Our lifestyles consistently produce waste. Feeling inclined to live sustainably comes from how easy it is to ignore the damage our waste is causing. Anxiety fills me as I listen to the noise about how our environment is declining. It leaves me questioning if I have a future to look forward to. I’m tired of brushing off the fact that we are poisoning our environment.
To start taking initiative I’m recognizing the waste I use and produce every day. Starting with the trash I produce in my morning routine. The products I use for my hygiene are vital. I’ve found that practicing an earth-friendlier routine doesn’t have to mean sacrificing any part of my routine. Choosing to shop consciously by using products that contribute less waste is a simple place to start. The tips below provide ideas about how to switch out regularly used products for an earth-friendly version.
Single-use cotton
Count how many cotton products that are being used in an everyday hygiene routine. Q-tips, cotton balls and makeup remover wipes are popular in my bathroom. Substituting single-use cotton with a washcloth that can be washed and used again is an earth-friendlier alternative.
Some products are inevitable to substitute, like toilet paper. There are brands that use organic cotton and recyclable materials to make cotton products more eco-friendly.
Feminine Hygiene
People who menstruate are limited to how sustainable they can be. One-time-use cottons like tampons and pads are necessary. Alternative products like menstrual cups are reusable and eliminate having to dispose of single-use cottons. Menstrual cups can have more benefits than tampons, like being able to wear it for up to 12 hours and one cup can hold all flow sizes. While menstruating, wear it like a tampon. The instructions are to empty it 2-3 times per 24 hours, rinse out and reinsert.
If changing to a menstrual cup isn’t convenient, try buying applicator-less tampons. Since there’s less packaging, applicator-less tampons are cheaper, easier to carry around and contribute less waste.
The work falls onto your fingers to place menstrual cups and applicator-less tampons, so make sure to wash your hands before inserting the products.
Shaving
Reducing the number of disposable razors that you use is possible by saving the handle and disposing of the razor head. Consciously shop for razors that are made of sustainable materials and can be used over and over again with a disposable razor head.
Oral hygiene
Just like the razors, there are toothbrushes that are made of sustainable materials and disposable heads. It’s good practice to toss out your toothbrush every few months, but the plastic adds up over time. Brush heads that click in and out are a lower impact way of tossing out your toothbrush.
Shampoo, Conditioner and Soap
At Sundance Natural Grocer, off of 24th and Hilyard in Eugene, customers can bring in their own containers to fill up on 12 varieties of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Among the bulk section, there are also 6 different bulk options of liquid soap along with 15 varieties of bar soap in bulk.
Another alternative is bar shampoo and conditioner- the traditional liquid product in a bar soap form. Using bar shampoo and conditioner cuts down on plastic bottle and packaging waste.
Ingredients for D.I.Y products
Making and using homemade products can cut down on packaging waste and production pollution. Products like jojoba oil, vegetable glycerin, witch hazel, castor oil, and almond oil can be used as ingredients to make products.
Herbs and ingredients can found at Mountain Rose Herbs Mercantile. Located in the 5th street market hub of Eugene, Mountain Rose Herbs offers dried and liquid ingredients for any herbal concoction whether it’s for hygiene or medicine. The shop also sells tools, containers and offers free recipes to help create products.
Words and photos by Kimberly Harris
