For a long time, I thought that it didn’t matter if I bought items in plastic because it was recyclable. I believed that if it went into a recycling bin, that meant it was recycled. Well, I think we all know that this is a fallacy and unfortunately only a portion of the items thrown into the recycle bin are actually recycled. In fact, according to an article from Green Matters in March of 2021, they state that only 9% of plastics are recycled. YIKES!
At our home, we’ve made an effort to use products that reduce single-use plastic or come in packaging that is biodegradable. Here are some of our favorite solutions. All the products mentioned below are from Tru Earth. Click here to check out their online store. And for those of you that are curious, yes, we are an affiliate partner of Tru Earth.
- Probably one of my favorite products are Tru Earth laundry strips. These strips come in a cardboard box rather in a plastic bottle or bag. Have you ever thought about how many plastic bottles of laundry detergent go into a recycle bin in a year? For every 32 loads purchased from Tru Earth, one plastic jug is eliminated from a landfill or the ocean! As of September 7, 2021, Tru Earth estimates that they’ve stopped 5,814,991 plastic jugs from being thrown away. Tru Earth has some great bundles available with big savings right now. Click here to shop.
- Have you ever watched people in the produce section and how many plastic bags they use? Think about how many people shop daily and how many of them use the plastic produce bags. The numbers are staggering. I use cotton mesh produce bags. These bags work great and can be washed if they get dirty. I also like to use them for bulk foods as well. Each time you use one of these bags, you are helping to keep plastic out of landfills, rivers and oceans. Check these out by clicking here.
- Instead of wrapping food in plastic wrap, try Tru Earth Beeswax food wraps. The beeswax wraps are made with cotton fabric, beeswax, tree resin and jojoba oil. These all natural and non-toxic ingredients help form a wrap that is sturdy and reusable. These wraps are 100% biodegradable and are safe for the environment too. They are also easy to use and clean. Click here to have a look.
- Another great find that I recently discovered are Swedish Dishcloths. Made of a cellulose-cotton blend, Tru Earth Swedish Dishcloths are 100% biodegradable, so it won’t sit in landfills. Just toss them out with your compostable waste, and they will decompose in a few weeks. The dishcloth lasts for months, can absorb 15x its own weight in liquid (up to 3/4 of a cup) and replace the use of up to 17 rolls of paper towels, thus reducing plastic packaging and household waste in landfills. Check them out on Tru Earth’s online store.
- Lastly, I encourage you to make purchasing decisions based on an items packaging. Look for items that are packaged in compostable or biodegradable materials. For example, buy eggs in paper cartons rather than plastic or styrofoam. Buy drinks that come in cartons rather than plastic bottles. Buy soaps that come in a cardboard box or wrapped in paper rather than in a plastic sleeve. Really the list can be endless. It simply requires that people pay attention and make decisions that can benefit the planet.
If we all step up and do a little to stop the use of single use plastics and make product decisions that are environmentally friendly, we can make a big impact. Consider giving these items as gifts this holiday season and open another’s eyes to eco-friendly solutions.
“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”
Robert Swann