Words by Smiley Team
Luckily for the planet, the majority of people want to transition towards more sustainable lifestyles. In lockdown this became even clearer, with over a third of people adopting eco-friendly habits, according to a survey by Bulb.
If you’re among the growing number of people hoping to minimise their carbon footprint and household waste, the good news is there are plenty of ways to do so.
Every household chore, including the way you cook, clean and wash yourself, can become more environmentally friendly. Just switch your usual household essentials for more eco-conscious alternatives. Here are some suggested substitutes from the UK-based retailer, Peace With the Wild, to get you going.
While sponges help reduce the amount of elbow-grease needed to do the washing up, most are made of highly polluting, non-biodegradable plastic. To avoid the damaging impact discarded sponges can have on the environment, opt for a compostable alternative. Eco Living’s compostable sponge cloths are a durable and reusable substitute that you can use anywhere in the house.
Many household cleaning products contain chemicals that pollute rivers and streams and reduce biodiversity. Rather than buying environmentally harmful sprays, choose natural substitutes that permit you to clean just as effectively. Either make your own by mixing white vinegar, or baking soda, with essential oils and water. Alternatively, Iron & Velvet’s eco-friendly cleaning liquids are made from naturally derived plant extracts and are 100% plastic free.
The primary reason for wearing rubber gloves is to protect your hands from harsh chemicals. So if you decide to switch to natural sprays you no longer need them. However, for those sticking with gloves, there are more environmentally-friendly versions available. Eco-friendly household product brand If You Care sells fair trade FSC certified natural rubber gloves that easily decompose when discarded.
While plastic bin bags have such a devastating impact on the environment, it’s a no brainer to switch to compostable alternatives. The Zero Waste Club produces bin bags made from corn starch that are 100% biodegradable and suitable for home composting. What’s more, for every packet bought they plant a tree, restoring forests around the world that suck carbon out of the atmosphere.
Swap your plastic tubes of toothpaste for vegan formulas packaged in recyclable and biodegradable pots. Georganics offers a range of vegan, plastic-free toothpaste which come in flavours such as eucalyptus, peppermint and orange.
Cling film is another source of household waste that goes to landfill only to break down into small plastic particles that harm wildlife. To keep your food fresh in a more sustainable way, vegan wax wraps made from organic cotton and plant based wax, are a reusable alternative that also looks good in your fridge. Check out eco brands BeeBee, Vegan Food Wraps, and Rowen Stillwater to browse different sizes and patterns.
Mainstream laundry detergents can harm your health as well as the environment, causing skin irritation and respiratory problems, all while polluting natural water sources. BPA-free laundry eggs are a safer alternative that can be used up to 70 times before you recycle them. To do a wash the eggs are filled with pellets of eco-friendly detergent, that are free from environmentally harmful palm oil, SLS, SLES, parabens, petrochemicals, enzymes, phosphates and microplastics.
When buying basic hair care products, it’s all too easy to grab a plastic bottle of shampoo from the supermarket shelves. To cut down on how much plastic you chuck out, shampoo bars are a more sustainable option wrapped in biodegradable cardboard packaging and made with more environmentally-friendly ingredients. With cheap, plastic-free bars readily available even at mainstream stores like Morrisons, there’s little excuse not to swap regular shampoo for this alternative.
Packaged in and made from 100% paper, Who Gives a Crap toilet roll is a great way to improve your household’s environmental impact. Take your environmental efforts up a notch by buying the brand’s most eco-friendly toilet paper made from sustainably sourced bamboo fibres.
All of the products listed here can be purchased online from the UK-based retailer, peacewiththewild.co.uk.
