One of my goals for the last few years has been to adopt more low-waste practices into my everyday routine. As a daily beach goer, I have been finding so many microplastics littering the shoreline. My oldest daughter and I often have playdates with friends where we pick them all up and teach them about recycling and caring for the planet. But the beaches are being filled with these tiny plastics of assorted colors, which means the oceans are as well!
I began researching the topic more in depth and I was shocked to read that every single piece of plastic ever made still exists today. So I vowed to do better through living a more minimalistic way with less plastic and more reusable items. I found a whole movement around low waste living and even a zero-waste lifestyle.
I thought it would be fun to share a few ways I have incorporated some changes into my lifestyle. While I am still on this journey and am in no ways perfect, I think that every little bit counts towards living a low waste lifestyle.
Swap This for That: Bye Bye Cotton Balls
One of the first changes I did was swap one time use cotton pads/cotton balls for reusable fabric pads. I used cotton rounds every single day, often in the morning and at night. I used them to put on my toner, to remove eye makeup, and to fix makeup errors so I was definitely going through them quickly. And that was just me? Now multiply that by all the women across the world! There is so much cotton going straight into the landfills, not to mention all the plastic the products are wrapped in.
I first was introduced to reusable cotton pads from Instagram by an account called Marleys Monsters! Of course, I immediately ordered some from their shop and was hooked! I purchased a set of $20 for 16 and still use them to this day, almost two years later! All you have to do is wash them in the laundry and you are good to go again! I keep a small mesh laundry bag, one usually made for intimates, in my bathroom and will place them in the bag once I have used them. I typically go through 20 of them every 1.5-2 weeks, then I just add the mesh bag to my load of laundry and I am good to go! So simple and such an easy way to make an impact with low waste living.
I recommend choosing facial pads that are made from organic cotton or sustainable bamboo to really make the most impact!
Another Option: MakeUp Eraser
I’ve also heard great things about a MakeUp Eraser. It’s a 100% polyester cloth that is antibacterial and great for sensitive skin. It’s also double sided to erase makeup with the short fiber side and exfoliate skin with the long-fiber side! Apparently, one MakeUp eraser is equal to 3,600 makeup remover wipes! I think that will definitely save you some money!
They can also be machine washed up to 1,000 times! It is definitely a better option than makeup wipes, but because it is made from polyester, a synthetic fabric, it isn’t the most sustainable option. But honestly, I think every little bit helps so if this is something that will help remove makeup wipes than go for it!
You can shop our favorite cotton round alternatives below!
Swap This for That // Ditch Your Bottled Dish Soap!
Another easy swap you can make is to say bye! bye! bye! to your bottled dish soap and switch to a dish washing block! I was actually drawn to this swap on a Pinterest pinning spree, where I kept seeing these beautiful, aesthetically pleasing dish washing stations. I don’t love washing dishes so having a cute space to motivate me to do them is definitely a win.
You can use different kinds of soaps, including the popular Dr. Bronner’s Castille Bar Soap. I typically purchase the unscented version for washing dishes! I like Dr. Bronner’s because his soaps are fully biodegradable, use all natural vegan ingredients that pose no threat to the environment and all products are cruelty-free and never tested on animals! They are also all package in 100% post-consumer recycled wrappers, diverting discarded paper from from landfills! It’s a win-win for me!
I also really like the No Tox Life Dish Block! It’s also unscented & fragrance-free, but it really works on dishes, tackling everything from leftover grease grime to dirty glasses! It also can lather really well, similar to traditional dish soap!
I recommend purchasing a scrub brush made from natural fibers! You can find this one on Amazon, as well as this one from Full-Circle! I wet my brush, rub it on my soap, and am able to get a good lather! Once I’m done cleaning, I just leave the brush right on top of the soap!
Super easy and great for the environment!
Here are some of my favorite swaps for washing dishes!
Swap This for That // Switch out Plastic!
I think plastic was created with good intentions, as it made things easily accessible, was sturdy, and inexpensive to make. However, I think that the way we so easily dispose of it and the fact that it can’t be broken down has created a real problem.
There are millions of animals dying each year due to our plastic pollution! I read that if we continue to use plastic the way we do today, that there will be more plastic than fish by the year 2050. So sad! If that’s not a reason to make some changes than I don’t know what is!
One of the first ways I did this was to get rid of plastic tupperware and to start purchasing glass instead! It’s a great way to not have so much disposable plastic, while also ensuring you aren’t getting any chemicals in your food!
Melissa put together a great list of items previously on how to make a more sustainable, non-toxic kitchen! Check out her blog post here!
After I switched out some tupperware in my kitchen, I then decided it was to time to ditch my plastic toothbrush! Upon researching, I found that plastic toothbrushes, like straws or other types of single use plastics, don’t break down in the environment and are extremely hard to recycle.
So I made the switch to a bamboo toothbrush! Not only is the handle biodegradable, but bamboo grows really quickly, doesn’t need a lot of care and doesn’t require harmful chemicals like pesticides or fertilizers!
The only downside is that the bristles are not biodegradable so if you are going to add it to your compost, be sure to just remove the bristles first!
Here are some great options for a bamboo toothbrush! As well as a toothpaste that also offers recyclable packaging!
Books to Help You Learn More about Sustainable, Low-Waste Living
Simply Living Well by Julia Watkins // I love this book! It is full of rituals, recipes, projects and ideas for living simply and sustainably at home. It covers everything from the kitchen, cleaning, wellness, bath, and garden. The author Julia Watkins (instagram: simply.living.well) shows you how to eliminate wasteful packaging, harmful ingredients, and disposable items! It’s such a great read!
Live Green: 52 Steps for a More Sustainable Life by Jen Chillingsworth // This is a practical guide of 52 sustainable living changes – one for each week of the year! She offers easy solutions to reduce your impact on the environment. (instagram: jenlittlebirdie)
An Almost Zero Waste Life: Learning How to Embrace Less to Live More by Megean Weldon // Obsessed with this book! It was such a great and informational read! The author Megean (instagram: zerowastenerd) shares tips, strategies, recipes, and DIY projects for reducing waste in this approachable, beautifully designed and illustrated guide!
Sustainable Home by Christine Liu // The author Christine Liu takes you on a tour through the rooms of your home – the living area, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom – offering tips, tricks and 18 step-by-step projects designed to help you lead a more low-impact lifestyle! I really love this book! Follow her on instagram: simplybychristine
Documentaries to Watch// Low Waste Living and Sustainable Living
A Plastic Ocean // I really enjoyed this documentary and learned a lot! It talks all about the devastating impacts plastic has caused to our environment, especially marine life.
No Impact Man // This documentary is about a man named Colin Beavan and his family who go an entire year trying to live while making no net environmental impact. They pretty much give up all the comforts of modern living in their New York apartment. It’s a great introduction to low waste or zero waste living! You definitely don’t have to go that extreme if you don’t want, but it does show some alternatives that you can easily incorporate into your daily life!
Blue // This is another documentary about how the ocean is suffering so much! It’s super good and it really shows the dangers the coral, fish and other marine life are facing!
Hope you all enjoyed today’s post! I know that sometimes trying to be more minimal or low-waste can be daunting, but if we all make even small changes, they can have such a big impact on our environment!
Let us know if you have any other suggestions!
xoxoxo,
Kari
p.s. some of the links do contain affiliate links and we do make a small commission off those! Just full disclosure!
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