I made a list of sustainable options to adopt in yer house (please add to it!)
I wanted to create a list of sustainable/zero waste/heathier (?) options below that i've come across/been told to use for people who are also thinking of making a change :) also to hopefully reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed, since there's so much on the internet of what direction to go, and make a go-to list of places to start.
I'm very new at all this sustainable stuff. i've always turned lights off when i leave a room, lower the thermostat, recycle as much as possible, etc, but that's as far as i went. but ever since the beginning of the war with Iran, global warming/climate change at an all time high, and a very real food crisis on the rise, I've been making sustainable changes to my lifestyle.
i want to note everything below has been recommended to me and i haven't actually tried any other the products. i will probably edit this post in the future once i've had a chance to try them out.
this is what i have so far:
- shampoo and conditioner bars: top brands i've been recommended are ethique and lush
- toilet paper: plant paper and who gives a crap both are tree-free and use either bamboo or recycled paper. also are unbleached which is better for the booty
- toothpaste: waste free toothpaste brands like bite (would recommend the fluoride version), desesh (also have shampoo bars, shower, skincare products), and canary are pretty decent
- detergent: diy laundry detergent (mixture of grated castile soap, baking soda and wash powder) is pretty good but apparently if you have really hard water adding white vinegar helps, and dropps are the main two i've been told about. also blueland and seventh generation (not zero waste but a good middle ground since they dont use any chemicals that are terrible for you)
- paper towels: caboo makes their paper towels from bamboo (they also have toilet paper) or you could switch to reusable rags
- pads: for those who go through the dreaded red each month, new moon pads and Butter Dragon Creaative on etsy make cloth pads that are reusable. I already use period underwear and it gets a little nasty eventually so i thought that reusable pads which are easier to clean would be better switch
- removing plastic in kitchen: no more cutting boards, cups, cutlery, plates, etc. everything can be replaced with wood, glass, silicone, or metal (or other materials i cant think of right now). I'm also paranoid about micro-plastics being all up in my business so i'll definitely be doing this
- growing your own food: I came across Toni Farmer's page on ig about a month ago and i really appreciate her approach to this whole food crisis/shortage fear. she's upfront about what's happening but also provides in-depth and researched solutions on how to actually maintain a self-grown garden. this is her page on ig is tonifarmersgarden
that's the list i have at the moment. if anyone has any thoughts/comments/anything to correct me on or add, please go for it! this isn't by any means a bullet-proof list, some things will work for some and others not, so the more options the better!
on a separate note, I hope everyone keeps well and healthy during this time. there's a lot of uncertainty and anxiety being thrown around, but there's always a way around these things. humans and smart as hell and thrive off of community, so talk to your friends, call your family and protect your joy :0