You can play a part in reducing the total amount of disposable plastic products that end up in the ever-growing landfills. Replacing some of the plastic items in your household with more environmentally friendly products is already a start.
Here are 10 products that can be used quickly and easily to replace disposable plastic products:
Reusable silicone food bags
Say goodbye to reusable disposable plastic bags. Silicone bags are now available that are great for packing sandwiches and storing snacks on the go. These reusable bags are durable and dishwasher safe. Depending on product characteristics, silicone bags are also suitable for transporting soups.
Sponge made of cotton-spaghetti and corn
A cleaning sponge made from recycled cotton strips and crushed, dry corn cobs? It works well, but looks overall like Spaghetti. This gives the spaghetti-like strands a coarse texture that is perfect for scrubbing pots and pans. This type of cleaning is more effective and environmentally friendly compared to the use of cheap scouring pads. Even better, this product is machine washable and has a life of up to 6 months.
Reusable Shopping Bags
These types of bags are becoming more and more popular as environmental laws are justifiably getting stricter and the use of disposable plastic bags in grocery stores and other retail outlets continues to be restricted. Many environmentally friendly shopping bags can be folded very compactly together and even washed in the washing machine.
Pela Case Eco-friendly Phone Cases
Whether you have an iOS or Android device, Pela Case has the right protection for your smartphone. These phone protection cases are light, flexible, have a non-slip texture and protect the phone from damage.
However, the best feature of this phone case is that the phone cover is made of bio-plastic, which is completely biodegradable. You can read how this innovative type of bioplastic can be composted on the manufacturer’s website.
Sheep Wool Dryer Balls
Once you have tried this product, you will never buy disposable polyester dryer sheets again. These dryer balls are not only environmentally friendly. Once placed in the dryer, between your laundry, these dryer balls speed up the drying process and additionally remove wrinkles from the laundry.
Humankind Shampoo Bars
Humankind shampoo bars help reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills. The shampoo is sold in the form of blocks or large bars of soap, so there is no additional plastic waste when you buy it. Furthermore, this shampoo does not contain any animal products, so it is completely vegan.
It may seem strange at first to use a shampoo block instead of squeezing the shampoo out of a plastic bottle, but it foams and cleans the hair just as well as regular shampoo. It’s also relatively affordable at around $13 a piece compared to other shampoos.
Dropps Laundry Detergent Pods
What makes these detergent bags from Dropps particularly interesting? Firstly, the product is EPA certified, which means that it is an environmentally friendly product. Secondly, these dissolvable, dye-free bags have the same effectiveness as normal detergent bags, but without any additional harmful ingredients.
Read this article to learn more about EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and its certification
Stainless Steel Metal Straws
Fewer and fewer restaurants offer plastic straws, and with good reason. Firstly, the use of plastic straws will be banned in more and more places. For example, from 2021 the EU will ban disposable dishes and straws and other disposable products for which substitutes are already available.
You can read more about the EU Parliament’s decision here
The amount of plastic straws used in our society in the past has caused a large part of the micro plastics that have entered our oceans. Micro plastics in the oceans have now become a global environmental problem and threaten the health of people and animals.
Stainless steel straws are an environmentally friendly substitute for plastic straws, both in restaurants and at home. With these straws you can enjoy cold drinks without a guilty conscience and at the same time help the environment. Like the rest of your cutlery, the steel straws are extremely durable and dishwasher safe.
Stainless Steel Water Bottle
It is important to drink water regularly. This does not mean that you have to use plastic water bottles. With a reusable stainless steel water bottle, you can keep your water supply with you at all times and help reduce the amount of plastic waste caused by plastic bottles.
Bamboo Dish Cloth & Kitchen Wipes
Instead of using microfibre cloths that release tiny plastic particles into the drain during washing, it is better to use dishcloths made of bamboo fibres. Apart from the fact that the cloths are made from a renewable resource, bamboo fibre dishcloths are durable and can be washed without emitting harmful substances.
Conclusion
It is reassuring to know that the market for environmentally conscious products is growing and an increasing number of companies are producing innovative, environmentally friendly products. The products mentioned above are an example of how you can make your household more environmentally friendly without much effort by replacing items with plastics with more environmentally friendly products.
