It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the information about climate change: We hear that parts of Earth will become entirely uninhabitable or that melting permafrost has led to anthrax breakouts. And though it may seem like one person can’t make that much of a difference, every little bit helps and even if you aren’t going go zero-waste or buy a solar-powered bicycle-car, you can start by making some small, easy changes around your home.
Eco-friendly or environmentally friendly just means something that attempts to minimize effects on the environment. We all hear about the big ways we can do our part: drive less, eat less meat and dairy, use less water, switch to energy-efficient products to name a few but here are five easy product switches for our everyday household products that we can all make to work to try and do our part for our planet.
The paper towel is probably one of the most extravagant products in an American household. Meant for one-time use and then disposal, paper towels contribute more than 13 billion pounds of waste to landfills in the United States alone. It’s clear that most Americans have become accustomed to paper towels and though alternatives like towels or rags are a viable option, Bambooee has made a reusable paper towel made from organic bamboo, a more sustainable alternative material. Bambooee is dispensed in the same way as a regular paper towel but can then be washed in a washing machine up to 100 times. On top of that, for every roll of Bambooee sold a tree is planted; so not only are you making an easy switch to a more eco-friendly product of a product you already use, you are helping the effort to try and rebuild the environment. Check out Bambooee’s page on Dealspotr for deals.
Laundry detergent seems like a fairly innocuous household product but the chemical components in most laundry detergents have toxic effects on aquatic animals and vegetation, linger in the environment, and can cause health problems in humans like cancer. In addition the sheer quantity of detergent being used means that the volume of plastic containers being sent to landfills, since these containers are generally non-reusable and non-recyclable, contributes to unnecessary waste. Eco Nuts has provided an eco-friendly alternative to traditional laundry detergent in the form of dried berries that, when agitated in water, produce a natural surfactant (the main ingredient in soaps). Not only that, the berries are reusable up to 10 times: You simply put 4 to 5 berries in a cloth bag, put in with your laundry, and sit back and relax knowing that not only are you avoiding toxic chemicals on your own clothes but that you aren’t contributing to more environmental damage. Though Eco Nuts might already be an wallet & eco-friendly alternative, see if Dealspotr has any promotions running.
We’ve all become relatively accustomed to bringing our own reusable bags to the grocery store, if only to avoid having to pay for a plastic or paper bag but something that didn’t occur to me until recently is that I was still using the plastic produce bags for my fruits and veggies. Luckily there are reusable bags for that purpose. Though many brands offer reusable produce bags, EcoBags offers a wide variety of sizes and materials as well as offering many other types of eco-friendly bags. In addition, EcoBags are responsibly made and have a clear supply chain: their employees are compensated fairly and their materials are either organic or made of recycled post-industrial fibers. Look for deals on EcoBags on Dealspotr.
Though computers and other technology means we don’t really write as much as we used to, there is still a time and place for a good old-fashioned pen. To that end, Pilot has created the B2P Ball Point and Gel Roller, pens made from recycled water bottles (literally Bottle-To-Pen). The body of the pen is made of 89% recycled plastic and the design itself emulates the look of plastic water bottles. A small switch perhaps but one that doesn’t require any sacrifice. And to increase the eco-friendly aspect of this pen, consider buying refills instead of throwing out the whole pen: not only does it reduce waste, it saves you money as well. See if Dealspotr has any deals for Pilot products.
Americans use an average of 7 million rolls of toilet paper a year and the desire for the softest, most luxurious bathroom experience means that most toilet paper is made out of pulp from virgin wood, clean and untreated pulp that comes straight from forests. To combat this Who Gives A Crap has made a toilet paper that made of eco-friendly materials (bamboo or 100% recycled material) and donates 50% of their profits to fund hygiene and sanitation projects around the world. And don’t think you have to sacrifice softness for eco-friendliness, according to their own site their toilet paper is “as soft as unicorn kisses and as strong as 1000 ponies.” And with free delivery on orders over $25, you can get all the eco-friendly toilet paper you want delivered to your door -- no more midnight toilet paper runs needed. Check out if Dealspotr has any deals going on.
It’s daunting to say you want to help the environment and we often think of the extremes of people who’ve eschewed mainstream culture and live in trees but being more eco-friendly should be a normal part of our lives and helping the environment is something we can all do one step at a time. Even if you don’t try all five of these products, hopefully it’ll inspire you to consider your everyday consumption and waste.
