I am an enthusiastic proponent of the idea that we could happily do without a lot of stuff in the name of living an eco-friendly life, but of course, we do still need some things.
Being green doesn’t mean martyring yourself by suffering without these necessities. I wouldn’t expect you to give up the basics like clothing, food, and shelter — or even the seemingly endless minutiae of random objects that so many of us take for granted like pens, tweezers, mirrors, flashlights, and smartphones.
For those items we can’t live without, there are often ways we can improve how we acquire, take care of, and dispose of these necessities. There is almost always a greener option just around the corner.
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A Recipe for Waste Reduction
Kitchens are often the living hub of the household. Here, we gather with our families and eat the food that keeps us alive. But kitchens can also produce a lot of waste. Put a lid on kitchen waste with these three green household products to replace not-so-green common kitchen necessities.
1. Reusable Produce Bags
We all know that plastic bags are a problem. And more of us are bringing our own reusable shopping bags to the grocery store to cart our purchases home — great job! But are you still using those handy plastic bags that are available in the produce and bulk food sections of your local grocer’s?
If you haven’t switched to reusable mesh bags for transporting your produce home, try Colony Co. reusable produce bags. Unlike many other reusable produce bags, they’re made of unbleached cotton and are biodegradable at their end of life. Each bag has the tare weight noted on brightly colored labels — easy for you and for the cashier!
Now, what if you’re having trouble keeping your produce fresh once you get it in the fridge? The Vejibag reusable vegetable preservation bag is more than just a reusable bag for transporting your veggies home from the store. Wet it, and it keeps your greens crisp, your carrots crunchy, and your herbs perky for longer than they ever would in a plastic bag.
2. Natural Dish Scrubbers
Did your Grandma have one of those cheerful nylon scrubbers always sitting happily inside of its froggy holder on the side of her sink, too? While simple nylon scrubbers have been a staple in many kitchens for years, eco-friendly alternatives are ready to take their place.
From simple solutions like scrubber sponges made with walnut shells or 100% coconut fiber scrub pads to bamboo dish brushes with natural bristles, the options for plastic-free scrubbing are endless. Such options reduce the waste of petroleum-based plastic manufacturing, and due to their natural materials, many of these options can be composted after they wear out.
3. Beeswax Food Wrap
It can be tough to imagine, but there was a time before plastic wrap and disposable ziplock bags — and there can be life afterward, too! Reusable glass containers are great for leftovers, but when you need to seal a bowl, wrap a slab of cheese, or keep the end of a cut cucumber fresh, I love to use a reusable beeswax wrap called Abeego.
I discovered Abeego at a farmer’s market in Victoria, Canada, a few years ago and it has been a staple in my (mostly) plastic-free kitchen ever since. Natural cotton and hemp fibers infused with beeswax and tree resins create a flexible, pliable, reusable sheet that you can mold to securely wrap up leftovers, cover an open container, or hold a sandwich. Easy to wipe clean and compostable when it wears out after a year or two, Abeego is a great solution for securing your food and keeping it fresh.
But there are a lot of options out there. We also recommend Etee organic beeswax wraps, and more reusable food wraps are hitting the market daily.
Feature image by Jean van der Meulen from Pexels. Originally published on January 16, 2015, this article was updated in November 2021.