaurants carry bamboo or paper straws. These straws are easily compostable but they contain higher concentration of PFAS (forever chemicals) compared to plastic straws. Some sustainable swaps are reusable Glass, Silicone or Stainless Steel straws and food containers. In my opinion these are the answer as they have a lower chance of containing chemicals and are easy to be recycled and reused in other things. Glass, Silicone and Stainless Steel can be recycled and melted down to be reused in another product. It is important you shop from a reputable source as they can still contain toxins if not properly crafted.
Check out some Non-Toxic options below:
Marleys Monsters (Stainless Steel or Silicone Straws and Food Storage)
HALM (Glass Straws)
Zero Waste Store (Glass or Stainless Steel Straws)
Stasher (Silicone Food Storage Bags)
Pyrex (Glass Food Storage)
Bentgo (Glass and Stainless Steel Food Storage)
Wash Cloth’s
Wash Cloth’s and Plastic Loofa’s can hold on to bacteria and carry chemicals like PFAS or BPA/Bs. These chemicals can harm your health over time and can contribute to skin irritations. There are some amazing Non-Toxic options that can last 2-5 years if well cared for. A Natural Sea Sponge is anti-bacterial anti-microbial, hypoallergenic, and are a zero waste sustainable swap for a Wash Cloth. A Natural Loofah is another great option that allows for more exfoliation and has the same benefits as a Natural Sea Sponge. If you enjoy Wash Cloths and want something you can wash and reuse I’d recommend a 100% Organic Cotton Wash Cloth.
Check out some great plant based Loofa’s, Sea Sponges, and 100% Organic Cotton Wash Cloths below:
Photo by: Christa Martein Photography
Razors
Regular Razors with disposable heads are not only damaging to the environment but they are damaging to your health. Plastic Razors cannot be recycled or decomposed. The lubricating strip in these razors contain BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) and BPA/Bs which contains endocrine disrupter chemicals. These Razors can also cause razor burn, folliculitis, and ingrown hairs. Safety Razors are great options as they can last a lifetime, don’t contain any plastic, can be recycled, are cost effective and gentle on the skin. The amount of blades can be adjusted based on skin sensitivity or desired results.
Safety Razor Options:
Household Cleaning Products
Cleaning Products are some of the most frequent purchases we make. We are always cleaning, getting new sponges, trying new products etc. They are also mostly made of plastic so how can we reduce waste? Swapping to concentrates is one way, Branch Basics and Force of Nature are two amazing cleaning products that can be used to clean your car, kitchen, dishes, and even your floors. Using concentrates or low-waste cleaning products can reduce the need to refill frequently, and are multi-purpose. Low-waste cleaning products can also include reusable sponges, cloths, or biodegradable products like Papaya Reusable Paper Towels.
Sustainable and Non-Toxic Household Products
Branch Basics (Household Cleaning Concentrate)
Force of Nature (Household Disinfectant)
Marleys Monsters (Organic Cloths, Dusters and Washable Sponges)
Papaya (Reusable Paper Towels)
Zero Waste Store (Reusable Cloths, Biodegradable Sponges, Bamboo Dish Brushes)
Check out ALL of my Non-Toxic and Sustainable Favorites at my LinkDolly Shop Here.
Photo by: Christa Martein Photography