Sustainable Swaps: 5 Eco-Friendly Alternatives for Everyday Products

5 EASY ALTERNATIVES FOR A GREENER EVERYDAY LIFE

How to get you started on a more eco-friendly footpath

News about climate change and other environmental issues can sometimes be overwhelming. It’s easy to feel desperate and helpless simultaneously, considering the colossal consequences that, according to scientists, are bound to happen in the future.

But believe it or not, there’s still hope. Pursuing a sustainable lifestyle, consciously living a life that does no further harm, and helping our struggling planet can make a significant difference if many of us do it. One of the easiest ways to do this is by slowly replacing everyday products with eco-friendly alternatives. 

Here are some excellent product swap examples to get you started.

1. REUSABLE vs. DISPOSABLE COFFEE FILTERS

Are you still using disposable coffee filters for your machine? These single-use products, often made of bleached paper, are bad for the environment because they produce unnecessary waste that worsens the situation in our already choked-up landfills. 

If you’re a coffee-lover, there’s no need to worry. Luckily, there are now reusable or permanent coffee filters that you can use to still get your favorite brew without compromising your desire to live more sustainably. In addition, this eco-friendly product swap is also more convenient and economical. One less consumable to spend money on and no more waking up to make a cup of coffee only to realise you’ve run out of coffee filters.

→ Little disclaimer from Benni and Carol: have you ever tried the Moka? This is how most Italian families make coffee and it is the absolute best way not to create any unnecessary waste! Surely, a must try!

→ Also Read: 5 Easy Swaps for an Eco-Friendly Kitchen

2. CLOTH SHOPPING BAGS vs. SINGLE-USE PLASTIC BAGS

Countless environmentalists worldwide are pushing for single-use plastic to be banned forever. Plastic is the primary culprit polluting our land and our precious water resources that has devastating effects on marine and human life. They are also made from non-renewable resources through environmentally problematic processes that contribute to, if not aggravate, our current predicament with climate change.

Imagine how much plastic you have to bring home in a single trip from the grocery store, things you accumulate, forget to reuse or recycle and clutter your kitchen drawers over time. These plastic bags get thrown in the bin and into landfills, taking at least 500 years before they break down. 

Bringing your own cloth bag when you shop is silent but powerful activism for the environment. 

3. PERIOD CUPS, WASHABLE PERIOD PANTIES, ECO-FRIENDLY SANITARY PADS vs. NON-BIODEGRADABLE FEMININE PRODUCTS

Period cups or menstrual cups are making waves (and controversy) as a sustainable alternative to disposable sanitary pads and tampons, which are mostly plastic and non-biodegradable material.

As an article by National Geographic illustrates, the average American menstruates for 40 years, give or take, bleeding for five days every month, or about 2,400 days throughout a lifetime. So, imagine how many sanitary products are collectively consumed by women on the planet? 

Switching to reusable period cups, washable period panties, or biodegradable pads and tampons can make a big dent in reducing plastic waste. 

4. HOMEMADE CLEANING SOLUTIONS vs. COMMERCIAL CLEANING PRODUCTS

Creating or purchasing homemade or natural cleaning solutions instead of the mainstream ones you find at the grocery can have many benefits. Aside from saving money, you can rest assured knowing it only contains wholesome stuff like vinegar, alcohol, baking soda, and organic ingredients for scent, like lemon, lavender, or rose oils. They’re as practical and effective but not harmful to you and your family or the environment. Using eco-friendly products to clean your kitchen, bathroom, or any area of your home will be an extra-rewarding experience for you.

5. BAMBOO TOOTHBRUSH vs. PLASTIC TOOTHBRUSH

The World Wildlife Foundation reveals that 3.5 billion toothbrushes are sold worldwide every year. The majority of them do not get recycled and get thrown away in landfills or floating in rivers and oceans. Toothbrushes are made of polypropylene plastic and nylon, non-biodegradable materials that can take forever to decompose. Bamboo toothbrushes are made from renewable resources that can decompose into the earth once they have served their purpose. 

Every Little Step Toward Sustainability Counts!

Don’t ever think that saving our planet is a lost cause. Everything we do matters and will make a ripple effect of positive changes. Hopefully, this blog inspires you to pursue a kind of life that’ll make you happier but also kinder to the environment. 

by Jade Piper

Benni Carol Photography: Sustainable and Eco-friendly Wedding Photographers.

As destination wedding photographers in Italy we are only more than aware of how much the industry can be harmful to the planet. That is why we strive to promote through our work, a more eco-friendly and sustainable way to plan a wedding.

Intimate weddings and elopements in Italy are what we most love to photograph, especially when they are set in our beauitful natural landscapes.

Over the years, we have put together many resources to help all our wonderful couples through the planning process and assist them in creating a one of a kind wedding while also being kind to our one planet.

To learn all about our Eco-friendly Ethos and to take advantage of all the resources we publish on our blog, visit our deidcated section below:

Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Weddings

Benni & Carol