Many have the desire to live more sustainably but don’t know where to start. I firmly believe that making small changes to your everyday life can make a big difference. Today we’re talking bathroom, small swaps you can make that will help you produce less waste every year.
1. Toilet Paper
We all need it but some brands are better than others. American’s use 50% more toilet paper than Europeans every year, consuming over 12 billion roles! Try to make conscious choices on how much you use and what brands you buy. The recent report “Issues with Tissues” graded some top toilet paper brands on their sustainability and some passed with flying colors while others failed to meet basic sustainability standards. A few of my go-to brands are Trader Joe’s Bath Tissues and 365 Bath Tissue. 
2. Tooth Brush
Americans throw out 1 Billion toothbrushes every year, that is enough to wrap around the earth 4 times! The average tooth brush is made of polypropylene plastic and nylon, which produces greenhouse gases 310 times more potent than carbon dioxide, and we dump 50 million pounds of plastic toothbrushes in landfills every year! There are a few things you can do to limit the amount of waste you create cleaning your teeth every year: recycle your plastic tooth brush, if you have a plastic tooth brush currently be sure you toss it in the recycle bin instead of the trash, currently only 20% of plastic toothbrushes are recycled every year. When it comes time to buy a new tooth brush my number one recommendation is switching to a bamboo tooth brush there are some great options out there, I like this pack of 4 so you and the whole family can make the switch! Or switch to an electronic toothbrush the ISSA it requires only a 1 hour charge every 6 months, so you will use less electricity and the head only needs to be replaced so you are wasting less.
3. Razors
I am really bad about throwing out my razors I tend to grab a new one and then just toss it on the ledge of the tub with the other used razors. I looked at the pile of razors one day and was disgusted by the amount of single use plastic I was consuming. I go through probably 2-3 razors a month so roughly 36 razors a year! Not to mention shaving cream, the packaging these razors came in etc etc. Looking to make a switch I checked out one of my favorite stores Lush, I love all their naked product options, meaning there is no packaging. They make a D’Fluff shaving soap that is perfect for swapping out the old canister of synthetic, chemical packed shaving creams you get at the drug store. Now the for getting rid of those pesky plastic disposable razors, safety razors are making a come back! Now you might be picturing the razor a barber uses to shave your man’s face. Well fortunately there is an at home, leg shaving friendly option! The upfront cost is more than your standard pack of razors but will last you a lifetime and the replacement blades only cost one dollar! You will save series money over the course of your life!
And there you have it! Three totally doable swaps that will significantly reduce the amount of waste you send to landfills every year. The production of plastic toothbrushes and razors creates a lot of greenhouse gases, when demand goes down so will production, it is simply an economic issue, and you have the answer. How are you striving to make your bathroom more eco-friendly?
