9 Household Swaps to Ramp Up Your Eco Living

1. Plastic Dish Brush –> Wooden Dish Brush

A dish brush is an absolute must in all households. Improve the style and eco-friendliness of your kitchen by substituting your classic plastic dish brush for a simple wooden dish brush. Pop it into a glass jar next to your sink to complete the minimalist kitchen look. The beauty of most wooden dish brushes on offer is that the handle of the brush can be removed from the head so you can continue to re-use the handle and simply replace the head.

2. Lunch Bag/Box –> Stainless Steel Container

Ditch your lunch bags and plastic lunch boxes for these stylish and practical tin containers, the perfect solution to litter-free lunches. They are ideal for a packed lunch for yourself and the kids, or for holding leftovers in the fridge or pantry. You can even compartmentalise your food so you get a whole day’s worth of food stacked in; morning tea, lunch and even snacks. If you are inclined to a takeaway meal or two each week, rather than accepting the plastic containers that takeaways typically come in, why not take your tin container to carry your meal in?

3. Glad Wrap –> Honey Wrap

If you’re a regular glad wrapper, it’s time to say goodbye to this little harmful film of plastic. Honey wraps are a beeswax wrap made from certified organic cotton as a natural, reusable and recyclable alternative to glad wrap. Honey wraps will easily cover your bowls of leftovers, or wrap up sandwiches and wraps to keep them fresh before eating. It is super easy to maintain and prolong the life of your honey wraps. When you notice they need a wash, soak in cold water and a natural dish wash detergent then dry off in the outdoors. Simple as that!

4. Plastic Toothbrush –> Bamboo Toothbrush

A super simple household swap for every member of the family. Steer clear of the abundance of plastic toothbrushes on offer and opt for biodegradable and recyclable bamboo brushes instead. With everyone in the fam on board the bamboo brush bandwagon, you’ll need to mark your brush with your name or initials to differentiate from one another. If you’re a bit of an artsy-craftsy kind of family, why not get creative and decorate each of your brushes to suit your personality? How fun! When your bamboo toothbrush is coming to the end of its life, shave the bristles off the head and recycle the handle, which will eventually break down in compost.

5. Plastic Cotton Buds –> Bamboo Cotton Buds

Plastic cotton buds have been washed up on the beach and found in our oceans in abundance and it’s time to put a stop to this. As an essential bathroom cupboard item, make sure you’re shopping for compostable cotton buds where the stick is made from something other than plastic, such as bamboo. The shape and design of cotton buds remains practical and useful for those precise little jobs, like removing your makeup or cleaning your jewellery, so let’s utilise this staple in a more sustainable way.

6. Plastic Pegs –> Bamboo Pegs

How often do you find yourself buying a new set of pegs when half your stash has miraculously disappeared? Plastic clothes pegs often make their way onto our beaches by falling off the line and getting flushed out to sea with storm water. Bamboo clothes pegs are a great alternative, sturdy and strong with no chance of staining your whites due to their low tannin content. Make bamboo pegs your new household stock-up as a more conscious choice to the coloured plastic alternative.

7. Body Wash –> Soap Bar

The environmental impact of bar soap is minimal when compared to that of its liquid counterpart, with a recent study finding that its carbon footprint is an average 25% lower. The plastic packaging that many body washes come in, as well as the ingredients of many liquids, is reason enough to swap out your daily body wash for a beautiful, natural bar of soap. Since most bars of soap are produced from fats, oils and water only, they typically have less chemicals than body wash, which will often be filled with surfactants, parabens and/or preservatives to produce lather and maintain shelf life. A simple, helpful and inexpensive swap as you move towards an eco-friendly household.

8. Tampons & Pads –> Menstrual Cup

A slightly more personal household swap is the classic sanitary tampons and pads for the new reusable alternative, known as the menstrual cup; a complete game changer when it comes to your period. Not only will your menstrual cup last for years and save you plenty of moolah otherwise wasted on tampons and pads, it’s also good for the environment, holds more than tampons and is super comfortable.

9. Sponge –> Old Rags & Veggie Brush

Dish cloths and sponges nearly always end up in landfill so swapping these out for old rags or biodegradable cotton cloths is an easy, positive and affordable step towards a greener household. If you have a specialty sponge for cleaning your veggies, sub this out for a bamboo veggie brush, which not only looks super chic in the kitchen but is also very efficient on your organic veggies. The handle is made from biodegradable and sustainable bamboo while the bristles are a bass fibre, making it fully recyclable.