Did you know that about 3.4 million tons of trash is thrown away daily? This is enough to fill the Empire State Building almost 800 times! Reduce the waste you make by reusing and using these more sustainable products.

It’s no secret that the earth is ailing. Its oceans, forests, and natural resources are all in sickly states. More and more people are becoming aware of how the products they use in their daily lives negatively affect the environment. 

If you are one of those people, here are the 10 best eco-friendly products to switch to in 2022 that you can start using today to minimise your impact!

1. Ceramic Cookware

If you're looking for both environmentally friendly and affordable cookware, then you should consider using ceramic cookware instead of metal or glass. Ceramic is made from clay minerals and is non-reactive with food, so it won't leach toxins into your food while cooking. It’s also durable enough to withstand high temperatures without getting damaged or cracking as easily as other materials, making it long-lasting.

For instance, Our Place’s Always Pan, which also works as 9 pieces of cookware to reduce the number of kitchen products you need to buy, and ceramic non-stick cake pans.

2. Reusable Paper Towels

Unlike regular disposable paper towels, which can only be used once before being thrown away, reusable paper towels can be washed, dried, and reused repeatedly. This means that less waste ends up in landfills or incinerators, saving money on trash removal fees and reducing the amount of unnecessary waste that needs to be collected by recycling centres.

Look for ones made from a natural biodegradable material so that they can be composted at the end of their life when no longer usable. You can even get unpaper towels that can be placed on a paper towel roll or standard paper towel holder on your kitchen counter just like your previous single-use ones so this sustainable switch will be easy and almost automatic.

3. Wooden Phone Cases

Wooden phone cases do not contain harmful chemicals such as BPA or PVC, which are often used in non-biodegradable plastic products, such as plastic cell phone cases. This makes them safer for you because there is no risk of exposure to dangerous chemicals when using them. 

Importantly, these products can be composted if they get damaged, so they won’t end up being thrown away into landfills, where their plastic counterparts end up, taking thousands of years to break down and creating methane gas, which contributes to climate change.

Wooden phone cases offer all the style, safety, and dynamics offered by plastic ones. For instance, wooden phone cases from Carved, as well as having a robust grip, offer clicky buttons and work with wireless chargers.

4. Recycled Toilet Paper

The main benefit of using eco-friendly toilet paper that is made from 100% recycled materials, including tree pulp and other plant-based fibres, is that you’re not contributing to deforestation, but it also has a lower environmental impact overall, saving water, landfill, and energy.

100% post-consumer recycled toilet paper is the most sustainable choice of recycled toilet paper. Another benefit of most planet-friendly bathroom tissue is that it doesn't contain any harsh chemicals like chlorine bleach or chlorine dioxide and is free from impurities like polyethylene waxes and dyes.

Read more on sustainable toilet paper options, both bamboo and recycled, and find out which brands are best here, where you can also explore using reusable bum wipes and/or a bidet instead of toilet paper.

5. Refillable Cleaning, Bathroom & Beauty Products

Refillables are replacing rebuying bottles at a rapid rate. Buying one bottle and refilling it from a refill pack rather than buying the whole packaging again when you already have one just makes sense. This is more sustainable because one bottle keeps on being reused and refill packs use less packaging and weigh less, reducing emissions when posted and delivered.

You can find a refillable option for most products these days, especially cleaning, bathroom and beauty products. Browse the Zero Waste Store (US), &Keep (UK) or Biome Eco Stores (AU) to see which products you could replace with eco-friendly refills.

6. Reusable Menstrual Pads

Reusable cloth pads are a great alternative to disposable feminine products. They are plastic free, made from materials like organic cotton that is grown without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilisers, making them safer health-wise and safer for the planet.

This also makes these reusable menstrual pads biodegradable and compostable, so they can go back to the Earth instead of to landfill at end of life. Not only an eco-friendly alternative to disposable pads, but they also save money spent on unnecessary single use.

7. One Reusable Cup for All Takeaway Drinks

One reusable cup to rule them all! Integrating a reusable water bottle, Barista standard reusable coffee cup, and reusable smoothie or boba tea bottle, KeepCup’s new KeepCup Bottle means you only need to fit one reusable in your bag that will save you from all single-use takeaway drinks packaging.

Unscrewing in the middle, this all-in-one reusable is not only multi-functional but is also easy to clean and fill with and empty out added fruit and boba balls, and made from insulated stainless steel, so your drink does not come into contact with plastic and stays warm or cold.

8. Reusable Mailers

Reusable fabric mailers are designed to be eco-friendly in several ways. First, the reusable mailers are made from recycled materials, such as post-consumer plastic bottles, which means that they help keep waste out of landfill.

Second, these mailers can be reused. The bags are made with a strong fabric that can hold up to 50 pounds and last for years, making them both sustainable and cost-effective. A lot of energy and resources are saved by not having to make new ones and you save money by not having to purchase parcel packaging every time you send a package.

A study by Fashion For Good reveals that the reduction of plastic waste is significant (almost 87%!) when reusable mailers are used instead of single-use, virgin plastic mailers. Examples are ReEnclose, LimeLoop, and RePack.

9. Dish Soap Bars

Natural dish soap bars are usually made by adding vegetable and fruit extracts to other natural cleaning products like baking soda or vinegar. They won't clog your drains or leave behind a residue on your dishes as traditional detergents do, so they can be used in most home kitchens without worrying about damaging the pipes or harming the environment.

Use your solid dishwashing bar with a scrubber or sponge made from natural materials too.

10. Plastic-Free Sunscreen

Sunscreen can now be bought in metal tins instead of plastic bottles. These tins are reusable and easily recyclable rather than the hard-to-recycle fossil-fuel-based soft plastic. You can get tinted plastic-free sunscreen and all-natural after-sun balm too.

These sunscreens are also generally reef safe and palm oil free, not leeching toxins into our reefs and poisoning marine life and contributing to the destruction of land to plant and produce more palm oil.

Some of the numerous all-natural sunscreen options now available include Sunbutter, All Good, Not The Norm’s Shade, and Suntribe.

Keep Up the Everyday Eco Switches

Try to keep using eco-friendly products like these in your everyday life and to continue swapping the unsustainable products in your life for more sustainable options made from natural materials. 

They're better for both your health and the environment. Forgo polluting plastic and use more natural biodegradable or reusable products that show respect to and don’t poison Mother Nature.

Guest post written by Ben Eagle from Carved

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