Sustainable Swaps
I’m very excited to write today’s blog post because I’m featuring one of my best friends, Nicolle Portilla, and her expertise in sustainability. So let’s just jump right into it, but be sure to follow her blog @plantpathy on instagram.
I mean, HELLO. What a goddess.
Nicolle and I were coworkers at a recycling start up and that’s really when I became more aware of what a piece of shit I was being towards the planet. I’m not on Nicolle’s level just yet and that’s okay. I came across this quote some time ago that has really stuck with me:
“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.
– Anne Marie Bonneau”
Not only does this apply to sustainability, but for everything in life. Just because you’re not perfect at something, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. Especially if it’s the right thing to do. The more you practice, the more you will improve.
Nicolle & her sweet boyfriend Noah just moved into their apartment and as you can imagine, it is like an eco-friendly dream. I recently-ish moved into my own space and I want to make it as eco-friendly as possible, so I asked Nicolle for some suggestions. We are going to run through some sustainable swaps that you can make in your own home to benefit our planet.
Let us know your favorite swaps down below in the comments and if you do implement any of these, be sure to tag us on instagram!
Kitchen
Jars
Mason jars are cute but I usually just save my pasta sauce jars. It makes it easy to store leftovers without having to buy any Tupperware. But whenever I do use Tupperware, I always make sure it’s glass to avoid any harmful chemicals from plastic going into my food.
Stasher bags
These are really great for storing absolutely anything. I haven’t tried to bake with them yet but apparently you can. You can purchase Stasher bags here.
Reusable Paper Towels
These are great way to reduce your waste from paper towels. They’re more absorbent and can be easily washed and hung to dry.
Bathroom
Bamboo Toothbrush
Bamboo is biodegradable and you don’t feel the difference in the toothbrushes. You can get these anywhere. Mine comes from a company called Bite, which also has toothpaste in the form of tablets instead of in the traditional plastic tube! Shop here
Shampoo, Conditioner & Shaving Bars
Anything that doesn’t have unnecessary packaging is usually great. These bars literally look like soap bars but they’re for your hair. Many places have different kinds but our favorites are from Meow Meow Tweet.
Reusable Cotton Rounds
Anything you can reuse, reduces your total waste. I haven’t been wearing makeup during the quarantine but I’m guilty of using toilet paper or disposable cotton rounds to clean my face. Here are some bamboo reusable cotton rounds I found on amazon with a little laundry bag so that you don’t lose them in the wash. Get them here
Diva Cup
In the words of Nicolle, “fave invention everrrr!” You’ll never have to worry about running out of tampons again with a Diva Cup! Shop for yours here!
Bedroom & Living Room
This is neither one of our bedrooms but a lovely photo I found on Pintrest.
Sheets and duvet covers
Always buy responsibly sourced materials like organic cotton or tendel. They tend to run a little higher in price range but definitely worth it. You can find these at Buffy or West Elm, among others.
Eco-Friendly mattress
Avocado or Tuft and Needle make great mattresses that are free of the harmful chemicals associated with common flame retardants found in all mattresses. We spend about ⅓ of our lives sleeping so it’s important to know what you’re sleeping on.
Clothes & Furniture
Thrift, thrift, thrift! I thrifted so many of my favorite pieces in my living room from facebook marketplace and friends/family. It’s a great resource and always a great deal too. There are also websites, like AptDeco , that specialize in selling used furniture through verified pictures and users making it much more secure that FB MP. Many stores also sell their store samples to customers, which is another great way to reuse gently used rugs, furniture, etc.
