Hey earth muffins! In my recent 8 Eco-Friendly Products You Can Find at Target post, I mentioned that they carry a wide selection of plastic-free deodorants. I have tried and reviewed the Native deodorant, so once that ran out I thought it was the perfect time to try another plastic-free deodorant on the market. π I’ve absolutely loved the Hey Humans toothpaste that comes in an aluminum tube… So I was hopeful I would find success with their sustainable deodorant as well. Let’s jump right into my Hey Humans deodorant review!
What I LOVE About Hey Humans Plastic-Free Deodorant
Obviously I love that this deodorant is plastic-free. From the time I started my eco-friendly journey, I have tried deodorants that came in anything from jars to tubes… And I think plastic-free tubes are the easiest to apply! Especially if you are new to the sustainability sphere, the design of this deodorant is not too far off from what you would be used to using. I try my hardest to support brands that are truly planet friendly; I love that Hey Humans has only plastic-free containers for their deos. Add on that they use aluminum tubes for their toothpaste and you can’t go wrong!
Hey earth muffins! When you read the title of this blog post, you might have thought I made a mistake… Unfortunately, you read it correctly. Whether you know it or not, you actually ingest microplastics on a daily basis. This article suggests that we might eat a CREDIT CARD worth of plastic each week. π³ Scary, right? Our society’s obsession with plastic is resulting in it everywhere – even the fetuses of unborn children! In today’s post, I will share some of my top tips for reducing the amount of plastic that gets into your body. Here’s all my thoughts on how to eat less plastic!
Avoid plastic water bottles at all costs.
Going completely plastic-free is a challenge because we use plastics in many aspects of our lives. However, I think this is a simple step everyone can take to reduce the microplastics we consume. Plastic water bottles are bad because (1) they cause a ton of pollution and (2) they leach microplastics into your water. Instead, opt for reusable water bottles! Always choose metal bottles over reusable plastic ones as well; I have a trusty Hydroflask that I carry with me everywhere. Reserve single-use plastic water bottles for emergency situations (a great example of when plastics aren’t all bad)!
Hey earth muffins! Plastic Free July is over – how did you do?? π This month long challenge is a great way to push yourself to reduce your plastic consumption. I have participated in this event for a few Julys now; I feel like each time I do it I learn new things! Now that the challenge is over, it is important to reflect on what went well (and what didn’t). If you were collecting all of your plastic waste during July, now would also be a great time to do a deep waste audit. These are awesome ways to identify where plastic sneaks into your daily life. Here are my thoughts on the Plastic Free July Challenge this summer!
Did I Achieve My Goals During Plastic Free July?
If you are subscribed to my newsletter, you will know I was focusing on two goals this year. First, I wanted to reduce plastic during my move. Moving across a state can create a ton of plastic waste if you aren’t careful. While I didn’t want to go into the Plastic Free July Challenge with unrealistic expectations of avoiding all of this waste, I still wanted to challenge myself! Overall, I think I did a fine job making my move as eco-friendly as possible. I reused boxes from the mail and opted for wrapping my fragiles in clothing instead of bubble wrap. But, I did use plastic tape too… Check out this guide for more tips on being sustainable during a move!
Along with the goal of reducing plastic during the move, I also wanted to stop eating out so much in July. During the move preparations, my boyfriend and I got in the habit of ordering food. This was partly because we didn’t have many groceries in the house but also because we were too tired (and lazy) from packing to want to cook meals ourselves. The week of the move, we ate out three times… Not too bad for 6 days, as we made sure to eat up all the leftovers to reduce our food waste. Now that I am living at my parents’ house, I haven’t eaten out since the move! π
Why I Love this Challenge!
There are so many great things about this challenge that I listed in my “Why You Should Participate in Plastic Free July” post. For me, I love to push myself to see what I am capable of! Whether I am tracking a new habit in my planner or refusing to go on social media during Lent, I find it fun to see the positive impacts on my life during challenges like this. Plastic is an obvious problem to our environment, so I love that one month of the year the Plastic Free July Challenge inspires people to make a difference.
What Could Be Better About Plastic Free July
While a month long challenge is a great place to start reducing your plastic, it is important to remember that you should be reducing your plastic all year. I’ve seen many people join this challenge for the month and then just go right back to their typical usage of plastic when it is over. While they technically are doing the “Plastic Free July Challenge”, its main goal is to teach people about how much plastic they use – and make those lessons stick! I remember I was very new to eco-friendly living when I participated in my first challenge… And it definitely added fuel to the fire to continue my eco journey! Make sure you also strive to reduce your plastic after the challenge is over.
I think it is worth mentioning that with every popular movement, there is the opportunity for brands to take advantage of the good intentions behind it. This is true for the Plastic Free July Challenge. With so many people participating in this challenge worldwide, many companies use it as a marketing ploy to greenwash their not-so-sustainable products. It is important to look out for greenwashing during challenges like this, as you want to support the actually eco-friendly brands over ones that just flood their Instagram with green messages during the month of July. It is annoying to me that companies take advantage of newbie earth muffins during this challenge, but the best thing you can do is learn how to identify greenwashing so you can avoid it!
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Final Thoughts!
I absolutely love the Plastic Free July Challenge; it is my favorite month of the summer! This year, I wasn’t able to participate as much as I would have liked. But, that just means next year I will be ready to go all in! There are many great reasons to push yourself in July, from the alarming plastic statistics to the joys of challenging yourself to accomplish something pretty cool. Fingers crossed the lessons of the month stick with you, as you don’t want to just jump right back into living with a bunch of pesky plastic. We are looking for long-term changes here, earth muffins! Did you participate in the Plastic Free July Challenge? What are your thoughts?
Hey earth muffins! It is crazy to think that Plastic Free July is almost over. The first half of this month was busy with my move, but the rest of it just flew by too. While Life of an Earth Muffin isn’t pro-plastics, this doesn’t mean I am against all forms of it. Meet the “Good Plastics” (and no, I’m not talking about Gretchen Wieners or Regina George)! π Certain plastics, aka single-use ones, are “bad”… But there are actually plastics out there that are good for our civilization as a whole. For today’s post, I wanted to share a short list of these essential plastics; let’s jump right into it!
Plastics You Already Have Around the House
When you start caring about the environment and make the decision to go on an eco journey, you might be tempted to toss all plastics in the trash. But, I strongly discourage that! Odds are you have accumulated a ton of plastic in your lifetime. From plastic Tupperware in the kitchen to toys for your kids, there is a reason plastic is starting to be a problem – it is everywhere! I categorize plastics you already have into this “good” category because you can reuse it for as long as it lasts. Which, if taken care of properly, can be many years. There is no point in tossing plastics just because they are made of a certain material. The basis of an eco lifestyle is to use what you have and reduce your consumption – both can be achieved by using up the plastics already in your home. For more ideas on how to use plastics you already have, check out this guide!
Plastics Used in Health Services
I think it is safe to say this pandemic gave me a new appreciation for health care workers! It also made me think about plastics used in the healthcare industry. As I mentioned in my Will the COVID Pandemic Stop the Sustainability Movement? post, we have seen things like disposable masks littering the ground. But on the flip side, there has been a ton of plastic created during the distribution of vaccines – which I think is totally fine! A lot of plastics get tossed each day in healthcare, but this allows for sterilized instruments and literally lifesaving procedures to be performed. If that isn’t “good”, I don’t know what is!
Plastic Water Bottles for Areas that Need It!
If you have access to clean drinking water, there is no need for bottled water. I suggest buying yourself a stainless steel reusable water bottle and getting in the habit of carrying it everywhere. By doing this you can avoid using plastic water bottles for no reason. On the flip side, bottled water is amazing for areas that don’t have clean water! Take an example close to my home, the Flint water crisis. Without bottled water bottles, thousands of people would have absolutely no access to any clean water. This rings true for countries all over the world as well. While plastic water bottles get a bad rep, they have a good side too!
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Concluding Words about “Good” Plastics
Just like with anything, there are good times and bad times to use plastic. For an eco-minded earth muffin, I recommend avoiding plastics as much as possible… But don’t totally condemn them! There are many places where they are truly instrumental in providing clean water, non-contaminated food, and healthcare to folks around the world. Plus, you should use (and then reuse) all of the plastics you already have in your home. Mother Earth will thank you for that as we come to the conclustion of Plastic Free July. What other “good” plastics do you use in your daily life?
Hey earth muffins! While recycling isn’t the perfect solution to saving the planet, it is better than having plastic end up in the landfill. I urge you to choose reduce and reuse before recycle; but, it is still good to get in the habit of recycling. This is especially true if you have a great recycling plant near you! π I am lucky enough to live in a place where most things can be recycled. So, I have created a list of my top tips for you all. Here is the ultimate guide to recycling correctly and effectively!
Don’t be a “wishcycler” – know what you can actually toss in the bin!
Depending on where you live, certain things can and canNOT be recycled. This normally depends on the size/location of your recycling plant. Avoid being a “wishcycler”, defined as someone who adds an item into the recycle bin without knowing if it can actually be recycled. While the act itself is in good spirit (hoping that the item can be recycled), this can lead to issues at the recycling plant. For accurate information on what can be accepted, consider reaching out to an eco-friendly center like Corridor Recycling, which offers comprehensive recycling services and can guide you on the right items to recycle. Take the time to learn what your recycling center actually accepts. While it can be hard to throw away something that could be recycled in another city, it prevents against ruining a batch of recycling or having staff at the center throw it away for you. You bought the item, so you need to dispose of it correctly!
Make sure your recyclables are clean and dry.
Back in 2020, I wrote about how NOT to recycle. In that post, I mentioned that you need to avoid throwing any dirty or wet items into the recycle bin. This is a must if you are trying your best to recycle properly! Having nasty pieces of food in metal cans or sticky drops of soda in glass bottles is a no-no. Exactly how are food particles, water, etc. “recyclable”? Precisely – they aren’t! Take care to dry off any items you wash off.
Learn how to identify the different types of plastic!
Just because an item has the “recycle arrows” on the bottom does NOT mean it can be recycled! β»οΈ I had no idea about that until I started my eco journey a few years ago! The number inside the arrows can be used to identify what type of plastic the item is made from. If your local recycling center takes plastics #1-4, do NOT recycle any #5 plastics. This is also helpful when you are shopping; only buy the types of plastics that you know can be recycled in your city! If you are interested in learning more about how to identify plastics, check out this helpful article.
Keep your recycle bin full of loose items.
Unlike trash, you do NOT want to use plastic bags for your recycling. An essential tip for this guide to recycling: your bin should be full of loose items! This will ensure that the machines do not get stuck on small items such as plastic bags. Plus, it helps with sorting materials to ensure they are all recycled properly. If you have a bag full of metals, glass, and plastic, how can you be sure all of the items get separated? I live in an apartment building, which means we have a shared recycle bin downstairs. I carry my recyclables down in a paper bag and then dump out the bag into the bin before also throwing in the paper bag. My parents have a small recycle bin in the kitchen that gets dumped into a larger bin in the garage – do what works best for you!
Make sure you return cans/glass bottles to a can return.
If you live in a state with a bottle deposit, take those cans and bottles to the can return! Firstly, you get money back just by returning the cans. And, the can returns already have partnerships with companies who will take the returned cans/bottles for recycling. This guarantees that your recyclables are being reused, which is the whole aim of recycling to begin with! If you are looking for a way to make some extra money, getting cans from people in your neighborhood is a nice way to earn a few extra dollars as well.
Stay conscious of your plastic choices; recycling shouldn’t be your first choice!
As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, recycling shouldn’t be your first step on your eco journey. It is crucial to reduce your consumption to avoid plastics to begin with! It is currently Plastic Free July, so take some extra steps this month to limit your plastic intake. Check out my top 10 easiest sustainable swaps if you are stuck on what to tackle first!
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Final Thoughts on This Guide to Recycling
I hope this guide to recycling was helpful for you all! While not the best option, recycling is a good place to start for any newbie earth muffins. π The most important thing is to know what your local recycling center accepts! Once you know the rules, only recycle dry, clean, and acceptable items. It’s as easy as that! After you master recycling, make sure you spread these tips to your family and friends too. I know I’ve definitely had to teach people the correct ways of recycling. Do you recycle??
Hey earth muffins! It’s crazy to think that I’ve been participating in the Plastic Free July Challenge for a few years now! I’ve written different posts around the month-long challenge, from easy plastic-free swaps to waste audits at the end of the month. But, I haven’t actually written anything specific about why you should want to participate in Plastic Free July. I highly encourage you all to give it a try this year – what do you have to lose! π Here are the top reasons you should participate in Plastic Free July!
We need to start doing something about plastic.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that plastic is a huge issue. Anywhere you look (in a city or in the middle of nowhere) there is plastic littering the planet. And that is just horrible! Regardless on your stance on climate change or sustainability, it is obvious that plastic is a problem. There are tons of statistics to back up this fact as well. While many of them cause me eco-anxiety, I’ll share some of the most eye-opening ones:
Not good stats, right? Trust me, if you do some Googling it is truly terrifying and sad. It is clearly obvious that we need to reduce our usage of plastic… So, why not challenge yourself to avoid plastics during July! π
It’s easy to make changes!
Another reason why you should participate in Plastic Free July is because it is easy to start making changes. I’ve stressed this again and again on Life of an Earth Muffin. Every small swap makes a difference! It doesn’t take a lot of time, money, or energy to start reducing the plastic in your daily routine. This blog has shared a ton of great tips over the years, so I hope you can use it as a resource! If you want some other tips for making easy changes, I suggest looking at the list of ideas on the Plastic Free July website as well.
You don’t need to give up all plastics to participate!
When you sign the pledge to join in on the challenge, there is NOT the expectation that you will forever avoid plastic. There are options for every type of person! If you don’t think you are at the point in your eco journey to avoid all plastics for a month, great. Just choose a few areas of your life to focus on. Don’t think you can avoid plastics due to your job or lifestyle? I challenge you to avoid just one plastic this month! You also don’t have to do the challenge for the full month either – tailor it to your needs and comfort level! But, there is no excuse to not try… I know all you Earth Muffins can do it!
We are stronger together.
Last July, 326 MILLION people took part in this challenge! Spread out across 177 countries, that is an awesome feat and a lot of people! While small changes can make an impact, just imagine the results of 326 million people making those small changes. The number of participants is great, but there is still room for more people to join in. Only 29% of people polled online actually knew about Plastic Free July… Just imagine how much more the impact would be if 600 million people decided to join in! π
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Final Thoughts – I Challenge You All to Participate!!
Plastic Free July is an awesome challenge. It really opens your eyes to how much plastic subconsciously gets incorporated into your daily routine. Once you have to actively think about every choice, you realize that you can impact the world for the better with easy swaps. π The stats around plastic pollution are pretty brutal, so I urge you all to push yourself this July. We are stronger together and can make a powerful difference – take the plastic-free challenge today!
Hey earth muffins! As I mentioned in my August newsletter, my participation in Plastic Free July wasn’t that successful this year… (Which, sidenote, if you aren’t subscribed to my monthly newsletter, you should!)
My success during the challenge last year (as seen by my waste audit) was pretty incredible, so I think part of my feeling that this year wasn’t the best stems from that. BUT, it is important regardless of the success to challenge yourself to live a more sustainable lifestyle. This blog is dedicated to sharing my passion with you all, so I thought I would share my failures and successes of this Plastic Free July. As Hannah Montana famously said, “Nobody’s perfect, you live and you learn it”. π So, let’s jump right into it!
The “Failings” of My Plastic Free July
As I have mentioned previously, my boyfriend and I just moved across the state into a new apartment. With moving comes a lot of plastic, paper, and other waste that I would not normally encounter in my daily life. While there are tips and tricks for avoiding some of this waste when moving, there were still unforeseen instances where I came across plastic this July. This doesn’t just include tape and packing boxes/materials; it also includes having to eat out during the move more than I thought I would have to.
When you are getting settled into a new home you also have to buy things that might result in extra plastic. While I was able to keep my plastic low in the grocery category by buying from the farmer’s market and bulk bins, I ran into some plastic in other places. A big one came from having to buy a Shark Steam Mop; all of our floors are original hardwood and there was a disgusting layer of dirt that we needed to get rid of. While the mop is amazing (and the pad is reusable/can be washed in the laundry), it came with a lot of plastic in tow. We also needed to buy a few things from Home Depot, which resulted in some plastic as well.
Successes and Looking Forward
Even though the move brought a lot of unwanted plastic into my life, it also allowed me to tackle some sustainability goals. Back in June I laid out 6 different things I wanted to achieve for this new apartment to help continue my sustainable journey. I am proud to say we made large strides on all of these during July!! In terms of decluttering, both my boyfriend and myself sold a lot of unwanted things on Facebook Marketplace. We have one box in our coat closet of items we still want to sell/donate; it is SO nice to have only the essentials in our apartment. π
For goal 2, we signed up for a composting service, which I shared on my Instagram a few days ago! The local grocery store I shop at has a great bulk section to stock up our pantry; and for goal number 4, this store actually sells milk in glass. It never did the past two summers I lived here for my internship, so I am excited! With this goal I also wanted to find a local to buy eggs from; but, we might be making our apartment egg free now. My boyfriend is actually allergic to eggs, so I don’t really see the need to have them in our home… Especially since I’m not a super fan of them myself. π€·ββοΈ
In terms of buying secondhand, I have been slowing buying the finishing pieces for our apartment from local thrift stores. Just look at this adorable soap dish I found for our bathroom! π
The gold details match the marbled bathroom counter – I’m in love!
Lastly, I have been working on my boyfriend to keep his own plastic at a minimum. He loves to drink plastic water bottles and soda; but, he actually had an old Brita in his apartment. Now he is trying to switch to that instead. Baby steps are still steps in the right direction! π
Overall, while I wasn’t extremely successful in avoiding plastic this July, I do think I made a lot of great sustainable steps for my journey towards living low waste. π How did your Plastic Free July go?
Hey earth muffins, I hope everyone has been enjoying the first half of Plastic Free July! It is crazy to think that the challenge is almost 50% over; but don’t worry, that is plenty of time to continue your sustainable journey! π When I became passionate about reducing my impact on the planet, I often got asked what sustainable swaps are “easiest” to make first. As many of you may be starting your own adventure towards living low-waste, I thought I would share the best (and budget-friendly) switches you can make today!
3 Sustainable Swaps Everyone Should Make!
~Buy yourself a safety razor! I cannot recommend one enough. You will save money in the long term by avoiding the need to purchase another razor; plus, you will prevent a ton of disposables from ending up in the landfill. They are easy to use and give such a nice shave! The razor blades can last for quite some time, and you can buy a pack of 100 for only $7.
~Invest in some reusable produce bags. I feel like most people come across reusable bags from college events, conferences, etc. but it is nifty to have some for produce or bulk bin shopping. They are cheap, can be thrown in the washing machine, and save you from using those single use plastic bags at the grocery store. π Click on the images below to check out my favorites!
~Switch to bar bathroom products! I’ve raved about why I use bars over bottles in the past, and I will continue to do so to avoid the plastic that comes with many bath products. It is easy to find bar products now: homemade soaps at the farmer’s market, shampoo bars from Lush or on Amazon, even specialty websites like Ethique! Make sure you use up your plastic bottles before switching.
~Buy reusable cotton swabs. I don’t use Q-tips to clean my ears (I prefer either using water or a metal ear pick). But, I have an acne cream that has to be applied with a cotton swab. I decided to purchase a set of reusable cotton swabs to ensure I wasn’t creating any excess waste! My skin is quite prone to break outs if I’m not careful; I definitely wasn’t about to give up the cream that works! Check out companies like Last Swab or knock off Amazon versions (which do tend to be cheaper!).
~Find an alternative to saran wrap! I got a comment regarding replacement options for plastic wrap on my post about what to do with old plastics in your home. There are quite a few easy sustainable swaps you can make. My faves are beeswax wrap, silicone covers, reusable Ziploc bags, and reusing containers you already have! If you are interested in any of these, click on the picture below to learn more π
All in all, there are SO many easy sustainable swaps you can make during Plastic Free July! π These were some of the first ones I made, so I highly recommend. I also featured some other swaps on my Instagram account; make sure to check that out as well! What are you doing to stay sustainable this Plastic Free July?
