10 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Buy Reusable

by Published on 01/19/2012 34 Comments

You have your own shopping bags and your reusable water bottle, but here’s 10 things you didn’t know you could also buy reusable – to reduce your household’s waste and conserve natural resources.

Alexis Petru

Alexis Petru

Staff Writer


  1. El-Amin Muhammad

    posted on January 20th, 2012 at 4:36 pm

    by getting rid of all the plastic, are we giong back to cutting down the rest of the rain forest?

  2. Janet CocoCynderella Bello

    posted on January 29th, 2012 at 7:45 pm

    I don't think we are necessarily getting "rid" of plastic, but it does seem like we're reusing the plastic that already exist--which is tons upon tons-- instead of finding away to destroy it, hence while destroying our planet. Seems like we're taking "greener" steps towards and thinking more green by reusing, reducing and recycling!

  3. Carol Sowell

    posted on February 5th, 2012 at 8:43 pm

    We won't be cutting more trees if we use our own grocery bags. The bags that are very thin, but very strong can fold into themselves to about 3x4 inches or less and slip in a pocket or purse as you go in the store. I get a 5 cent credit for each of my bags instead of using plastic.

  4. Christina Lee Countryman

    posted on January 25th, 2012 at 3:44 am

    no need to use forest trees hemp is an annual which provides ideal fiber for cloth and paper.

  5. Ron Wohlfarth

    posted on January 25th, 2012 at 6:58 pm

    ---10 things you didn’t know you could also buy reusable...

  6. Jamie L. Edwards

    posted on January 25th, 2012 at 7:09 pm

    Very cool ideas!

  7. Joanne Day

    posted on January 25th, 2012 at 8:10 pm

    reussable dryer sheets to reusable tea bags wow who would a thought.

  8. Bunnie A Kelly

    posted on January 25th, 2012 at 10:30 pm

    I love 'going green' ideas.

  9. Lu-Ann Doyle

    posted on January 26th, 2012 at 2:02 am

    I'll be looking into purchasing some of these reusable items.

  10. Trudy Goerig

    posted on January 26th, 2012 at 6:01 am

    I love using reusable bags of all kinds.

  11. Linda Leighton

    posted on January 26th, 2012 at 1:43 pm

    Neat ideas - reuse is better than recycling!

  12. Vina Bilow

    posted on January 26th, 2012 at 6:52 pm

    I esp. like the toothbrush heads. Am very much into recycling, green, composting, etc.

  13. Debbie Kay Hale

    posted on January 26th, 2012 at 8:05 pm

    Love the coffee filter item.

  14. Joseph Chiapperini

    posted on January 27th, 2012 at 11:05 pm

    We bought a metal filter last year; the grounds are composted at the landfill because we don't garden and have a lot unsuitable for gardening.

  15. Joseph Chiapperini

    posted on January 27th, 2012 at 11:01 pm

    I can't see how the drinking straw can be washed in the dishwasher. It's narrow and bent; how will the water get into and through it?

  16. Grassroots Environmental Products

    posted on January 31st, 2012 at 10:29 pm

    Joseph, they come with a small, thin brush specifically made for them. Whoever buys the straws we always recommend to get the brush as well as it reaches everywhere. Leaving it up to the dishwasher is indeed inferior to washing it by hand.

  17. Carol Sowell

    posted on February 5th, 2012 at 8:37 pm

    I use the Cool Gear double wall about two pint tumblers with a gasket (removable) lid that has a hole in the top for a straw. The straw has a small ring at the bottom which serves as a bumper so the straw cannot come out the top. I fill the tumbler with only Poland Springs bottled water so I know there are no contaminants that can be introduced and will make no hard water stains. I clean the tumbler every day or two with a half and half plain Clorox and water solution and run it through the straw. I use only about two or three ounces of solution and after swirling it I add some dish soap and a little more water so I can wash with a clean dish cloth. A good rinse and dry and in just a few minutes I know my tumbler is completely clean. They are not dishwasher safe and my cleaning method seems to work. I've had my tumbler for over a year and it looks brand new.

  18. Carol Sowell

    posted on February 5th, 2012 at 8:45 pm

    I forgot to mention that these tumblers can keep water very cold for hours with ice in them even in the summer.

  19. Melissa Becker

    posted on January 29th, 2012 at 6:47 pm

    wow this is great, thanks!

  20. Janet CocoCynderella Bello

    posted on January 29th, 2012 at 7:47 pm

    <3 This is stellar! <3

  21. Joan M. Frederick

    posted on January 31st, 2012 at 12:32 am

    Great information!

  22. Grassroots Environmental Products

    posted on January 31st, 2012 at 10:27 pm

    We carry all sorts of reusable products - glass straws, dryer sheets, organic cotton make up pads and menstrual pads, hemp coffee and tea filters... Maybe the most interesting reusable product would be the Himalayan Soap Nuts - 250 grams can be used for approx. 50 loads of laundry.

  23. Jenny Strandberg

    posted on February 8th, 2012 at 5:16 pm

    How can it be environmentally friendly to go to the drycleaner at all? Plastic or fabric bag used for the clothes is irrelevant.

  24. Delicia Ambrosino

    posted on February 9th, 2012 at 11:55 pm

    If you have pillow cases you no longer want to use on your bed but are still in great shape simply stitch or glue a handle {or 2} on the case and use for a shopping carry all, picnics, or anything else that needs to be toted about. You can always dress it up with your own personal signature design if you'd like to add a bit of pizzazz to it.

  25. Mary Smith

    posted on February 10th, 2012 at 12:59 pm

    I use 1/2 of a washcloth dipped in a bowl filled with half fabric softener and half water.Wring it out then throw it in the dryer with my clothes.I haven't bought dryer sheets in years.

  26. John Schneyer

    posted on February 12th, 2012 at 9:41 pm

    Anybody have experience with any of these?

  27. Wren Paasch

    posted on February 14th, 2012 at 1:43 am

    You could also use a french press and bypass the coffee filter altogether. :)

  28. April McFarling Segura

    posted on February 14th, 2012 at 6:32 am

    I want that stainless steel straw!

  29. Jessica Warnike

    posted on February 14th, 2012 at 3:41 pm

    I am totally getting the reusable dryer sheets, save money and waste.

  30. Glenda Thompson

    posted on February 16th, 2012 at 7:39 pm

    I want to know what the ss. straw costs but the website wants you to "jump thru hoops" sign up , posts to facebook. etc etc. sooo when a new item is shown could you please include the price Thank you.. Also love all the info , since I'm a poor southern country girl my family and I have been into recycling all along just did't know it was the right thing to do lol, we are poor an always used it up!

  31. Susan Albro Miller

    posted on February 28th, 2012 at 2:41 pm

    They have those straws at Lehman's (are you familiar with them?) but I don't remember how much they cost

  32. Glenda Thompson

    posted on February 29th, 2012 at 6:54 pm

    Susan Albro Miller HI thank you, yes they have the ss straws they are 12.95 for 4 not to bad a price if you have kids who love drinking thru straws thank you again

  33. Deb Newell-Scott

    posted on February 20th, 2012 at 11:37 pm

    An option which I use is to buy a 5 gallon bucket with a lid, add one bottle of your fav liquid fabric softener and then refill that bottle 3 times with distilled water and add to bucket, stir. Add 5 or 6 Cellulose sponges. With each load of clothes you put in the dryer toss in one sponge, (lightly squeeze out excess liquid) and then when the load is done toss the sponge back into the bucket. I've used the same sponges for 2 years now and I'm on my second bottle of fabric softener in that time also... it goes a long way on saving money and you are reusing the sponges instead of throwing away dryer sheets.... You have to use distilled water or the solution could spoil.

  34. Jodi Rhinehart

    posted on February 21st, 2012 at 6:32 am

    I think the stainless steel straw is terrific!

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