Eco - Living Guide

Cleaning
5/22/2019
Cleaning

Cleaning Sprays

Spray containers contain many different plastic components that are difficult to recycle. Instead of replacing your next bottle with another shop-bought one, filled with unnecessary chemicals that are also toxic to the environment, consider making your own disinfecting spray out of simple ingredients, all you need is white vinegar, water and lemon or essential oil for scent.
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Bathroom
5/22/2019
Bathroom

Make-up Remover Pads

Make up removing wipes are an absolute no-no when trying to reduce waste. Although they often seem to be made of material that will decompose, more often than not they contain plastics to maintain their structure.
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Bathroom
5/22/2019
Bathroom

Toiletries

This step is one that I don't expect anyone to 'complete' anytime soon, because it's just too difficult. All that I am asking for the moment is that you go have a look in your bathroom, and wherever else you might store toiletries, and take a look at how many plastic containers you have. The first step is awareness.
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Food
5/22/2019
Food

Food Wrapping

Food wrapping for homemade lunches and food storage use a lot of plastic. Bees wrap is a brilliant alternative to cling film or foil. Although many people believe that aluminium foil is a better alternative to cling film, it is in fact much worse, using lots more energy and fossil fuels to produce, and taking a long time to break down if it isn't recycled (which it rarely is).
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Food
5/22/2019
Food

Compost

Although many of the things that we throw into our landfill waste bins are theoretically compostable, the nature of landfill being highly compacted and restricted of oxygen means that this does not always allow organic products to break down as fast as they should.
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Bathroom
5/22/2019
Bathroom

Period Waste

I have added this extra point as it is a little less universal, but for people who have periods it is a good idea to consider the waste that these products create. I have also added this as a bonus point because I don't think it is as essential to completely change this - it is a case of personal preference and completely down to the individual to choose what is right for them.
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No Excuse List
5/22/2019
No Excuse List

No Excuse List

Although going zero or minimal waste can be a time-consuming journey, there are some things that are truly effortless. For this reason I have decided not to go to lengths to explain the reasons for these substitutes or behaviours, I am simply calling this the No Excuse list.
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Kitchen
5/22/2019
Kitchen

Scrubber

Most kitchen sponges are very wasteful, they don't last very long and also harbour a lot of bacteria. They are also made of plastic, so don't break down when you throw them away.
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Bathroom
5/22/2019
Bathroom

Toothbrushes

Plastic toothbrushes are evil. We use them for 3-4 months (longer if you're as disorganised as me), chuck them in the bin and replace them with another. These toothbrushes will last longer on this planet than we will, and our children, and our grandchildren. In fact, most toothbrushes will take up to 1,000 years to degrade.
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Bathroom
5/22/2019
Bathroom

Razors

Plastic disposable razors are expensive and incredibly wasteful. I think most people wouldn't need telling twice if they found an option that was MUCH cheaper, equally/more effective and created less waste.
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Kitchen
5/22/2019
Kitchen

Kitchen Towels

Although kitchen towel and napkins do break down in landfill, low-waste lifestyles are about avoiding all unnecessary landfill! Many coloured ones also contain chemical dyes that are toxic for the environment
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Food
5/22/2019
Food

Coffee

Coffee is for me, and for many, an absolute necessity in daily life. Coffee was once a rare luxury, and has come to become a normal part of our routines, and with it has take-away culture.
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Bathroom
5/22/2019
Bathroom

Toothpaste

Toothpaste is another essential in the bathroom. If you have changed from a plastic toothbrush to a bamboo one, why not consider switching out your toothpaste too? Toothpaste tubes cannot be recycled and therefore create just as much waste as toothbrushes.
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Bathroom
5/22/2019
Bathroom

Soap Bars and Shampoo Bars

For some reason, and only in recent years, there has been a massive shift from using bar soap as hand wash to liquid soap in plastic containers with a pump. These are not necessarily any more efficient or useful, and if anything tend to need more frequent replacing.
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