5 easy sustainable swaps (and other eco-friendly tips)
POV: I’m sitting in a coffee shop drinking a cold brew with oat milk and honey MUCH too late in the day for me to get a decent night’s rest tonight (but I’m also going out for a friends b-day and will likely stay out late and by late I mean past 9pm. WHO IS SHE?!
Anywho, as I type up this list I’m trying to think of some fun and hip way to start this blog and make it exciting and I’m stuck and I just can’t think of a cool way to start this mess but then I ABRUPTLY remember how annoying it is to find a list or recipe you’ve been looking for and then you have to SCROLL SCROLL SCROLL past the blogger’s entire life story just to get to the damn thing and it’s just so annoying, like WE DON’T CAREEE.
So this is me not doing that. Cheers.
Okay but I will add this for starters. Before going more** natural, this is an app that greatly helped me clean up my life:
Yuka is an app that scans both food and cosmetics for a rundown of nutritional quality &/or potential harmful additives or chemicals. I use it for EVERYTHING. From my mascara and sunscreen to my almond milk and GF Oreos (which have a 24% score which is BAD due to some semi risky additives and terrible nutritional value. But at least I’m informed, yeah?)
** Once upon a time I threw out all my chemical filled cleaning products, bought a compost bin and watched one too many Environmental documentaries on Netflix and likely drove my roommates batshit crazy (thanks for loving me still!). I would spend my Saturday mornings separating our households trash and I was very unforgiving if you put the number 7 plastic in the number 4 bin.
Was it extra? Absolutely. And I eventually processed in therapy that what started out as caring for Mother Earth turned into an unhealthy episode of control.
SO. Watch all the documentaries. Care for the earth. Do your part to make this world better. But also, like, chill? hehehe.
OKAY! So, with that I’ve compiled a list that makes our world just a little bit better, one swap at a time. For those who are just starting the adventure into sustainability, it can feel SO daunting. Sustainability has become so on trend that it’s hard to know what to do and where to start. These were some of my first swaps as I transitioned to a more natural, sustainable lifestyle and my list is compiled with general price points and a crunchy scale. Let me explain…
Most swaps will save money in the long run, but may be an investment initially. The initial investment will range from
$$$ - kinda cheap
$$ - cheaper
$ - cheapest
I’ve also included some links of things I purchased or close to what I purchased in order to make these sustainable swaps more practical for my lifestyle. As an Amazon Associate I earn a little here and there from qualifying purchases.
Crunchy scale - If you know me, you know I’m a granola gal through and through. Natural deodorant is my preference and making my own bread is my jam. I frequent flea markets and rummaging through thrift stores is my favorite past time. But I’m also aware that though some of these swaps are MY favorite, they may be a bit outside of the average person’s comfort zone. So this crunchy scale is according to my personal experience of judgment from the average person. :)
Crunchy
Crunchier
Crunchiest
OKAYYYY now that I have officially become that blogger that tells you their life story before getting to the list, here is the list.
For those of you who rolled their eyes and grew annoyed with my life story above,
THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN STOP SCROLLING - HERE IS THE LIST
make your own laundry detergent - $$ cheaper and crunchier
This swap received the crunchier rating because the average person enjoys that fresh linen smell when taking their freshly washed laundry out of the drier.
But it’s also important to know that that fresh linen smell was created in a lab with lots of chemicals. Yikes!
So once you train your sniffer to appreciate the more mild, light smell of whatever essential oil your little heart desires to add to your laundry detergent mix, then this is a much more practical swap!
Initially this may cost you a little bit o’ cash, but this recipe lasts me at least 6 months or longer. For reference, I do about 2 loads of laundry a week and wash my bedding sheets probably not enough. Here’s my recipe
Get an empty 1/2 gallon jug. You can reuse an old laundry detergent jug to save $$, but the amber pumps and glass jug linked below are my favorite
1/2 cup of liquid Castile soap - I use Dr. Bronner’s for everything. You can use unscented soap and add about 20-30 drops of essential oil for smell, but I like to use the lavender scent - both linked below.
1/2 cup of baking soda
Pour the castile soap, baking soda and essential oil (if adding) into the jug. Fill the rest of the jug with hot water, make sure to mix the baking soda well initially. This will eventually settle, make sure to shake again before using each time. If you’re using a pump jar like the ones linked below, I use about 20 pumps each load, give or take depending on the load size. Otherwise figure about 1/4-1/3 of a cup of liquid each load.
That’s it! That lasts me a very, very long time. I save money, my hormones and the earth all at the same time.
2. switch to a safety razor - $$ cheaper and crunchier
This swap, though fairly cheap, is not the cheapest on the list. And though it’s not entirely crunchy, it does take some getting used to.
I used to be afraid to use a safety razor because I heard all the horror stories of cutting oneself while shaving and I would have immediate flashbacks to my 7th grade self slicing up my whole ankle and leaving the bathroom looking like a murder scene. The reality is, after about 2.5 shaves, you’re a pro.
I DO have to be a bit more careful around my ankle’s and knees, but I get a MUCH closer shave and I save so much money over time. Not to mention, when I would walk down the razor aisle perusing the amount of different shaving products all shouting at me and fighting over who’s best - having used a safety razor for the past 5 years, the shaves from those plastic pieces of crap with 4+ razor blades that I would have to spend $10+ dollars to replace every month, come nothing CLOSE to the shave of my one blade that I have to replace about every other month or so.
This safety razor has a double edge, comes in lots of colors, and includes a stand and razors to start. All great things!
3. DIY dry shampoo - $ cheapest and crunchiest
If you’re a blonde, this swap is less crunchy. Let me explain.
It’s incredibly difficult to find dry shampoo that does not contain lots of harmful chemicals for both earth and your largest organ (skin). Nearly all dry shampoo’s come in aerosol cans or plastic packaging and if you’re crunchy like me and wash your hair less than a few times a week, this is not only an expensive habit but also one that is not entirely healthy for the planet.
So I use some corn starch (or arrowroot powder if you want to feel a little more classy) and essential oil for smell.
This is a crunchy swap. But if you have dark locks like me, you’re going to need to add some cocoa powder to this mix. I have a 1:1 ratio of corn starch and cocoa powder.
I get it. Not everyone loves the thought of chocolate in their hair. This is my most crunchiest swap on the list. And perhaps the most crunchy thing about me in general. But I WILL say I get lots of volume from this and only occasionally get a whiff of chocolate when I am in full throttle cardio mode. And I’ll also add that never, once, has anyone around me said “what’s that chocolate smell?”
I mix my dry shampoo concoction every few months or so in one of these spice shakers and then use a boar bristle brush to evenly disperse it through my scalp before bed. When I wake up in the morning, I have fresh hair :) And no, my pillow does not smell like chocolate.
4. swap out the plastic for glass - $$$ kinda cheap and crunchy
This swap can get as expensive as you want it, the sky is the limit. But with a few fairly inexpensive purchases over time, you can continue to swap out your whole kitchen with sustainable items if you wanted to. I love these big glass bowls for mixing and they come with lids so I can cart my potluck pasta to and from houses with ease. I make potluck pasta approximately twice a year because I simply don’t get out that much. It is great potluck pasta.
I use these glass tupperware containers for meal prep throughout the week and I love the air tight lids.
These wide mouth mason jars are a favorite for making my morning matcha or overnight oats. I use these reusable lids for when I pack drinks to go.
5. invest in reusable cleaning supplies - $$$ kinda cheap and crunchy
Again, this is a swap where it can be as expensive as you want it, but with inexpensive purchases over time, you invest in your sustainable lifestyle. A few mildly crunchy (and $$ saving) swaps that were my beginning was a reusable mop like this one and swapping out the paper towels for a good ole’ cloth.
This reusable mop uses microfiber pads that you can throw in the washer and reuse. The spray feature makes it feel just like the Swiffer, but with this I can use whatever liquid cleaner I want and continue to refill as necessary. It’s cheaper in the long run and zero waste.
I refill this mop with 1 tablespoon of Dr. Bronners and fill the rest with water. Same rule as the laundry detergent applies for smelly goodness, use some essential oil for scent, except I would use no more than 5-10 drops, as too much oil will make your floors slippery. If this isn’t your jam, get some citrus scented castile soap for a fresh, clean scent.
If you LOVE paper towels and need something on a roll that still has the paper towel feel, these semi-reusable towels come on a roll, are machine washable and can be reused up to 120 times give or take. When you’re done with them, they are compostable so no harm, no foul! Best of all worlds.
So there you have it.
A mini life story and 5 fairly easy sustainable swaps ranging from mildly crunchy to barefoot hippie tending her own garden, plucking eggs from her chicken coop, and making her own everything to reduce her carbon footprint (my dream). AND they all save your bank account. WOO-HOO!
