I made a lot of changes last year to work on getting plastic out of our house. I thought I would talk about some of the changes I have already made and some that I am excited to add. Remember, you can start with just small steps, so it doesn’t end up overwhelming. I have also found doing small changes and then adding a new one, once that one is established makes me more consistent.
Soap. I switched to only using bar soaps. I will admit that I used to love going to Bath and Body works for my showers and gels. I was finding that this was one of the ways that I was adding to my plastic use. All the bottles. I switched to bar soaps which have lowered the amount of our plastic waste. I also found local Artisan soap makers (Lion and Rose Soaps and Sacred Roots Soap Co). They use essential oils to scent the soaps. My kids have loved the pretty and fragrant soaps.
Shampoo. Switching out Shampoo and Condition for a 2-in-1 shampoo bar. Going thru my recycling I was realizing that the shampoo and conditioner bottlers would pile up. I tried a couple of shampoo bars, but found I really liked the (love, beauty and planet Coconut Water Shampoo Bar). We tend to have more oily hair and it was hard to find a soap that dealt well with that. Again, I do consider the company and packaging on making choices. I really like their mission and what they are doing. I highly recommend finding one that works for you.
Hand Soap. Switching our hand soap to tablets. I found Blueland that popped up on Facebook. Its a company that was featured on Shark Tank. They have forever glass bottles and send tabs. I learned how much water is actually in the products that we make. They simplify that and instead you add the water. With how much hand washing we were doing, I was happy that we weren’t adding to our plastic waste. The tabs tend to last about a month or a little less (we have 5 people in my house). I love the scents (again, essential oils) and the kids love that its a foaming soap. The forever bottle has done well with having kiddos, too.
Reusable Bags. As you know, I made some T-shirt bags and did a few workshops. The pandemic did halt bringing your own bags for a bit, as some stores were very opposed to having us bring our bags in. Luckily, that did change. It does mean packing my own groceries, but not to have a stack of paper bags piling up is well worth it. If you are concerned about sanitization, please check out my Blog post, All About Reusable Bags. Lots of tips and tricks on how to keep your bags clean.
Shopping Small and Local. Yup, shopping small and local is a much more sustainable way to go. Being a small business, I know all about the Small Biz Order Happy Dance. (Its a real thing.) You are putting money back into your community, supporting local farmers and reducing your food miles. Reducing Food Miles? Yes! When you shop at the grocery store, many of the food items can travel hundreds of miles. By cutting down on these miles, you are reducing the environmental impact of your food. Local food doesn’t create large carbon footprints through overseas travel or long truck trips. This cuts down on fuel consumption and air pollution. Your food is also fresher. During the pandemic I noticed I could still find most things at local small shops, especially at local produce marts, which sourced locally. It wasn’t taking days for them to resupply like the big grocery chains. The local businesses and shops also pivoted with offering local delivery or buying online for pickup. A local bread company did that in my neighborhood (Bella’s Italian Bakery ). Another local-ish bakery started to offer various baking products when it was hard to find. (Decadent Creations in Hillsboro)
Making my own laundry soap. This I have been doing for a few years. Its definitely a money saver. We all have sensitive skin in our house and I would have to buy the free and clear laundry detergent. That one was always MORE expensive than the ones with perfumes or dyes. I found a simple laundry soap recipe and have loved it. You can also add essential oils to your detergent if you miss the fragrance.
So, what are my goals for this year? Continuing to track my waste and see where I can improve upon. One of these will be making my own dish soap, lotion bars, going back to buying bulk and keeping my food in glass containers, finding more ways to buy local or direct from farmers, buying natural fiber clothing and those are just for starters!
Remember even a small change has an impact. It can definitely be overwhelming to start a zero waste journey. Everyone’s journey is different. I know with kids, I won’t be Zero Waste for some time, but I enjoy teaching them ways to change. We love trying new ways to do things and finding what works for us.
Happy New Year! “Each new year, we have before us a brand new book containing 365 blank pages. Let us fill them with all the forgotten things from last year – the words we forgot to say, the love we forgot to show and the charity we forgot to offer.” – Peggy Toney Horton
Wishing everyone love, peace, health and fortune in the New Year.
Disclaimer. I was not paid to promote any company I spoke about in this Blog. Nor did I get any products for free. These are only my opinions and what I found on my Eco Friendly Journey.