Category: Zero Waste

Hey earth muffins! With the summer months comes lots of sun which leads to many sunburns (for me) if I’m not careful. 😬 I am about to use up the last of the aerosol sunscreens I had tucked away in my bathroom… That made me think – are there zero/low waste alternatives? And I found that there are a TON of products on the market that have a much smaller impact on the environment. As I assume you won’t want to research about this yourself, I compiled a list of 5 sunscreens you should give a try! 😃

1. Taylor’s Elevated – SUN! Natural Sunscreen ($11.99, 2 oz., SPF 30)

This product is not just all-natural, it comes in a glass container that is completely plastic-free (which is perfect since it is Plastic Free July!!). The sunscreen is also made in the US, which is perfect for any of my domestic followers. 😊

2. Butterbean Sunscreen ($12.50, 3 oz., SPF 30)

While this brand is targeted towards babies and kids, there is no reason why an adult can’t use a nice zero waste sunscreen too! For less than double the price, you can get a larger 7 oz. container as well!

3. All Good Water Resistant Zinc Sunscreen ($9.99, 1 oz., SPF 50)

This sunscreen only uses 6 ingredients, which is definitely WAY less than those found in aerosols. The container is fully made out of tin, so it could be reused or recycled once the product is used up. 😊

4. Rare Earth Skincare Sun Cream ($10, 1 oz., SPF 20)

Advertised as a “sun cream”, this sunscreen will not only protect your skin from the UV rays of the sun but will also give your skin the moisture it needs after a nice long day at the beach. This brand has a lot of other great zero waste products, so definitely check out their website!

5. Not the Norm Shade All-Natural Sunscreen ($4.72 USD, 0.5 oz, SPF 25)

Not the Norm’s sunscreen has four different size options and is only made with four ingredients. The product itself is in a tin and is unscented (if that is an important attribute for you!). 🎉

What is your favorite sunscreen in the summer?

Hey earth muffins! I find it hard to believe that I started my journey towards living low/zero waste a year ago! 😲 This blows my mind, but I have had a really great year changing my habits in order to live a more sustainable lifestyle. To reflect on the journey so far, I thought it would be fun to share the most important things I have learned one year zero waste. 😊

When looking back on this year, I think the most important thing I have learned is that people get really sick of you talking about your sustainability efforts. At the start of my journey, I wanted to share all of the cool things I was learning with my family and friends; however, I feel like I talked about it too much. This made people not want to hear what I had to say, no matter how helpful the information was. To combat this, I now try to lead by example instead of forcing my opinion on others… And it actually works wonders! My family and friends now ask me about the things I am doing with genuine interest, so I think this is the approach everyone should take!

Leading by example has proven to me that your small steps towards sustainability WILL affect those around you. When my parents and I were sitting on the porch a few days ago, they started talking about what they should do about the plastic problem. These conversations were never brought up before, so I am so happy that my new mindset has impacted theirs too! 🥰

The journey will be hard at first, but it does get easier. It is difficult to change habits because they are habits after all, so stay patient with yourself! Every person who is “zero waste” does it differently, so find what works for you! There are many misconceptions on what it means to live low waste, but I have found it the most effective to figure out the places where you can reduce your waste and where you cannot.

I have found that grocery shopping is an easy place to start!

Even if you know you won’t be able to cut out the waste in one area of your house, just know that every little thing counts! Just imagine if every single person on the planet reduced their waste in the kitchen or the bathroom; there would be monumental change! 🙂 Alongside this point, it is important to remember that it’s okay to have bad days. If you have to use plastic bags at the grocery store one day or need to purchase a plastic water bottle from the vending machine, don’t beat yourself up! Many people aren’t doing anything to be sustainable at all, so be proud that you have been trying your best 😚

Lastly, this past year has taught me that living a sustainable lifestyle will definitely make you feel so good inside! I am so happy with the way I now live my life, and I absolutely love my new mindset in putting the planet first. I look forward to another great year ahead!! 🎉

What have you been doing in the past year to be more sustainable? What are your own zero waste successes and failures?

Hey earth muffins! For the next post in my “How to Zero Waste Your [insert room/thing here]” series, I will be sharing how you can easily make your cleaning supplies more sustainable. 😊 Just like I mentioned in my How to Zero Waste Your Bathroom 🚽 post, there are many ways you can avoid the smelly and chemically-filled cleaners that you can find in the store. Let’s jump right into it!

Cleaning Containers
~Recycled buckets/baskets/etc.: Utilize what you have around the house (or your friend’s house)! Many people have buckets either in their basement or garage, so see if you can put them to good use instead of buying something new.
~Metal/wire bucket: If you can’t seem to find any container (which I think is extremely unlikely), purchase a metal or wire bucket that can be recycled after you are finished with it. 👍

Paper Towel/Disinfectant Wipe Alternatives
~Rags and washcloths: One of the first things I did when I started my journey to zero waste was to stop using paper towels. Instead of throwing away something every time you need to clean the counter or wash a mirror, try recycling old clothes into rags or putting those old washcloths to use. Throw them in with your laundry and you are good to go!

~Natural Sponges: Instead of using normal sponges, try natural ones. Make sure to use up the sponges you already have in your cupboards before switching, as you wouldn’t want to waste anything!
~Wooden brushes with natural bristles: Instead of any sort of sponge, I have switched to wooden brushes to clean my dishes, etc. These can easily be sterilized by dunking in some boiling water, so I have found that they last much longer!

DIY Cleaners
~Natural alternatives to cleaners: Instead of using cleaners that are both bad for you and the environment, use ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, borax, castile soap, etc. to make your own cleaners! These ingredients can be purchased in bulk, which saves on plastic packaging as well. 😃 I have been amazed by the number of recipes you can find online and on Pinterest.

~Brands known for being sustainable: Feeling like you don’t have time to make your own cleaners? Check out Seventh Generation or Mrs. Meyer’s brands! While they aren’t as sustainable as making your own, they are still better than some of the other alternatives.
~Laundry soap nuts: As I mentioned in my How to Zero Waste Your Laundry Room post, you can use soap nuts instead of laundry detergent! 😍 There are many other DIY laundry cleaners out there as well, so I would definitely recommend checking out Pinterest!

Pin to read later!

What sustainable cleaning tips do you use?

Hey earth muffins! For the second installment of my “How to Zero Waste Your [insert room here]” series, I thought that I would tackle the bathroom. 😁 On my journey towards zero waste, I have found that this room has some pretty easy switches to reduce your impact, which makes it a great place to start when trying to make your home more sustainable. Let’s jump right into it!

Beauty & Bath Products
–Purchase bar products!: Instead of buying soaps, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, etc. in plastic bottles (in hideous bright colors I might add), try buying them in bar form! These can be purchased at LUSH, Ethique, and many local places… I have found that they work extremely well 👍

Check out my review of LUSH’s Jumping Juniper shampoo bar!

–Buy yourself a safety razor: This is super easy and will let you never use another disposable razor again! I was a bit scared at first, but shaving with a safety razor is incredibly easy.

–Basically, purchase things in glass or metal containers: Try to avoid plastics as much as possible when buying bath, body, and beauty products. If you feel comfortable, you can even DIY your own!

Shower Curtains and Other Bath Accessories
–Get an apartment with a shower door instead of a curtain: Most curtains are made of plastic and have to be replaced every once in awhile, so do the planet a favor and use shower doors! If that isn’t an option, there are some other options: organic cotton, hemp, and biodegradable curtains (but, these tend to be a bit pricey!
–Purchase a bar soap/product saver: Letting water eat away at your bar products is just wasteful, as you are losing valuable product. I personally have a soap container from Ethique that I absolutely love! It has openings in the bottom to let water out and air in (to dry the bars), and after a few years of use it is compostable 😍 I suggest purchasing a similar container, avoiding anything that is plastic.

You can purchase this soap saver for only $15!

–Replace those loofahs: Loofahs are plastic (so avoid please), but you can find many sustainable alternatives! Try getting a natural loofah or a bamboo brush (or refrain from using a loofah in general, which is what I do).

Cleaners
–Avoid plastic toilet wands: Just like with loofahs, there are many bamboo alternatives that can be composted after use. 🎉

–Make your own cleaners or use natural brands: The chemicals that are used to clean bathroom are both smelly and bad for you (and the environment), so try something a bit more natural! There are so many DIY cleaner recipes out there, as well as brands that strive for low impact (like Seventh Generation and Mrs. Meyer’s).

Toilet Paper
–Use natural and unbleached toilet paper: Toilet paper is bleached to be white, which makes you poor butt exposed to some pretty harsh chemicals. Look for unbleached toilet papers (like Who Gives a Crap) and try to use a decent amount instead of ten squares each trip to the restroom.
–Try a bidet: If you are super ambitious, try getting a bidet attachment to replace toilet paper completely! 😉 I know this might not be for everyone, but it is super sustainable!

Towels and Bathmats 
–Use towels from relatives: Many people buy way too many towels in their lifetime, so see if any friends and/or family are about to replace theirs. This is cheap and extremely low waste!
–Buy natural fabrics: Organic cotton, hemp, and any other sustainable fabrics are what you should look for. Also, don’t buy more towels than you actually need!

General Water Usage
–Take short showers: I have mastered a full shower in about 6 minutes, which leaves me more time to do other things when I am getting ready for the day or getting ready for bed!
–Don’t run the faucet when brushing your teeth, etc: I feel like this is pretty self explanatory…

–Use the saying, “If it’s yellow let it mellow” in regards to flushing: This might not be everyone’s style, but for someone who lives alone this would totally save water!

What are your tips to reducing waste in the bathroom?