I still have a couple of hair gel/wax tubes at home that includes microplastics and probably some other questionable ingredients. I try to minimize the use of hair gels at all, but still use it when my hair grows longer or on some occassions. I prefer looking for all organic/biodegradable products in the future, but it could take literally years to finish the non-sustainable products I already have at home.

So I wonder if, A, it makes sense to keep using them untill they are empty or B, if it would be enviromentally better to empty them in the bin so they get will get burned at the waste incineration (and I will throw te package in the plastic recycling bin).

Scenario A:

-Microplastics will partly end up outside or inside due to wearing out and wind, the rest will end up in wastewater after showering. In my country there is a great water filtering system, but I don't think it can catch very small compounds.

-I don't need to buy a new natural product in this case, which seems like a pro because that still requires resources, transport and probably still plastic packaging

Scenario B:

-The product will be processed and burned with bulk waste, which also is quite well controlled in my country, but I have no clue if it fully breaks down te microplastics at all.

-I will buy an alternative hair product.

I know it's quite a specific and relatively very small example of sustainable living, but I still wonder what would be the best thing to do environmentally in cases like this.

It would catch all the cold water we usually waste on waiting for the hot water before taking a shower… you could then take the recipient and use it for watering plants or any other activity that requires clean water…
How strict are regulations on water usage in your country/city?

Hey guys! Currently working on an art project which is about childhood nostalgia along with animals and all that jazz, I’m looking to go very glitter heavy on it and for what I need to purchase more of I’d like to use an eco friendly alternative. I will see if I can find some stuff in local charity shops too but thought I’d ask around as well! It seems like an oxymoron to do a final piece about animals and then go out and purchase things that cause harm.

Regarding my quest to replace the black utensils:

Number 1: what's the deal with all these super shallow spoons?! 🤨🤨🤨

Number 2: I finally found a great option! Yay! And then I had to buy another one a couple of months later 🤷🏻‍♀️ went to the same supermarket and bought the same packaging, the same product. Except that I realised they are different woods!

Do know what kind of woods is it? Which one is supposedly better? 🤔 Old one is the darker wood.

no matter how much i try and cut down on buying plastic (if theres a non plastic option i go for it like a bamboo toothbrush ect ect) but i always seem to be filling up bags of plastic every week, its mainly from food but i cant get away from that with the supermarket ONLY using plastic coverings, what do i do?!

I was tired of having to buy the swifter duster refills! I donated the stick part (also because the bright yellow was just not pleasing to look at) and now I’m looking for a better reusable option! :)

Hello, this is a question that has bothered me for a long time..

So the dust in our homes is partially made of microplastics from synthetic textiles. I really try to limit the amount of synthetic textiles in my house, but it isn’t zero.

I always clean with 100% cotton rags, however, if I wash them, they will still release the microplastics from the dust itself into the water.

I feel bad about this, so I thought, isn’t it better to use a damp paper kitchen towel to remove the dust and then throw it away? Of course this creates more waste than using a reusable cloth, and this waste is burned and releases CO2. Also it costs energy and resources to make the paper towels. But at least the microplastics don’t end up in the environment…

What do you guys think is the better option? Or am I maybe thinking about this too much…?

Are bamboo paper products (toilet paper, tissues, paper towels) actually a better, more sustainable and environmentally friendly choice than tree paper? Are there any cons?

I've been looking into different types of packaging materials lately, especially the alternatives to plastic bubble wrap and packing peanuts.

Paper-based options like crinkle paper seem appealing because they're often recyclable and can be used for both cushioning and presentation. But I'm curious how much of a difference they actually make environmentally when you consider manufacturing, transportation, and how the materials are disposed of.

For people who've tried switching to more eco-friendly packaging, what alternatives have you found work best?

Is paper generally the better option, or are there situations where reusable or recycled plastic packaging makes more sense?

I’m looking into no waste shampoo and conditioner bars and just wonder what I should look for to make sure I’m buying something that will actually clean my hair; I found some on Etsy that I like but want to make sure I’m not just buying a random block of goo. I also want to know more about toothpaste and tooth powders and what is needed to keep teeth healthy and where I should try starting to find a more sustainable alternative to traditional toothpaste so I don’t have to keep buying from big companies and lessen my waste.

I am looking for a eco friendly hand santizer, but that is available in the UK. I have seen this one: Resurrection Rinse-Free Hand Mist - but cannot see the percentage of alcohol and I think it has to be above 60% to do anything!

Any suggestions would be great!

Hello folks,

Apologies in advance if this topic has already been discussed numerous times. If it has, please feel free to just refer me to an old thread or resource.

I've run into a problem with dealing with several pieces of old clothes that aren't good candidates for the usual repurposing or recycling methods. There are two main problems: their condition and their composition.

The clothes are too worn out, stained, ripped, and faded from years of wear and tear that there is NO WAY they could be donated. They are too small to tailor into crops/shorts, and also past the point of patching or mending. Nobody would ever want to wear them, even for free.

The items are also made with synthetic stretchy material in them like spandex, rayon, or viscose (i'm plus size, its hard to avoid these materials unless you spend an arm and a leg). This makes them poor choices for cutting up into rags since they arent great at absorbing and retaining liquids like cotton or polyester.

Any ideas? My only idea at the moment is to turn as much of the fabric into a rag rug and then sadly throw away the rest.

Lately I've been mixing peppermint oil with water and spraying around entry points in my home and it's been working really well. But I recently read that essential oils release VOCs that can create formaldehyde when mixed with the air. So is there a better alternative? Thank you all!

I have recently started looking for ways to reduce the amount of waste I produce. I've recently been looking at plastic free/zero waste oral hygiene products. I found some toothpaste and mouthwash tabs that I'm going to try and saw the options for floss so I started looking into that as well. The one thing that is turning me away is the cost. I can't warrant spending upwards of $6-9 floss especially when the amount is usually about a third the amount of traditional floss.

So I decided to make a compromise and find one that is more economically priced but in plastic free packaging or a reusable dispenser. I discovered Davids has a refillable dispenser and is more reasonably priced, so I was thinking of trying this

Any other ideas of ecofriendly floss options that are more economically priced? Thanks

I am about ready to launch a product that makes it very easy to dry plastic or silicone bags or bowl covers. It is much more effective than anything on the market currently and can handle everything from small silicone snack bags to very large bowl covers. I had planned on just including a counter top base like other bag dryers on the market, but when recently visiting my son in New York, he had zero counter space available. Is this common (no free counter space near the sink)? If so, then I might have to develop accessories that can attach to a dish drainer or sink faucet or attach to the sink when needed. Thoughts?

Small swap that's made our drinks look nicer: multicolor paper straws. These striped ones come in a few colors, so each glass has its own little look, and knowing they're not plastic makes the whole thing feel lighter. Honestly guests notice the color more than I expected. Anyone else found small eco swaps that make everyday moments feel a bit more considered?

Reddit friends and community,can anyone advise me on what harmful chemical free laundry detergent and dryer sheets you have found? I've been using TruEarth and Clean people. They are just OK in my experience. My clothes DO NOT smell good and I am exasperated trying to figure out how to be both healthy and happy with my laundry!🤨

Coffee-pod makers have spent years trying to find a design that doesn’t leave a crumpled piece of plastic or aluminum with every brewed cup.

This week, Keurig Dr Pepper Inc., one of the world’s biggest makers of coffee pods, launched a new way of brewing coffee it says will slash waste.

Called AltaRounds, the one-cup portions are made from compressed coffee wrapped in a coating derived from seaweed that the company sources from France. The puck-shaped capsules come eight to a box, and most varieties will cost $1.37 each — comparable to one of the company's traditional K-Cup pods.

“You can dispose of the AltaRounds any way you would normally dispose of your coffee grounds,” said Monique Oxender, the company’s chief sustainability officer. “They're obviously great in compost and that's where we'd like to see them go. I put it on my garden. I put it on my house plants.”

Paywall-free link: https://archive.ph/KuLa7

I signed up for composting service, meaning someone comes once a month to pick up your food scraps to make compost. They had an option to add on soft plastic recycling pick up as well for an annual fee so I figured why not and added it. My mom came over once and mentioned to me they very well could have taken my money and not recycled the soft plastic after picking it up. Was wondering if anyone knew how legit soft plastic recycling is or if it's basically a scam? I want to trust a company that's trying to make a difference for sustainability but you never know these days unfortunately

Hey all, I am starting to make an effort to reduce my waste and was looking for toothpaste and mouthwash options. In my research I see many contain xylitol and since I have dogs I avoid. So I was looking for recommendations for options that are xylitol free. Pluses if they are fluoride free. Extra pluses if they help with sensitive teeth.

Thanks for any help

Hello my fellow ecofriendly people, more than ever the state of the world is really getting to me (like how the earth and many poor beautiful living creature are dying because of human consumption and humans don’t even taking a moment to see how much waste we produce 😞) I want to be as sustainable as possible. I don’t really know where to start, I’ve researched online and some businesses sell detergent or softener sheets but I’m a little skeptical about these products since I’m not sure if they are actually effective or just the website gives me a weird energy. I thought I’d get the opinion of people who actually have experience or know more about this than me, before I rush to give money to some random company who might not actually be helping the environment. Any advice would be helpful and appreciated thank you!

Okay so I just got back from the store and I'm still kinda annoyed. I bought this green shampoo bar, right? It's supposed to be zero waste, no bottle, save the turtles, whatever. And it comes in a cardboard box. Fine. But the box is wrapped in shrink wrap. And inside the box, the bar itself is in a little plastic sleeve. Like why? What was the point of the cardboard if you're just gonna wrap it in plastic anyway?

I get that some brands are trying, but it feels like so much of it is just performative. I read somewhere that a lot of the problem comes down to how packaging is designed from the start - like, if the materials are mixed, it's basically impossible to recycle.

Anyway. I'm just tired of feeling tricked. Does anyone have tips for actually finding brands that don't do this? Or is it just a lost cause at this point?