August 22, 2019
By: H. Elizabeth Williams
“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else can save it” -Robert Swan
Our world is dying. Stop polluting our oceans it’s not that hard!
According to Ecoswapz.com, these are the top 10 items found in our oceans.
2,117,931 cigarettes
1,140,222 food wrappers/containers
1,065,171 beverage bottles (plastic)
1,019,902 plastic bags
958,893 caps, lids
692,767 cups, plates, forks, knives, spoons
611,048 straws, stirrers
521,730 beverage bottles (glass)
339,875 beverage cans
298,332 bags (paper)
Now, you’re probably asking yourself ‘how long until stuff like this is decomposed?’
Toilet paper-1 month
Plastic bags-10-20 years
Cigarettes-10 years
Drink cans-200 years
Cardboard-2 months
Fish hooks-600 years
Plastic cutlery-100-1000 years
Glass-4000 years
Diapers 450 years
Some plastics- NEVER
But, yet people still need a reason to refuse single use plastic. How about nine?
Made from fossil fuels
Huge carbon footprint
Lasts forever
Only a tiny percentage is recycled
Pollutes our oceans
Causes hormone disruptions and cancers
Leaches toxins into food or drink
Kills marine animals and birds
Enters our food chains
So, you can kind of see the perspective on all these activists protesting for people to do something about it. You see, we may not be in congress and can’t pass all these laws to make big changes to our world, but the people who make the biggest difference are the ones who do the little things consistently.
So, maybe switch from a plastic toothbrush to a bamboo one. Seeing as 1 bamboo toothbrush is equivalent to 4 plastic toothbrushes. Or that 1 glass floss container is equivalent to 7 plastic floss containers. Or that 1 reusable water bottle is equal to 167 plastic water bottles. Or maybe that 1 reusable bag is compared to 170 plastic bags. Or that 1 reusable cup is equivalent to 500 coffee cups. Or that 1 metal straw is equal to 540 plastic straws. Or maybe seeing as 1 cloth towel is equal to 7,300 paper towels.
Can you see where I am going with this?
Let’s start with the kitchen.
Get rid of your kitchen sponges!
Most common kitchen sponges are made from plastic and can’t be recycled or composted. They are only used for a couple weeks and then thrown away.
Here’s what we can use instead:
To wipe down surfaces: Use cut-up pieces from an old cotton towel or t-shirt. When they are dirty, they can be thrown in the wash and reused.
To wash dirty dishes: Use a plant-based dish scrubber. When it’s worn out the parts can be recycled or composted.
For tough stick on food: Use a coconut husk scourer. When it gets old it can be placed in the compost.
In landfill, disposable synthetic sponges will NEVER biodegrade. Let's choose washable and compostable instead.
Stop using cling wrap!
Cling film is made from sticky plastic which is non-recyclable and will never biodegrade. It releases methane when it breaks down in landfill and contributes to pollution when it washes into our oceans. But we don’t need it to keep things fresh, instead we can use containers, and food wax wraps. Lets un-cling from plastic food wrap and choose reusables instead!
You can also have plastic-free food storage by using these methods:
Roll up salad in damp cloth
Use mason jars
Store food in glass
Use cotton bread bags
Keep carrots fresh in a glass of water
Pack lunch in stainless steel lunch box
Store potatoes and onions in a basket
Freeze food in a silicone zip-lock bag
Cloth over bowl
Now, onto the popular conversation these days about why we need to be rid of plastic straws. I’ll keep it simple:
\They are made in 10 minutes, used in 20 and remain on earth FOREVER since they are not biodegradable. 90% of marine animals have eaten plastic. Plastic straws require a great amount of nonrenewable resources. It takes a lot of energy to make such a small piece of plastic. And to add on to all that, Restaurants throw away 45,000 plastic straws a year!
So please, use a metal or bamboo straw.
Now, getting down to the basics of a sustainable kitchen, consider these household options:
Composting bin
Glass bottle
Reusable cup
Reusable tea bag
Reusable cotton sacks
Fabric shopping bag
Tea strainer
Plastic free scrubber
French press
Hand coffee grinder
Reusable coffee filter
Tea globe infuser
Linen towels
Bamboo reusable cutlery instead of plastic utensils
No tox life vegan dishing block instead of dawn dish soap
Organic, unbleached cotton reusable produce bags for plastic free shopping
Repurpose tall kitchen bags made with plants compostable
How To Compost: The Basics
What can go in the compost box: leaves, fruit and veggie scraps, eggshells, grass clippings, tea bags and coffee grounds, cup up small woody prunings, cut hair and nail clippings, weeds, plant clippings, avocado pits bashed, ice cream sticks, fabric scraps and threads (natural fibers only), stale bread and toast crusts, pencil shavings, dust bunnies, hair (and pet fur), old shoe laces (natural fibre/take off tips), used matches, after dinner plate scrapings (no meat and dairy),
What can’t go in a compost box: put cooked food, meat or dairy, grains or bread, coal ash, fruit/veg stickers, magazines, glossy paper or colorful ink, pet poop.
Sometimes: paper and cardboard, citrus peels, onion skins, wood ash, fallen leaves, old plants.
Now, onto a sustainable bathroom.
Believe it or not, everything in your shower can be plastic-free. For example: the shampoo bars.
Shampoo bars could replace the 552 million shampoo bottles we throw out every year. One of these little bars is actually equivalent of three medium sized shampoo bottles and each bar lasts over 80 washes. It completely eliminates the need for plastic packaging and actually many shampoo bars are made of ingredients that are better for your hair and the planet.
Plastic packaging accounts for over 80% of litter found on beaches and 300,000 tons of floating debris found in the world's oceans. It is so important for the beauty industry to be eco-conscious because there is already a huge carbon footprint from cosmetics.
With that in mind, if you’re looking for ways to have a more sustainable bathroom, consider this a beginners guide:
Bamboo toothbrush
Shampoo bar
Apple cider vinegar for conditioner
Facial soap bar
Reusable pads instead of cotton
Reusable napkins instead of paper
Recycled toilet paper
Razors to safety razor
Menstrual cup instead of pads and tampons
Have a sage bundle instead of an air freshener
Tablet toothpaste
Compostable floss
Biodegradable cotton swabs
Wooden comb
Stainless steel tongue scraper
Loofa
Shorter showers
A water pick or charcoal dental floss refills instead of regular floss
Shaving brush
Cloth diapers instead of Huggies
Replace vinyl shower curtains with PVC free plastic, cloth or bamboo
Laundry room.
First, consider how many wears before you need to wash so there’s no waste of water.
How many wears before you need to wash:
Bras: 3 to 4 wears
Underwear: every wear
Socks and stockings: one or two wears
Sportswear and swimwear: after every wear
Jeans: 5 to 6 wears
Tops: 1 to 2 wears
Dresses: 1 to 2 wears
Leggings: 1 to 2 wears
Pants, skirts and shorts: 3 to 4 wears
Jackets and blazers: 5 to 6 wears
Coats: 1 every two months of wear.
Then consider you’re alternatives:
Dryer balls or dryer egg instead of dryer sheets
Eco egg instead of tide pods
Use cold water for laundry
Try a clothesline
Clean the dryer’s lint filter before every use to reduce drying time
And when it comes to cleaning, if you’re willing to take that extra step, there are many homemade recipes waiting to prove themselves:
Glass Cleaner: 1 part white vinegar, 3 parts water and 810 drops of citrus oils
Sticky Residue Cleaner: 1 part bicarb, 1 part coconut oil and leave it on the stain
Laundry soap: 1 cup castile soap, 1 cup hot water, ⅓ cup himalayan salt, 1 cup bicarb and 12 drops of essential oils
Room freshener: 3 parts water, 1 part witch hazel and 8-10 drops of essential oils
Fabric Softener: 2 cups vinegar, 1 cup bi carb, essential oils (lavender/lime filled with water) (add bi carb slowly to mixture)
Body wash/hand wash: 1 part castile soap, 1 part oil, 2 parts water and 8-10 drops of essential oil
Toilet cleaner: ⅓ bi carb, ⅓ castile soap and ⅓ citrus oil
Dishwashing liquid: 1 part castile soap, 3 parts water and a few drops of essential oils
Floor cleaner: ¼ white vinegar, ¼ cup castile soap, fill with warm water and 1 cap of eucalyptus oil
All purpose cleaner: 1 part vinegar, 1 part bi carb, 2 parts water and 8 drops of essential oils
How about when traveling?
Zero waste travel kit
Water bottle
Bamboo spork
Happycow app
Bamboo toothbrush
Reusable cup
Shampoo bar
E-reader
Vegan leather bag
Simply gum instead of orbit gum
And when it comes to energy… Be smart about it. Unplug when you’re not using.
Energy efficient LED lights are up to 80% more efficient than traditional lighting such as fluorescent and incandescent lights. 95% of the energy in LEDs is converted into light and only 5% is wasted in heat… Less energy use reduces the demand from power plants and decreases greenhouse gas emissions.
Hint: Most Lowes and Home Depot stores will recycle old light bulbs.
Buy rechargeable batteries too and learn how to dispose of old batteries properly.
Did you know?
Crayola has a program called color recycle. Will accept all brands of markers. Includes dry erase and highlighters. They’ll send a free shipping label and you can ship them back to Crayola to be recycled.
You can cut down on paper junk mail! There are lots of websites that can assist you with that.
Also, Appalachian Wild started using old mascara wands to save small animals. Donate today!
So, now that you’ve read this far I propose a challenge. It’s summertime. Let’s do it the right way: Refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle, rot.
Plant a tree. Start a compost bin. Go in on these alternatives listed and cut down on plastic. There is no earth 2. This is all we have, so let’s save the world one step at a time.
Sources: The Zero Waste Guide, TheEcoFriendlyGuide, ATTN, Ecoswapz and Repurpose