It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the idea of going eco-friendly: With so much to be done, where do you even start? Answer: with yourself, of course! We’re not talking about overhauling your entire lifestyle in one fell swoop, either. Living a greener life isn’t necessarily about being perfect; it’s about making better choices. By better, we mean opting for eco-friendly alternatives and making low-waste/zero-waste swaps. By changing just a few habits, you can make a difference–and it’s simpler than you think! Need proof? Read on for 16 easy sustainable swaps you can make toward reducing waste right now.
- Plastic Tupperware for Stainless Steel or Glass Containers: Glass and stainless steel are two of the most recyclable materials, and you don’t have to worry about plastic leaching into your food from the container (especially when it’s heated). Try cute, sturdy metal containers from LunchBots or shop glassware from Life Without Plastic.
- Staples for Paper Clips or a Staple-Free Stapler: Not only are paper clips reusable, but you can also buy them in bulk, which means you’ll cut down on plastic packaging. Or you can try a staple-free stapler (yes, it’s a thing) that clinch fastens up to 4 sheets of paper without the use of staples. What a time to be alive!
- Plastic Straws for Reusable or Biodegradable Straws: According to New York magazine, Americans use about 500 million plastic straws a day, most of which end up in the ocean. With stainless steel reusable options from Klean Kanteen or Loliware‘s plant-based, hyper-compostable and marine degradable straws made from seaweed, you can be a part of the sea-friendly solution.
- Liquid Soap for Bar Soap: Reduce your consumption of single-use plastic by opting for soap wrapped in paper or, better yet, naked. Either one is an eco-friendly alternative to a plastic container and pump.
- Store-Bought Coffee for Home-Brewed: Avoid contributing to the billions of coffee cups that end up in landfill every year (and that’s just from Starbucks) by brewing your own coffee in the a.m.–from loose grinds, not pods or single-use K-cups. Then pour your morning joe into a reusable mug and enjoy!
- Take-Out Lunch for Lunch From Home: Taking your lunch from home in a reusable container saves money and reduces waste–just think about all the food wrappers, plastic lids and straws, condiment packages, paper napkins and cups, and bags you won’t be using. Plus, there are plenty of super-cute lunch bags available now, including these seriously stylish options from Modern Picnic.
Image via @chelchen - Plastic Water Bottles for Reusable Bottles: Plastic water bottles are among the most common items found in landfills–and they can only be recycled so many times, so they always end up there. Shop for a container you can use over and over again, without harming the environment.
- Paper Towels for Rags: To make an almost zero-waste swap, you can try cutting up old t-shirts to use as (washable) rags that will last you a long time. Another eco-friendly alternative: Bambooee‘s rayon bamboo sheets can be washed up to 100 times and one roll of 20 sheets replaces up to 286 paper towel rolls. Bonus: Bambooee plants a tree for every roll that is sold!
- Plastic Bags for Reusable Totes: This is a swap that’s been recommended for a while, but it bears repeating. The hardest part of declining plastic bags for reusable totes is remembering to bring them when you go shopping. Keep these eco-friendly alternatives in the trunk of your car or your handbag–Baggu totes fold up small enough to fit inside a purse, they come in super cute prints, and are made of 40% recycled material.
- Aluminum Foil for Reusable Food Wraps: Ditch the disposable foil for eco-friendly swap Abeego, a breathable, beeswax fabric. This brand walks the walk: they make twist ties and fire starters with the excess.
- Plastic Toothbrush for Bamboo Toothbrush: According to Brush With Bamboo, over 4.7 billion plastic toothbrushes that will never biodegrade are dumped in landfills and oceans every year worldwide. This organic bamboo alternative has a handle that can be composted, and every component of the product is plant-based, from the bristles and handle to the wrapper and box.
Image via @safai305 - Paper Napkins for Cloth Napkins: Cloth napkins look nicer, reduce trash, and last longer. You can score affordable options that feel fancy at stores like Target and Bed Bath & Beyond.
- Restaurant Cutlery for a Portable Cutlery Kit: Most plastic cutlery from takeout restaurants and food chains can’t be recycled. It might feel a bit weird to start, but by skipping the plastic (just ask your server not to include) and carrying your own reusable utensils with you, you’ll reduce what ends up in a landfill.
- Tea Bags for a Tea Strainer: Many paper tea bags are actually bleached with chlorine, contain chemicals, and aren’t biodegradable. For a safer zero-waste swap, use a stainless steel tea ball or tea strainer with loose leaf tea.
- Parchment Paper for a Silicone Mat: Silicone mats can be reused thousands of times for baking and don’t pose the risks of ingesting toxins like bleach and petroleum-derived paraffin, (the way wax and parchment paper do).
- Dryer Sheets for a Dryer Ball: Rubber or fabric dryer balls are reusable eco-friendly alternatives to disposable single-use dryer sheets. Plus, you can buy them scented or unscented!
What low-waste or zero-waste swaps are you making? Tell us in the comments!
Join The Conversation (6)
How eco-friendly is Lulus as a brand? Because I believe this brand is very fast fashion, and doesn’t actually care about the environment.
Hi Maddy! Thanks for your question about sustainability! We care deeply about the environment and are working to evaluate and improve our practices and packaging to be more sustainable. Here are a few things we are doing at the moment: We develop our products to be high quality at an affordable price point, so they can be worn over and over. We try to minimize the impact on landfills of damaged and overstock products by donating them to charities or sending them to our outlet store whenever possible. Our shipping materials are made from recycled materials and we are working on even more sustainable options in packaging, coming soon!
I really enjoyed this article, and I want to ask Lulus the same thing: what are YOU guys doing for sustainability practices?
Thanks for your question about sustainability, Ally! We care deeply about the environment and are working to evaluate and improve our practices and packaging to be more sustainable. Here are a few things we are doing at the moment: We develop our products to be high quality at an affordable price point, so they can be worn over and over. We try to minimize the impact on landfills of damaged and overstock products by donating them to charities or sending them to our outlet store whenever possible. Our shipping materials are made from recycled materials and we are working on even more sustainable options in packaging coming soon–stay tuned!
What about the people in the factories? How well sourced is your fabric and what kind of conditions are the folks making the clothing working in?
Hi there! We work to ensure that our items are ethically sourced. We have been working with many reputable vendors for the last twenty years of business and are confident in their procedures. Overseas, many laws have been put in place within recent years to ensure fair and ethical practices are being met for factory workers. We hope this information is helpful! Our product description will always state if a product has been imported or made in the USA. Please let us know if you have any additional questions or concerns–have a fabulous day!