{"id":223085,"date":"2019-03-15T07:57:10","date_gmt":"2019-03-15T14:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/?p=223085"},"modified":"2021-10-06T11:09:51","modified_gmt":"2021-10-06T18:09:51","slug":"16-zero-waste-swaps-and-eco-friendly-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/lifestyle\/16-zero-waste-swaps-and-eco-friendly-alternatives\/","title":{"rendered":"16 Easy Low-Waste and Zero-Waste Swaps you Can Make For a More Sustainable Lifestyle"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"woman
Image via @ckmont<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the idea of going eco-friendly: With so much to\u00a0be 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<\/a> 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<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Plastic Tupperware for Stainless Steel or Glass Containers: <\/strong>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<\/a>\u00a0or shop glassware from Life Without Plastic<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  2. Staples for Paper Clips or a Staple-Free Stapler: <\/strong>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<\/a> (yes, it’s a thing) that\u00a0clinch fastens up to 4 sheets of paper without the use of staples. What a time to be alive!<\/li>\n
  3. Plastic Straws for Reusable or Biodegradable Straws:<\/b> According to New York<\/em><\/a> magazine,\u00a0Americans use about 500 million plastic straws a day, most of which end up in the ocean. With stainless steel reusable options from Klean Kanteen<\/a> or Loliware<\/a>‘s\u00a0plant-based, <\/span>hyper-compostable and marine degradable straws made from seaweed, you can be a part of the sea-friendly solution.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Liquid Soap for Bar Soap:<\/strong> 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.<\/li>\n
  5. Store-Bought Coffee for Home-Brewed: <\/strong>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!<\/li>\n
  6. Take-Out Lunch for Lunch From Home: <\/strong>Taking your lunch from home in a reusable container saves money and reduces waste–just think about all the\u00a0food wrappers, plastic lids and straws, condiment packages, paper napkins and cups, and bags you won’t<\/em> be using. Plus, there are plenty of super-cute lunch bags available now, including these seriously stylish options from Modern Picnic<\/a>.<\/span><\/span>\n

    \"cliffside
    Image via @chelchen<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n
  7. Plastic Water Bottles for Reusable Bottles: <\/strong>Plastic water bottles are among the most common items found in landfills–and they can only be recycled so many times, so they always<\/em> end up there. Shop for a container<\/a> you can use over and over again, without harming the environment.<\/li>\n
  8. Paper Towels for Rags:<\/strong> 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<\/a>‘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!<\/li>\n
  9. Plastic Bags for Reusable Totes:<\/strong> 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<\/a> totes fold up small enough to fit inside a purse, they come in super cute prints, and are made of 40% recycled material.<\/li>\n
  10. Aluminum Foil for Reusable Food Wraps: <\/strong>Ditch the disposable foil for eco-friendly swap Abeego<\/a>, a breathable, beeswax fabric. This brand walks the walk: they make twist ties and fire starters with the excess.<\/li>\n
  11. Plastic Toothbrush for Bamboo Toothbrush: <\/strong>According to Brush With Bamboo<\/a>, 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.\n

    \"girl
    Image via @safai305<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n
  12. Paper Napkins for Cloth Napkins:\u00a0<\/strong>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<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  13. Restaurant Cutlery for a Portable Cutlery Kit:<\/strong>\u00a0Most 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<\/a> with you, you’ll reduce what ends up in a landfill.<\/li>\n
  14. Tea Bags for a Tea Strainer:<\/strong>\u00a0Many paper tea bags are actually bleached with chlorine, contain chemicals, and aren’t biodegradable. For a safer zero-waste swap, use a\u00a0stainless steel tea ball<\/a> or tea strainer with loose leaf tea.<\/li>\n
  15. Parchment Paper for a Silicone Mat: <\/strong>Silicone<\/a> 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).<\/li>\n
  16. Dryer Sheets for a Dryer Ball:\u00a0<\/strong>Rubber or fabric dryer balls<\/a> are reusable eco-friendly alternatives to disposable single-use dryer sheets. Plus, you can buy them scented or unscented!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    What low-waste or zero-waste swaps are you making? Tell us in the comments!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the idea of going eco-friendly: With so much to\u00a0be 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,… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":230655,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42077],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-223085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n16 Easy Low-Waste and Zero-Waste Swaps you Can Make For a More Sustainable Lifestyle - Lulus.com Fashion Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"By changing just a few habits, you can make a difference. 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