When researching how to reduce my emissions footprint many sources gave similar answers: buy reusable, buy green, don't buy plastics, don't buy disposable. And while this is good advice, I wanted specifics. I can use up my chemical products and repurpose the plastic containers, replace broken utensils and dishes with thrifted or bamboo items, use a cloth makeup wipe instead of disposable wipes, buy items made with recycled materials, and use rechargeable batteries. But I've been doing these, and want to step up my sustainability. Do you feel the same?

Know going into this that you don't have to buy new green things to be more sustainable. It can be as easy as repurposing old clothes into cleaning cloths, or making your own cleaning spray with vinegar and an old spray bottle. More importantly, finish what you have first before buying an alternative. Throwing out unfinished non-eco friendly products just creates more waste. So think about these alternatives the next time you run out of them.

Reusable Lint Roller

An alternative I don't often see talked about is reusable lint rollers. With plastic handles and disposable adhesive strips, lint rollers create a decent amount of waste. So when that refill adhesive roll runs out you can purchase a cloth brush, depiller, reusable lint roller, fabric shaver, or even a pumice stone. These replacements will last you much longer than a "traditional" disposable lint roller. Cloth brushes and fabric shavers are the old-fashioned and truly traditional lint rollers. Not to mention that other methods often work better than disposable lint rollers.

While there is a price difference ($3 disposable, $10 brush), the value can be seen overtime as there is no need for repurchasing.

Menstrual Products

An unavoidable part of life for some people, menstrual products generate a lot of waste and can be made of harsh chemicals hence the recent switch to more eco-friendly alternatives. A popular pick is reusable menstrual cups made of silicone, latex, or rubber, the use of which only creating "0.4% of the plastic waste produced by pads and 6% of the plastic waste produced by tampons" (Tan, 2021).

For some, the former is uncomfortable and they feel more secure using alternatives similar to what they already use, like cloth pads or period underwear. Before using chemical filled disposable pads people bled onto rags or cloths. Cloth pads use absorbent materials like fleece, cotton, hemp, and bamboo. Often there is another layer of a different material like "thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) that acts as an additional layer of leak protection. TPU is biodegradable" (Giordano, 2022).

While again these products can be expensive - $15 for 1 reusable pad versus $10 for 36 disposable pads - reusable pads can last for at least five years. Even if a switch is made for just one day of your period, it still reduces waste and exposure to chemicals.

If on the fence about switching, take a peak at the following study done on the chemicals in Always disposable pads. Periods are natural and natural products work just as well for them.

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