A while ago I started looking into ways to lower my impact on the planet. There are thousands of different ways anyone can reduce their waste and carbon footprint. Being eco-friendly can be difficult as not all of us are aware of the damage a lot of the products we use do to the environment. As well as that, some companies partake in “greenwashing”. Greenwashing is the term used for companies that claim to be eco-friendly to attract new customers but are not actually sustainable or have been made using unethical methods or ingredients. Plenty of people in the zero waste community also apply this to companies that have “sustainable” ranges along with unsustainable and unethically-made products, for example, Primark and H&M. There are many fully sustainable brands that you can support instead.
Starting my “zero waste journey” was intimidating as it’s difficult to know where to start, what brands are genuinely sustainable and what zero waste swaps are worth your money. Usually reusable and plastic-fee alternatives are initially more expensive than their disposable versions but save you money in the long run. Despite how it might seem, you don’t have to change your entire life to make a difference. Even the smallest changes can make a difference if enough people make them.
After my last zero waste post, I received a lot of interest and decided to keep documenting my experience with trying to live more sustainably.
Reusable beeswax wraps
Cling film is generally an unnecessary use of plastic that can’t be recycled. There has also been concern raised surrounding chemicals in the plastic being released and clinging on to our food, possibly damaging our health. Simply using resealable containers is a good way to avoid using single-use cling film. However, I also decided to buy beeswax wraps as an alternative to plastic wrap. These can be handy for keeping leftovers for a couple of days or using to wrap sandwiches for lunch on the go. These are washable and reusable, which saves a lot of plastic waste, especially if you use a lot of cling film. You can buy beeswax wraps (which can be a little expensive) or you can make your own. I haven’t used my wraps much yet because I usually use containers but so far they have been good and I would recommend it for those who don’t have the cupboard/fridge space for containers. Remembering to wash them in cold water is important to preserve the wax for longer and every month or so the wax needs to be reactivated by iron or electric oven.
You can find tutorials on how to use and reactivate beeswax wraps here: https://www.beeswaxwraps.co.uk/tutorials.
And here is a tutorial on how to make you own wraps if that interests you more: https://www.countryfile.com/how-to/crafts/make-beeswax-wraps/
Reusable teabags/teapot
You might not know this but most teabags consist of 25% plastic, this is not only harmful to the environment but also our health. Steeping a single teabag in hot water releases approximately 11.6 billion microplastic particles into the tea before we drink it. To avoid ingesting plastic, there are plastic-free teabag distributors out there. But if like me, you are concerned about the amount of waste you produce and the impact you have on the environment, there are better options for you. You should consider using loose tea leaves in a teapot with a strainer. This is especially good if you intend to have multiple cups of tea or are making tea for a group, I love using my secondhand teapot when watching tv or reading. However, doing this can waste water and teapots with strainers can be expensive and can take up space in your cupboard, so I decided to try re-usable cotton teabags. These can be used with loose tea leaves and work like regular teabags just without the plastic and the waste. After using one, you can wash and reuse it to your heart’s content. These work the same as regular tea bags but you have to empty the tea leaves out and wash them afterwards. This is good for the environment but is slightly time-consuming, especially since I choose to hand-wash mine. It’s a bit of a fiddly process which I am still trying to get used to, I still have leftover disposable teabags to use up before switching to loose tea leaves completely. If you’d prefer a simpler, less messy process, I’d recommend investing in a teapot with a strainer. However, if you are like me and don’t mind this process then I think they are great. When the lockdown is over I will most likely use the cotton teabags to make tea in my reusable to-go mug when going to lectures and the teapot when in my flat.
Glass nail file
Believe me, I know that nail care is the last thing you think of when being environmentally friendly but self-care is important for mental health as well as how we feel in general. Most shops sell disposable emery board that are made of cardboard and sandpaper, these only last a month or two as the sandpaper wears away as you use it, they also cause harm to your nails as well as build up bacteria easily. These also cannot be sterilised or cleaned. However, there are reusable files which are made of glass. I bought one when I first started looking into environmentally friendly options for my everyday items. These will save you a lot of money if you do your nails regularly as you don’t have to buy new files after every few months. I definitely recommend one of these if you like doing your nails at home and want to save the environment and money.
You can find the crystal glass nail file I use here.
Recycled newspaper pencils
As a journalism student, I’m aware that print newspapers are no longer where everyone gets their news from. Most people nowadays- including me most of the time- don’t feel the need to pay for newspapers when they can read it online for free or watch the news on TV. This has forced the industry to adapt to internet but also help the environment by cutting down their production of newspapers. However, many people are still loyal to print newspapers, I know I have newspapers and magazines lying around due to my university course and I keep all of them with the intention of using them for writing inspiration. I also use them to reduce mess when I’m painting or drawing. However, I found these pencils online that are made of recycled newspapers and I thought they are really cool. These are not essential but might be a good option for anyone who like drawing or writes a lot of notes. I also found plenty of other products made of recycled newspaper such as bowls, coasters, photo frames and even jewellery. I chose to buy these because I will get plenty of use out of them and these are more environmentally friendly than new wooden pencils.
Reusable/biodegradable Make-up wipes
I think we can all agree that removing make-up can be a pain. Not only that but using cleansing wipes and cotton pads can create a lot of unnecessary waste despite being more convenient, especially for travelling. Before getting reusable make-up cloths, I started using biodegradable cleansing wipes. These come in plastic packaging but do help the environment to an extent as they can be composted however using a reusable cloth eliminates waste from removing makeup entirely. These were surprisingly cheap and save money as the use of single-use wipes build up especially if you wear make-up everyday. You can also make or buy reusable cotton rounds if you prefer, these can be used to remove nail polish as well as makeup. I plan on either buying reusable cotton rounds or making some out of an old t-shirt after I use up the disposable ones I already have.
You can find handmade reusable cotton rounds here and a close alternative to the cloths I use here if you’re interested.
Reusable cotton bud/swab
Single-use cotton buds or swabs are household staples in many parts of the world. They are used for applying/removing makeup, cleaning ears/noses, arts and crafts, household cleaning and more. This leads to the majority of them going to landfill or littering our oceans. Don’t get me wrong, progress has been made to make these disposables more environmentally friendly. Most cotton buds are no longer made of plastic but paper instead. There are also bamboo and biodegradable cotton swabs on the market. These alternatives are undoubtedly better for the environment but they still produce a LOT of waste.
To avoid this, LastSwab is a zero-waste reusable alternative. Despite being partly made of plastic, these are more eco-friendly than regular disposable swabs as it is reusable and has the potential to replace 1000 single-use cotton buds per person. They also come in a corn-based travel case that is biodegradable. I bought one of these a while back and have been pleasantly surprised with it, using it takes a while to get used to and it needs washing after each use so I’d say it’s worth the investment if you use cotton buds often. Over time this investment saves you money and also helps the planet.
If a bamboo/biodegradable version is more up your alley, you can find some here.
As I said before, you don’t have to make lots of huge changes to make a difference. Using only one of these zero waste swaps makes a big difference, especially if more people make a few small changes. The “zero waste” movement can be fairly intimidating as some people seem to dedicate their entire life to making these sort of changes. There are some zero waste swaps that I can’t make and that’s okay, I make the changes I can. When I first started doing research into sustainable living I felt the need to make all of the recommended changes overnight when in reality these changes can be made over time. Most people who post about the movement online have been making changes like these (and more advanced ones) for years now. I’ve only been researching this lifestyle for a few months but I hope this is helpful for others also starting out or wanting to learn more about the movement.
Thank you for reading x
Photography: Ryan Duff
Thrifty Mango 
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