I’m a huge nerd for finding ways to be more green or earth friendly so I can do my part to take care of the earth. These are things that I ACTUALLY USE and I’m not just saying that I like.
Klean Kanteen 20oz TKWide Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Twist Straw Cap
I just bought this water bottle and I’m a big fan. It holds a good amount of water but has a thinner profile so that it can fit in more cup holders. Hand washing this is recommended. It keeps the water cold for so long. I definitely like this one.
Sunseeke Silicone Straws Set – Odorless, 12 Standard Reusable Drinking Straws, 4 Carry Pouch, 2 Cleaning Brushes, Certificated Food Grade Platinum Silicone – 8 1/2″ Long
I’m a big fan of reusable silicone straws. They are dishwasher safe and strong. I like that this set has carry pouches so you can throw it in your backpack and bring it with you. It even comes with the cleaning brushes in case something gets stuck in the straw.
Grove Collaborative Cleaning Products and Bottles
One of my very favorite lines of cleaning products is the Grove Collaborative. They have no harsh chemicals in their products and use ingredients that are mostly plant based. I really like that they have glass spray bottles and soap dispensers. Their refills are in aluminum bottles and glass bottles and packaged in cardboard-all of these items are easily recyclable to help eliminate plastic waste. They have a floor cleaner, but I haven’t tried that one yet. They also have dishwasher detergent packs that are in a metal canister-again eliminating plastic waste.
It’s a really easy switch that doesn’t take really any more time or effort to make. I use their glass spray bottles and soap dispensers. I put my dish soap and hand soap in one of the glass soap dispensers and then buy the aluminum bottles when I need to refill them. I also use the glass spray bottles for their cleaning products. I use the tub & tile cleaning concentrate, the multi-purpose cleaner concentrate, and the glass cleaner. All of the products that I have tried smell good, and I haven’t had any negative reactions to any of the smells. In other brands, there are definitely some scents that I really don’t like. Grove Collaborative uses 100% natural fragrance in all of their products so that’s probably why none of their scents bother me. My fave scent is probably the lemon eucalyptus & mint. NOTE: You can save 15% off right now on Grove Collaborative at Target for Earth Week. Hurry because it expires on April 23rd. Click here to see the sale: https://www.target.com/b/grove-co/-/N-q643le5spls
If you want to go really, really green, you can go with zero waste packaging and no water added in the packaging. I like Grove Collaborative, but they do add water to their ingredients which is better to be added later when the product is ready to be used.
HiBAR Moisturize Bar Shampoo and Conditioner, For Dry Hair, Sulfate-Free, Vegan Products, Zero Waste, Travel Size, Color Safe Pack of 2
I was surprised by how much I liked these shampoo and conditioner bars. Using a shampoo and conditioner bars versus liquid shampoo or conditions eliminates the excess air and water when shipping so the products require less packaging and become more efficient to ship. They’re so amazing for traveling, because you don’t have to worry about liquids exploding in your suitcase. It was an easy swap for me because it smells great and leaves my hair feeling soft and healthy.
Puracy Natural Shampoo and Conditioner Set- 16 fl.oz Citrus & Mint Scent, Hydrating, Plant-based, Sulfate-free Shampoo And Conditioner- Shampoo and Conditioner For Dry, Color-Treated Hair
If you’re not into the shampoo and conditioner idea, my fave Puracy’s citrus & mint scent shampoo and conditioner. They use plastic bottles and are liquid, but they sells refills so you don’t have to use another plastic bottle. With the refills, these products really last awhile which is nice. I like all of the Puracy products that I have tried.
Shampoo Refill: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JDPSYM6?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_4D19KW6K9CH7FHQRWK8M
Conditioner Refill: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JCZ1PXH?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_Q0Y9KFQ9D6C7H5J5MN3T
Earth Breeze Laundry Detergent Sheets – Fresh Scent – No Plastic Jug (60 Loads) 30 Sheets, Liquidless Technology
These are really cool because they work really well and can be used for 60 loads of laundry, but it is plastic free. The usual huge plastic jugs used for laundry detergent is apparently harder to recycle so it is a huge issue for sustainability. This is such an easy switch and better for the environment. Win!!!
Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent Packs, Free & Clear, 90 Loads (2 pouches, 45 Ct EA)
These laundry detergent packs are made for sensitive skin with 0% fragrances, dyes, or artificial brighteners. They look almost exactly like dishwasher detergent packs. Mostly plant ingredients and biodegradable. I just don’t love that they use plastic bags, they say that it is made from recycled materials.
Crate 61, Vegan Natural Bar Soap, Citrus Variety Pack, 6 Pack, Handmade Soap With Premium Essential Oils, Cold Pressed Face And Body Bar Soap For Men And Women
I really like this soap because it smells great and it doesn’t dry out your hands if you’re like me and you wash your hands SO MANY TIMES every day. I still use some liquid hands soaps, but in general try to mostly use bar soap so it saves on water usage. I use these soaps in the shower and for washing my hands.
Dish Washing Block Soap
Again, this is a zero waste product that is also non-toxic and vegan. It works great and builds up a really good lather so you can get those dishes clean but it stills last a long time.
Full Circle Bubble Up Ceramic Soap Dispenser & Bamboo Handle Dish Brush – Replaceable Kitchen Dish Scrubber with Soap Holder, Green
This ceramic soap dispenser has a cute, simple design that looks nice sitting out. The dish brush has a bamboo handle and is also made from recycled plastic and recycled stainless steel. They made replacement dish brushes so you can switch them out when you’re ready.
Casabella Kind Plant Based Scour Pads Pack of 4 Scrubbing Sponge – Includes Two 2-Packs
These scour pads are plant based and dye free. No harsh ingredients. They work really well while also not scratching pots or pans. This is a sustainable product is compostable when you’re done with it.
Stasher Silicone Reusable Storage Bag, Bundle 4-Pack
There are cheaper options for reusable storage bags, but these Stasher bag are my favorite. They are very strong and durable and I have had some of my Stasher bags for several years and they are still perfect. We use these all of the time for leftovers, to pack lunches, and for grabbing a snack on the go. They are made of silicone so they are non-toxic and DISHWASHER SAFE. They come in a lot of different shapes and sizes. They come in handy for traveling too. Easiest switch ever!
MR.SIGA Microfiber Cleaning Cloth,Pack of 12,Size:12.6″ x 12.6″
I really like these microfiber cleaning cloths. I use them all of the time. You can use them for cleaning stainless steel appliances, cleaning mirrors, washing dishes…pretty much everything. I like the happy colors they come in too. You don’t really need paper towels if you have a bunch of these so you can goodbye to paper towels. You can even use these as makeup removing towels.
Reusable Paper Towels-Marley’s Monsters Reusable UNpaper® Towel Roll, Handmade in Eugene, Oregon (Vintage Lemons, 24-pack)
I have these reusable paper towels and love them. They come in a lot of different patterns. You can use them as a stack of towels or you can roll them on a reusable paper towel tube that is included. It works on most paper towel holders. This is an easy swap for me. I just wash and dry them with all my towels. Again, regular paper towels are so unnecessary. I have the cute vintage lemon pattern and I think it looks so happy in my kitchen.
MakeUp Eraser, Erase All Makeup With Just Water, Reusable, Antibacterial, Machine Washable Towel, Great for Sensitive Skin, Removes Waterproof Mascara, Eyeliner, Foundation, Lipstick and More
I got these for Christmas a few years ago and I love them. They work really well and all you have to do is add water to them. They’re machine washable and you can also throw them in the dryer. It’s really soft so it’s good for sensitive skin. A REALLY easy switch that makes disposable makeup cloths seem silly.
Soap Holders
These simple soap holders are made from safe and non-toxic silicone. They are dishwasher safe. I like that they have the holes so the water can drain out. The colors and simple and look nice.
Native Deodorant Plastic Free Eucalyptus & Mint
There are other natural deodorants out there, but this one is my fave and it actually works really well. And the packaging is PLASTIC FREE and recyclable.
Davids Natural Whitening Toothpaste, Antiplaque, Fluoride Free, SLS Free, Peppermint, 5.25 OZ Metal Tube, Tube Roller Included
This natural toothpaste tastes great and works just as well too. The tube is made out of metal and is recyclable and the packaging is recyclable cardboard. It also comes with a cool metal tube roller so that you get use out of every last bit of that toothpaste! I’m partial to the peppermint flavor.
Dental Floss-Wowe Natural Biodegradable Peace Silk Dental Floss with Candelilla Wax, Refillable Stainless Steel Container and 3 Refills
This one is really cool. The metal jar is really nice and eliminates plastic waste and the silk floss is biodegradable. It also comes with 3 refills that are supposed to last for 6 months or longer depending on how disciplined you are about flossing;)
Sustainable Reusable Water bottle
Reusable Straws
Reusable Food Storage Bags
Reusable Bags
Sustainable toilet paper
Reel Premium Bamboo Toilet Paper – 24 Rolls of Toilet Paper – 3-Ply Made From Tree-Free, 100% Bamboo Fibers
Easy switch to toilet paper made from bamboo which is a sustainable product and helps eliminate waste.
Reusable Toilet Paper-Marley’s Monsters Toilet UNpaper Roll, Handmade in Eugene, Oregon (Surprise Prints, 24-pack)
This swap might weird you out at first, but if you use a bidet with it then it’s really not that big of a deal. I’m pretty used to it now, but the rest of my family still uses regular toilet paper. You can just wash and dry these with your towels. The only things that I do differently is sometimes I set the washing machine to 2 rinses instead of the usual 1 rinse. So it uses a bit more water, but also saves from buying toilet paper. And if there is a sudden toilet paper shortage again, I will be set;)
TUSHY Classic 2.0 Bidet Toilet Seat Attachment | A Non-Electric Self Cleaning Water Sprayer w/Adjustable Water Pressure Nozzle, Angle Control & Easy Home Installation
(White/Bamboo)
I have this bidet, and I’m a really big fan. Now that I’m used to using a bidet, I would never want to go back. I personally feel like it’s cleaner and more hygienic than only using toilet paper. If you’re still using regular toilet paper, it really helps to cut down on how much toilet paper you need to use. If you’re using reusable toilet paper, you can use your bidet first and then the toilet paper cloths don’t really get gross. This bidet attaches to any toilet and doesn’t need a new lid. It’s pretty easy to install, but it does take some effort. I think it’s worth it.
Reusable sanitary pads-wegreeco Bamboo Reusable Sanitary Pads (Stylish Pattern) – Cloth Sanitary Pads | Light Incontinence Pads | Reusable Menstrual Pads – 6 Pack Pads, 1 Cloth Mini Wet Bag (X-Large, Black)
I was surprised by how easy this switch was. These work so well and are really soft and can be washed and dried with towels. Again, I would use the 2 rinse cycle instead of the usual 1 rinse. Sometimes I wash them with a second load just to make sure them are clean and sanitary. I like these better than disposable pads, but they are a bit thicker. It doesn’t bother me. They have lots of different patterns and sizes.
Lena Menstrual Cup – 2-Pack – Reusable Period Cup – Tampon and Pad Alternative – Small and Large – Purple and Turquoise – Made in USA
This swap is also pretty easy, but I prefer using these for bedtime or when I’m having a day where I’m working on the computer and not moving around as much. For active days, I prefer to use Honey Pot organic bio-plastic tampons or Honey Pot pads when I’m traveling and don’t want to have to deal with a reusable pad. These menstrual cups are made from silicone and are non-toxic.
Thinx Sport Menstrual Underwear | Period Underwear for Women | Period Panties
This period underwear is great too. You can wash it like normal and then hang dry. I tend to throw it in with another load of laundry so it’s extra clean. You can also put it on the floor of the shower while you are showering anyways and that can help rinse it off before you put it in the washing machine. It works really well. I have the black ones because why would you want them to be cream colored?
The Honey Pot, Tampons 1 Organic Super, 18 Count
These tampons are 100% organic. They are still disposable but have a bio-plastic applicator that makes these tampons more sustainable. 15% off at Target right now. Here is the link: https://www.target.com/p/the-honey-pot-organic-cotton-herbal-regular-pads-20ct/-/A-81782456#lnk=sametab
The Honey Pot Company Clean Cotton Regular Absorbency Pads (20 Count), Herbal-Infused Pads with Wings, Plant-Derived Feminine & Menstrual Care
I really like this sustainable option that is still disposable for days you don’t want to mess with a washable pad. They have pads that are herbal-infused or pads without it. These are 15% off right now at Target. Here is the link: https://www.target.com/p/the-honey-pot-organic-cotton-herbal-regular-pads-20ct/-/A-81782456#lnk=sametab
Reusable potty training underwear-MooMoo Baby Cotton Training Pants Strong Absorbent Toddler Potty Training Underwear for Baby Girl and Boy 2T-7T
This reusable potty training underwear works really well when your toddler is mostly potty trained, but still has accidents sometimes. We use these for naps. You can put nylon pants over them for added protection. Again, you wash and dry them with towels with 2 rinse cycles. If they still seem a little bit dirty, you can throw them in with another load of laundry. If my daughter has an accident, I just rinse the training underwear in the shower while I’m giving my daughter a shower. If they poop, this can be gross so you will have to decide if you think it’s worth it or not. I just don’t like throwing about pulls up or diapers.
Dappi Waterproof 100% Nylon Diaper Pants, White, Large (2 Count)
You can put these waterproof nylon pants over the training underwear for added protection.
Reusable Diapers-bumGenius Original One-Size Pocket-Style Cloth Diaper 5.0
There are so many great options of reusable diapers, but these were the ones that I used. I liked them, but I didn’t love dealing with the poop so you can decide for yourself. I felt like they pretty much needed to go through 2 full warm cycles to be clean.