I grew up fairly poor, so it was always about making the most of what you already have. Consumerism is off the rails at this point. If companies still had in mind that a product should be quality instead of disposable, we'd be a whole lot better off. Trends are set by corporations not the consumer
I hardly ever comment, but I have made the effort to say I HARDCORE DISAGREE ON THE CONDITIONER BARS!!! I have long curly hair. There is absolutely a difference between shampoo and conditioner bars. Some people (mostly straight haired people) are fine without conditioner. I actually find conditioner bars to be more moisterizing for me than liquid conditioner. If you have textured hair, don't skip the conditioner bar. DON'T DO IT! I could not under any circumstance just use a shampoo bar without conditioner, and the conditioner bars work. That slight difference in formulation is doing it's job.
That's totally fair! that's why I mentioned that I know I keep fairly short hair so it might be the same for me. But in my experience, every single brand I've ever tried hasn't done anything and actually just made my hair feel worse and last less long between washes. But I know that's not the case for everyone's hair type!
I came to the comments to say this! Fellow curly girl here, and bar conditioner has been great. I have 3C hair so I use a wide tooth comb to partially detangle before using conditioner to increase the effectiveness.
@@thiefoftrust I have 4c hair, which bar would you recommend? So far I am reluctant to try any as I finally found products that actually work for my hair and would hate to strip/damage it on formulations not suited for my hair type.
@@TheDijynnHi! 👋 Fellow 4c girly here. From what I've tried, I like the Kitsch castor oil conditioner bar the most. HOWEVER, no conditioner bar I've ever tried has beaten my liquid conditioners, deep conditioners, or masks. I use them for travel and if I need an unexpected mid week wash, but they aren't my primary. I try to live a more sustainable lifestyle, but my hair does better with products that unfortunately come in plastic packaging. I'm not personally going to sacrifice my hair to search for the perfect conditioner bar by buying 20. If you don't think you can or want to go full bar, see if any of the brands of hair care you like offer refills on products (especially shampoo, conditioner, and some leave ins), or keep track of how much of a product you actually need to get the job done (I need less shampoo than they suggest, but my thick hair needs more conditioner) and adjust usage accordingly. Lasting environmental change is on the shoulders of governments and corporations, not individuals. So do what you can, but if a switch is going to be a negative to you (or lead you to unintentional overconsumption to find the perfect thing), don't do it. Hope that helps (and didn't feel preachy).
I think reusable paper towels are the dumbest thing ever and I can't believe people bought into the idea. Paper towels are already a disposable version of a reusable item.... TOWELS! Just use towels and rags!
I must respectfully disagree about the shampoo and conditioner bars being identical. As someone who creates and sells both, I can assure you there’s a significant distinction between the two. A true conditioner bar should be free of surfactants or cleansers. If it includes those, it’s more of a shampoo and conditioner hybrid (and hey, that’s popular too!). Many of my customers prefer using only conditioner, especially those with curly hair, while others stick to just shampoo, particularly if they have short hair or don’t need the extra moisture. Personally, I enjoy using both-shampoo to cleanse and conditioner to hydrate. Trust me, the ingredient differences are quite substantial!
yeah... i wish there was more of an understanding of how conditioner is a necessary hygiene product for people with textured hair because we just cannot detangle our hair without it.
@@thiziri1549I have just thin wavy hair, and believe me, without drop of oil based substance it's a mess. Literally have to cut some knots several times a year
Yeah, my reaction to that was "...maybe you need to try a better brand of haircare bars then?" 😂 I have long, very slightly wavy hair and have used Ethique's bars for years. I definitely couldn't get away with only shampooing my hair! Their conditioners are clearly very different from their shampoos based on touch alone and give excellent "slip" for detangling.
I was hung up on trash bags so thank you! I'll look for recycled ones. I also realized how silly it was to buy re-usable paper towels. I got some from a store that are AWFUL texture, don't absorb well, and are just not fun to use. Then when I moved into my house, my retired nurse aunt gave me a stack of surgical towels. They are INCREDIBLE. They aren't as bulky as dish towels or wash clothes, but they are still super absorbent. Unlike t-shirt material, they can do a lot of cleaning before you start feeling moisture on the other side of the cloth. They don't change texture or absorb static when washed/dried, so they can be tossed in the washing machine with any other laundry. And because they're intended to be cheap for hospitals to buy in bulk, they're only like $1 apiece. Definitely worth it! I also have to-go cutlery and produce bags, but they were either free at events or came in a eco-friendly set of other products I actually did use a ton. I also have a normal plastic spork in my work drawer that has saved my lunches multiple times, and like you said I generally just produce I want in the cart or bag I'm shopping with anyway... when I can find my produce loose and not in a plastic package, that is!
Damn! You really said "I don't need this so now on does". Its becoming easier and easier to see youtubers who actually know how things (like shampoo and conditioner) work, and those who are soooo high up on that horse they forgot other people exist
I feel like people often overlook durability. There are a TON of plastic products that are far more durable and long lasting that I would recommend over 'eco-friendly' alternatives. For example, storage bins! Get a good, durable storage bin for organizing your basement or whatever, there is no current better alternative. Using cardboard is less durable and will need to be replaced eventually so get the plastic bin and keep the cardboard box for things like paper or fabric scraps, clothing, pillows etc. Things that are light and pliable and less likely to damage the box. If you need to get a folder get a plastic one! Cuz you'll only ever need to have bought that one folder if you take care of it right. Whenever i see folks opt for a non plastic item over a plastic but more durable item it's just kind of frustrating. The point of sustainability is to also be sustainable for yourself and making trips to the shop less often is much more sustainable for you as a person. I guess I'm just tired of the focus on eliminating all plastic from your life. Having more wooden cooking utensils than plastic ones isn't more sustainable when you'll need to replace it so much sooner than a metal spatula with a plastic handle for example. I will concede that the health effects of micro-plastics could soon be found to be definitively detrimental to our health, in which case there is absolutely reason to opt for plastic free everything. However, even then you are still going to be exposed to micro plastics even if there is no plastic in your home. Moral of the story: PLEASE STOP THROWING AWAY PERFECTLY USABLE PLASTIC ITEMS JUST TO BUY A NON-PLASTIC VERSION! Note: this is not aimed at you, the creator of the vid, but at the people I've seen in my life doing things like getting rid of a plastic folding chair to opt for a metal, basically identical but heavier and noisier folding chair that is prone to rusting if you don't know how to maintain metal or just don't have the time or ability to do so. If you want to swap out plastic items for non-plastic, at least donate the plastic item. Sorry for the rant...
I'm German. Our local garbage company takes our biological garbage (everything that is compostable) and composts it. They still say not to use those bags bc they need specific temperatures that normal composting just doesn't get. Same with flushable wipes. They make a great mess if you flush them
Yeah there's a huge difference between industrial and standard composting, which is how so many companies get away with saying their products are compostable, even though they'd never break down under typical composting situations. And I wish we had any kind of composting pickup servie here. Our composting infrastructure is extra terrbile in the US so most of us don't even have access to any kind of industrial composting options whatsoever.
I have the unpaper towels and for me its the convenience of grabbing a towel off the roll vs going out to my linens closet. I still need paper towels for cat messes and this helps me use the cloth when i can. Reusable mesh grocery bags help me to keep things organized and still be able to see whats inside of them. I dont use them for things that could snag like Yuca root. My bamboo utensil set wont snag on anything and it has a carry case i can put into my purse. I could also put metal into a bag but i prefer not to stab my hand by mistake when i search around my bag. Ive had it for 5+ years now.
While I admire people trying to cut back on waste as much as possible, I gave up even trying hard as long as there are no real political movements forcing the biggest companies to actually lessen the climate crisis. Sure, I won't use plastic, when I don't need to and use products that are reusable and stuff, but why should I be so concerned about my personal waste. Seriously looking at the big picture, it doesn't make a fucking difference, which honestly sucks. My main motivation nowadays revolves around ignoring horrible big companies like Nestle and Amazon, buying more locally and not buying stuff I don't need. I feel like this would go a long way if more people would follow that.
Because you can also make companies change their products if they see a drop of interest in regular ones. We have a meat producing company here in Germany, that has started to invest a lot into vegetarian options because there was a huge interest by consumers. Now they slowly produce less and less meat products, even went so far to say they want to stop selling meat in general. More companies sell items in less plastic now, from produce to dishtabs.
@@DarlingKnight Of course this works, but only as long as companies see profit in this. Like sure, now you can buy vegan Rügenwalder products which is nice, but they won't stop selling meat either. And there are so many huge companies that do so many terrible things and they have basically zero incentives to change that. There need to be made actual policies with penalties that reflect the real costs towards the climate which in turn will increase prices for terrible products and services (i.e. meat, flying, etc.). Everything else is nice to have sure, but won't really change the global climate crisis overall. It's cynical, I'm aware of that, but the conusmer only matters as long as many of them pull together, the political side is failing us, not the individual. Just as a side note, if flying is half the price of a train ride but takes only 3 instead of 12 hours, most people (myself included) will opt for the flying. Especially people with low income and less holiday time to spare.
I really only use bags for vegetables like beans or brussel sprouts. Our grocer was selling packs of 3 fine mesh bags for I think AUD$4. If you're making your own, you have to remember that produce is paid by weight, so you'll be paying extra if your bag is heavier. I've made my own from old curtain mesh.
14:39 I need floss picks cuz of disability stuff, so I tend to go for a cheap brand that uses recycled plastic. No claims of compostability, just makes me feel a bit better that some plastic got a second life. Sometimes thats all we can hope for.
That's great to hear you're thinking of how to reduce impact in an area that's unavoidable for you to just refuse (that's all any of us can really do, after all!). And in these cases, when the final destination is the landfills regardless, recycled plastic is actually the more sustainable choice than bioplastic anyway since it at least won't emit methane while breaking down.
@@sustainablejungle The name of the game is reduce, and if you can't you reuse, and when those fail, you recycle. It's a shame how much of that got lost when so much got co-opted in the name of greenwashed consumerism.
In the UK we have interdental brushes which I’ve started to appreciate recently. My dentist recommended them as they can scrub the tooth. They also have long handled ones. The only real downside is the smallest size is prone to breaking but it lasts multiple uses.
I used to work as a cashier at a grocery PLEASE bag your produce no you don’t need to bag your bananas or oranges because they have thick skin and your not eating the peel. The converbelt is really not cleaned that well and if your grocery store has a butchery area sometimes juices and meat scraps leak from the packaging so please bag your produce whether it be a fabric bag or plastic there’s sooo much cross contamination it’s crazy
That's fair. I use self-checkout 95% of the time (I live in a V small town so our store typically only has 1 checker on anyway) so it's super easy for me to just transfer from the cart directly to my bags without it touching anything else. And then of course I wash everything anyway when I get home. So for me personally, they're not worth it, especially since mesh wouldn't exactly keep meat juices off anyway. I do use those upcycled t-shirt totes I showed for very small loose things like brussel sprouts so I would still encourage people to just upcycle for these purposes rather than buy specality "produce bags".;
I use my reusable produce bags all the time. I'm not sure how you're supposed to put green beans straight into your cart, lol. Like just a handful at a time? The bags are a one time investment and pretty cheap; you can also make them yourself if you have a sewing machine. I will say they are not good for leafy greens. I still use plastic for those. I think the plastic produce bags prevent food waste (i.e. your lettuce wilting in a day) so to me the plastic use makes sense. You can always get a lettuce preserving bowl, but tbh I'm lazy, lol.
We reuse plastic produce bags we got on previous shopping trips for our leafy greens, they can be rinsed out and air dried. We also have a lot of reusable produce bags for other produce and I bought some tightly woven bags for bulk items (you can make those too, I've just been too lazy to do that).
I love my mesh produce bags. Especially helpful with something like apples. I leave one label visible for the cashier, and it speeds up the checkout process.
I’ve used my tangle teezer for 10 years now It’s completely made out of plastic but it’s the most long lasting hairbrush I’ve ever owned, very durable and easy to clean haha The tangle teezer is also very easy to clean with some water and a nail/hand brush which wasn’t possible with regular hair brushes :)
Yeah my Tangle teezer is acutally more durable than my wooden bamboo brush combined plastic twines and some other I think plastic bits. The wooden brush keeps losing the plastic twines so next brush will be a tangel teezer.
You’re sadly speaking like someone who hasn’t tried the tongue scraper you have there! If you drink tea regularly or black coffee or wine or smoke then a tongue scraper could be an invaluable long lasting part of dental care mine has lasted like 4 years now! You just clean and dry it every time you use it!
I'm happy it works for you! I do drink black coffee and occasional red wine (don't smoke) but I've just never found the need for one, and I have tried mine actually. My toothbrush just seems to accomplish the same thing so I find myself never reaching for the tongue scraper. I was just trying to be honest with myself about zero waste "essentials" I see that personally felt redundant to me, but I'm happy to hear that some people do really like these.
I use mesh produce bags a lot, but I didn't pay nearly that much for them. I got them for $2.00 for a pack of five when I was first looking for them. A few months later, found the same brand being offered for 50c for the same pack of five. So I stocked up on them. One of my local supermarkets has completely done away with bags in the produce section and the other is seriously reducing the number of bag rolls available in the produce section. Not to mention the fact that transferring certain produce (like mushrooms) out of those hard plastic containers into something more breathable is far better for storage.
Personally I really like my reuseable cotton rounds. I've had them for nearly 3 years and they are still going strong. Comes in a convenient tin that stores easily in the bathroom and has enough to last more than a week. I don't wear makeup but I use it to apply cleanser which I can't do with just my hands. Wash cloths would be less convenient to use since they are so much larger than what I need and they take up more space.
Companies have to also get on board but let’s face it, they won’t because they won’t make money. And “ it’s a business it has to make money” is their motto.
omg lol, I got a story to share about those biodegradable trash bags. When I used to work on cell towers it was common to line a 5 gallon bucket with a trash bag for use as an emergency toilet in inhabited areas. If we were in the woods obviously we would just make a hole. Then we would bury said soiled trash bag. A brand new foreman, knowing how wrong it is to bury plastic, brought in these biodegradable bags. He was so excited to to try them out... until after his first go quickly realizing the bags had microperforations after creating and an unholy mess in the work trailer when he removed the bag.
Glass baby bottles has been my biggest head scratcher. Once a baby is old enough to grab the bottle, that thing will get launched and it will shatter because it's glass. It will also shatter when you drop it on the floor at 3 AM because you're exhausted and the baby is screaming at a pitch that will drive you insane. Add in two dyspraxic parents and you've got a guarantee of an A&E visit to get glass picked out of someone's foot. That is not my idea of a good time. I'm expecting and I can't breastfeed for medical reasons so I've been researching bottles. I'm probably going to go with plastic. It's clear, so I can measure the amount I'm feeding easily, and it doesn't shatter. They can also be microwaved, unlike metal.
Don't microwave the bottles! It doesn't heat evenly and can create scalding hot spots in the formula. I just had my baby a few months ago and that's something I didn't know either.
@@TheGhostWriter117 There are microwave sterilisers, which is more what I was referring to. In terms of making formula, I've got a perfect prep machine. It makes formula in less than 2 minutes, rather than half an hour using the NHS cooled boiled water method.
I completely agree on the paper towel swap, I find them more difficult to use than regular kitchen towels. As for the compostable garbage bags, while I understand why the exist the real thing is that they tear really easily. What I found is a reusable/washable garbage bin liner. We have been using the same one for years. While it is washable we don't need to wash it that often, as we also compost. This swap for us worked really well.
Flat-fold baby diapers are amazing as highly absorbent lint-free rags. If you can't get past the "Ewww" factor of pre-worn nappies then certain big box stores will ship new ones to you at a good price. Cloth diapers come in 2 sizes, last a very long time, and can be sanitized. Being cotton they can be composted in your flower bed.
When my kids were in school and I sent a lunch, I had designated cutlery that I’d gotten for $0.25 each at Goodwill. If they lost it, I wouldn’t be missing pieces of our family silverware.
I will defend mesh produce bags but not for produce funnily enough. My roommate and I bought a 3 pack of plastic mesh produce bags specifically to have a reusable way to make cold brew. We had been using single use cheese cloth and it was not only wasteful but also just cumbersome and expensive :/ the mesh bags are washable and really easy to use. I also don't think they were too expensive, we picked them up fairly cheap at meijer and we've had them for nearly 2 years now.
Mesh? I like to use cotton muslin bags. Water penetrates them readily as do the soluble components of whatever your're brewing but the only place there's any potential for leaves/grounds to leak out is the opening which I do my best to tie shut.
@heatherkuhn6559 its not the very big open weave mesh. Maybe mesh is the wrong word for it. But they are produce bags i picked up from the store. You do have to squeeze the air out of them a little bit, but they work just fine 🤷♀️
The compostable trash bags are designed for industrial composting. Our local composting requires that these bags be used. I think that they are appropriate when used the way they were intended, but agree that if folks are using them for regular trash, they are totally wasting their money and not doing any better than if they just used plastic trash bags.
For the vinegar as a hair conditioner, you definitely don't need to rinse it out. I do like you, mix unfiltered, unpasteurised apple cider vinegar with water half and half, pour it over my head last thing after a shower and never rinse it out. Works like a charm.
I can see one use for non-metal flatware and, honestly, I don't have to deal with it often enough to justify the price of bamboo and that's if I have to pass a security scan, e.g. at an airport or locally when checking in for jury duty. I swear the people at the the criminal justice center make the TSA look sloppy. I have a set of reusable plastic flatware that I keep for security scans but I haven't travelled by air since 2018 and haven't had jury duty since a year or two before that.
Hairstylist and full time shampoo/conditioner bar maker here! Shampoo and conditioner formulation are vastly different. Real shampoo bars use multiple surfactants, often coconut based, to help break the bonds of dirt/oil/product and allows it to rinse cleanly from the hair. There is actually science behind the functionality of this. Just like trying to wash your greasy hands with just water. How does that usually work for you? There may be some overlap in ingredients better shampoo and conditioner and usually that involves conditioning agents like BTMS, hydrogenated oils or butters because conditioning is still useful during a shampoo, and some may not follow up with a conditioner, so that's helpful to them. Conditioner bars do not contain surfactants. They don't really have anything that would actually clean the hair, and no, we don't sell them to you for an extra product to buy. Conditioner lubricates the hair strand, helping you detangle, reducing friction and helping eliminate static. I wish commentators would reach out to someone who has experience with these kinds of things before spreading less than accurate information. 😔
Hello 👋🏽 For hair or skin care recs you should consider letting people know that you're talking specifically about people with your hair or skin type. There are people who are going to take your advice who really shouldn't.
I never understood bamboo reusable/travel cutlery. They do look really cute, and I almost gave into getting them because they look more "eco-friendly," but metal cutlery just makes more sense, especially when taking on the go. They seem more sanitary and easier to wash and dry. Bamboo can be lighter and quieter in the bag, but I think the weight difference is negligible. I do have a separate set of (metal) travel cutlery though because they are slightly smaller and so take up just a little bit less space in my bag :)
I like using aluminum foil for my sandwiches. It is easily recyclable (it actually uses less energy to recycle than to refine anew) and has a bit of structure that helps protect my sandwich from a bit of squishing. I've been using the same plastic hair brush (and I cleaned it out yesterday) for well over a decade. I don't plan on changing it.
Nice, I'll have to look for it! I also use special floss for braces that comes precut in pieces and that's just in a plastic baggy in a cardboard box - dunno why regular floss couldn't be offered that way
Good to know! Always nice to see big-name companies at least making a little effort. I buy bamboo charcoal floss from a zero waste store, which comes in a little glass container, and then I can order just refills when I need more. And I really like it! And then to satsify the pick needs, I just have that reusable metal tool I showed.
The one product you showed that I did use was the floss. I bought those for a while but then realized these are expensive so recently I did switch back to good all fashioned floss. Saved me a bunch of money :)
The only zero waste product I thought was a waste of money for me personally was hard block dish soap .. made my sink full of water look foggy (didn't find that too appealing) and I didn't enjoy that the bar would often slip out of my hand. I did use all of the product but I haven bought it again, just was not a fan. I switched to a carton container liquid dish soap instead.
In my experience, solid dish blocks work better if you wash a dish or two at a time and just rub your brush bristles directly on it. I mostly wash my dishes right after eating so this worked for me with dish blocks in the past, but I agree that liquid dish soaps are generally more versatile. So even though I dont think the one I tried was necessarily a waste, I've switched back to liquid options, too, as I just prefer them. Plus so many companies are now offering refill schemes for dish soap that it's easy to procure now in a less wasteful way.
If your shampoo bar and your conditioner bar have the exact same ingredients then you're going to the wrong company. Maybe don't include things that you don't use. Just because you don't use makeup so you don't need reusable rounds, they're actually very good. They're reusable you can wash them. Sounds like you bought something that you don't use and regret it. Maybe try using it
We’ve had municipal composting for most of my lifetime here in Seattle, so her first point doesn’t even compute for me. Are folks in other parts of the US really using compostable bags for landfill trash instead of in a compost bin that the city collects? Also, please, please don’t use plastic bags for your compost based on this video (even if they’re dyed green).
I always wondered why people used bamboo cutlery...it's going to get moldy and break down way way faster than the old metal ones that you already have in your drawer. ALSO, I know this is gross but I re-use my dental pick flosser things for like a week each lol. I just keep one in my pocket because I alllways have stuff stuck in my teeth. I'm nasty, it's true.
What’s your advice then for, say, when you are out and you buy a snack or treat that the store would have those plastic containers for to carry it in? Obviously mindfulness about bringing snacks with you when you’re out, etc, but this is for when for whatever reason you forget to bring one and don’t have one of those collapsible container in your purse (which I’ve wondered if they’re worth it) and there is something in particular you want that is not already in a bag/container like at a bakery, etc.? Same goes for relying on catheters and adult underwear cause of bladder issues I’ve dealt with for years. I have yet to hear about medical supplies that don’t contribute to harmful environment impact but yet you still need them.
Hi! Obviously not the poster, but for the adult diapers, depending on the issue, there are brands that make period underwear. Some also make products just for incontinence or post partum leakage. This, of course, will be a less helpful suggestion if you are AMAB, but it was just a thought. Editing to add: Modibodi has a men's incontinence brief. There is also a brand called Carer that seems to do men's incontinence underwear in more cuts and colors.
I think the worst eco swap I ever tried was the Last Swab. It is a silicone q-tip. I got a two pack in different shapes and I have not found a single use for either of them. Anything I have tried to use them for they just don't work.
I've seen those and have never really been able to figure out a good use case for them. Ear doctors highly recommend not using Q-tips in the ear as it actually impacts wax, so I've never tried them. I only keep a small pack of regular q-tips on hand for occasional first aid uses, in which you would actually want it to be disposable for sanitary reasons. But good to know these are just as useless as they always looked and I haven't been missing out!
The bio-degradable trash bags mystify me. People get really obsessed with the idea plastic things will "last forever" and isn't that a shame. But... if you're resigned to throwing something in the trash, it's BETTER if it lasts forever. There's no advantage to having things rot in a land-fill, and some significant environmental consequences. If you have to throw stuff away, imagine you're sequestering a tiny amount of carbon, and hope it stays locked underground forever.
We actually recommend against them! Reason being, that most sheets and pods (for dishes and laundry mostly) are made of substance called PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) which is a dissolvable plastic that allows it to be put in sheet form. And there's a growing body of research showing that while yes, trhe plastic dissolves, it still leaves microplastics and plastic residue in water systems and waterways. So it's not really all that zero waste unfortunately. Instead, we suggest using laundry power since this can be bought in compostable containers, or opting for brands that offer liquid laundry refills.
I had those reusable cotton rounds and they're so not worth it. I think they made them too small to mimic the disposable ones as a marketing strategy. A have just a slightly bigger, double layer one from polyester and I need just that one because it's big enough and because it's polyester it doesn't stain - I don't see myself replacing it in years and if I will need to, I know I will repurpose my polyester fleece to mimic current one.
How do you reduce the uptick in washes when you use more reusable products? I swapped to reusable pads but they need a wash after each use and i can go through 8 a day on bad days. Do you recommend those small countertop washers for smaller loads like that?
I would just honestly hand wash in these instances, first soaking in cold water to help lift the blood, then washing in hot water. I've never tried those coutnertop washers, as they just seem unecessary to me personally. Anything small enough to put in there, I would just hand way. And you might consider trying PFAS-free period panties instead? I wear these on all except my heaviest days where I use a cup, and find them much more absorptive than the reusable pads. One pair of panties can last me a full 24 hours (and I know that will different person to person a bit).
I think no matter what i use my bleeding is heavy enough that I will need multiple a day. What sort of soap do you recommend for hand washing? Laundry detergent seems like it would be rough on the hands
Well I use natural laundry detergent in general even just for me regular laundry so it's way gentler on the skin period. But you could always just use liquid castile soap. I keep a big jug of Dr Bronner's on hand all the time as it's great for little hand washing jobs...and a ton of other cleaning purposes around the house!
I'm very curious what brand of reusable pads you are using (and possibly what absorption rate they claim to be). I also wonder if adding a menstrual cup and or trying period underwear might help.
@kaid2025 I'm using Hanes Super Leak for post partum leaks. I've been having issues with my bleeding. My bigger cup fills up in under an hour on my heavy days, and it makes my cramps much worse, so it's not worth it to me. I've been meaning to try a disk, but I'm waiting for a normal period and not this one, which has been going on for 26 days.
You can floss with pieces of your hair if it's long enough leaving no need to buy floss to begin with. If you're like me and have so little room that your teeth are chipping, floss might be too thick and only strands of hair will work.
Interesting! That definitely would not work for me as I have super thin and fine hair (I just tried and it broke immediately lol) but I can see how if you have thicker strands of hair, this would be an option.
A biodegradable plastic bag could make sense in a country where the trash is burned, since the bag would then be, not counting production, carbon neutral.
Incinerator plants emit huge amounts of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide so burning trash is absolutely not a way to counteract emissions.
@@sustainablejungle That I can agree with, but if you live in a country where the trash gets burned, it's better to throw it away in a carbon-neutral(ish) bag, instead of one made from petroleum, since it in this case doesn't break down into methane.
You do not come across as authentic. Please use a different face for this channel or be more natural in your speech. You sound like a CEO talking to the lower workforce. The message is important, please do better.
I feel like people often overlook durability. There are a TON of plastic products that are far more durable and long lasting that I would recommend over 'eco-friendly' alternatives. For example, storage bins! Get a good, durable storage bin for organizing your basement or whatever, there is no current better alternative. Using cardboard is less durable and will need to be replaced eventually so get the plastic bin and keep the cardboard box for things like paper or fabric scraps, clothing, pillows etc. Things that are light and pliable and less likely to damage the box. If you need to get a folder get a plastic one! Cuz you'll only ever need to have bought that one folder if you take care of it right. Whenever i see folks opt for a non plastic item over a plastic but more durable item it's just kind of frustrating. The point of sustainability is to also be sustainable for yourself and making trips to the shop less often is much more sustainable for you as a person. I guess I'm just tired of the focus on eliminating all plastic from your life. Having more wooden cooking utensils than plastic ones isn't more sustainable when you'll need to replace it so much sooner than a metal spatula with a plastic handle for example. I will concede that the health effects of micro-plastics could soon be found to be definitively detrimental to our health, in which case there is absolutely reason to opt for plastic free everything. However, even then you are still going to be exposed to micro plastics even if there is no plastic in your home. Moral of the story: PLEASE STOP THROWING AWAY PERFECTLY USABLE PLASTIC ITEMS JUST TO BUY A NON-PLASTIC VERSION! Note: this is not aimed at you, the creator of the vid, but at the people I've seen in my life doing things like getting rid of a plastic folding chair to opt for a metal, basically identical but heavier and noisier folding chair that is prone to rusting if you don't know how to maintain metal or just don't have the time or ability to do so. If you want to swap out plastic items for non-plastic, at least donate the plastic item. Sorry for the rant...
I grew up fairly poor, so it was always about making the most of what you already have. Consumerism is off the rails at this point. If companies still had in mind that a product should be quality instead of disposable, we'd be a whole lot better off. Trends are set by corporations not the consumer
The most "zero waste" option is to use the thing you already have that does the job.
Thus!
I hardly ever comment, but I have made the effort to say I HARDCORE DISAGREE ON THE CONDITIONER BARS!!! I have long curly hair. There is absolutely a difference between shampoo and conditioner bars. Some people (mostly straight haired people) are fine without conditioner. I actually find conditioner bars to be more moisterizing for me than liquid conditioner. If you have textured hair, don't skip the conditioner bar. DON'T DO IT! I could not under any circumstance just use a shampoo bar without conditioner, and the conditioner bars work. That slight difference in formulation is doing it's job.
That's totally fair! that's why I mentioned that I know I keep fairly short hair so it might be the same for me. But in my experience, every single brand I've ever tried hasn't done anything and actually just made my hair feel worse and last less long between washes. But I know that's not the case for everyone's hair type!
I came to the comments to say this! Fellow curly girl here, and bar conditioner has been great. I have 3C hair so I use a wide tooth comb to partially detangle before using conditioner to increase the effectiveness.
@@sustainablejungle my hair is the same length as yours but wavy, and very thick. I need the conditioner every so often
@@thiefoftrust I have 4c hair, which bar would you recommend? So far I am reluctant to try any as I finally found products that actually work for my hair and would hate to strip/damage it on formulations not suited for my hair type.
@@TheDijynnHi! 👋 Fellow 4c girly here. From what I've tried, I like the Kitsch castor oil conditioner bar the most. HOWEVER, no conditioner bar I've ever tried has beaten my liquid conditioners, deep conditioners, or masks. I use them for travel and if I need an unexpected mid week wash, but they aren't my primary.
I try to live a more sustainable lifestyle, but my hair does better with products that unfortunately come in plastic packaging. I'm not personally going to sacrifice my hair to search for the perfect conditioner bar by buying 20.
If you don't think you can or want to go full bar, see if any of the brands of hair care you like offer refills on products (especially shampoo, conditioner, and some leave ins), or keep track of how much of a product you actually need to get the job done (I need less shampoo than they suggest, but my thick hair needs more conditioner) and adjust usage accordingly.
Lasting environmental change is on the shoulders of governments and corporations, not individuals. So do what you can, but if a switch is going to be a negative to you (or lead you to unintentional overconsumption to find the perfect thing), don't do it.
Hope that helps (and didn't feel preachy).
I think reusable paper towels are the dumbest thing ever and I can't believe people bought into the idea. Paper towels are already a disposable version of a reusable item.... TOWELS! Just use towels and rags!
Beg to differ - I’ve noticed family & friends are more comfy with the reusable paper towel design than random old rags.
I must respectfully disagree about the shampoo and conditioner bars being identical. As someone who creates and sells both, I can assure you there’s a significant distinction between the two. A true conditioner bar should be free of surfactants or cleansers. If it includes those, it’s more of a shampoo and conditioner hybrid (and hey, that’s popular too!).
Many of my customers prefer using only conditioner, especially those with curly hair, while others stick to just shampoo, particularly if they have short hair or don’t need the extra moisture. Personally, I enjoy using both-shampoo to cleanse and conditioner to hydrate. Trust me, the ingredient differences are quite substantial!
yeah... i wish there was more of an understanding of how conditioner is a necessary hygiene product for people with textured hair because we just cannot detangle our hair without it.
Yes!!
@@thiziri1549I have just thin wavy hair, and believe me, without drop of oil based substance it's a mess. Literally have to cut some knots several times a year
Yeah, my reaction to that was "...maybe you need to try a better brand of haircare bars then?" 😂 I have long, very slightly wavy hair and have used Ethique's bars for years. I definitely couldn't get away with only shampooing my hair! Their conditioners are clearly very different from their shampoos based on touch alone and give excellent "slip" for detangling.
I was hung up on trash bags so thank you! I'll look for recycled ones. I also realized how silly it was to buy re-usable paper towels. I got some from a store that are AWFUL texture, don't absorb well, and are just not fun to use. Then when I moved into my house, my retired nurse aunt gave me a stack of surgical towels. They are INCREDIBLE. They aren't as bulky as dish towels or wash clothes, but they are still super absorbent. Unlike t-shirt material, they can do a lot of cleaning before you start feeling moisture on the other side of the cloth. They don't change texture or absorb static when washed/dried, so they can be tossed in the washing machine with any other laundry. And because they're intended to be cheap for hospitals to buy in bulk, they're only like $1 apiece. Definitely worth it!
I also have to-go cutlery and produce bags, but they were either free at events or came in a eco-friendly set of other products I actually did use a ton. I also have a normal plastic spork in my work drawer that has saved my lunches multiple times, and like you said I generally just produce I want in the cart or bag I'm shopping with anyway... when I can find my produce loose and not in a plastic package, that is!
Damn! You really said "I don't need this so now on does". Its becoming easier and easier to see youtubers who actually know how things (like shampoo and conditioner) work, and those who are soooo high up on that horse they forgot other people exist
I feel like people often overlook durability. There are a TON of plastic products that are far more durable and long lasting that I would recommend over 'eco-friendly' alternatives. For example, storage bins! Get a good, durable storage bin for organizing your basement or whatever, there is no current better alternative. Using cardboard is less durable and will need to be replaced eventually so get the plastic bin and keep the cardboard box for things like paper or fabric scraps, clothing, pillows etc. Things that are light and pliable and less likely to damage the box. If you need to get a folder get a plastic one! Cuz you'll only ever need to have bought that one folder if you take care of it right. Whenever i see folks opt for a non plastic item over a plastic but more durable item it's just kind of frustrating. The point of sustainability is to also be sustainable for yourself and making trips to the shop less often is much more sustainable for you as a person.
I guess I'm just tired of the focus on eliminating all plastic from your life. Having more wooden cooking utensils than plastic ones isn't more sustainable when you'll need to replace it so much sooner than a metal spatula with a plastic handle for example. I will concede that the health effects of micro-plastics could soon be found to be definitively detrimental to our health, in which case there is absolutely reason to opt for plastic free everything. However, even then you are still going to be exposed to micro plastics even if there is no plastic in your home.
Moral of the story: PLEASE STOP THROWING AWAY PERFECTLY USABLE PLASTIC ITEMS JUST TO BUY A NON-PLASTIC VERSION!
Note: this is not aimed at you, the creator of the vid, but at the people I've seen in my life doing things like getting rid of a plastic folding chair to opt for a metal, basically identical but heavier and noisier folding chair that is prone to rusting if you don't know how to maintain metal or just don't have the time or ability to do so. If you want to swap out plastic items for non-plastic, at least donate the plastic item. Sorry for the rant...
Wooden box are very durable and you can get it for free
I'm German. Our local garbage company takes our biological garbage (everything that is compostable) and composts it. They still say not to use those bags bc they need specific temperatures that normal composting just doesn't get. Same with flushable wipes. They make a great mess if you flush them
Yeah there's a huge difference between industrial and standard composting, which is how so many companies get away with saying their products are compostable, even though they'd never break down under typical composting situations. And I wish we had any kind of composting pickup servie here. Our composting infrastructure is extra terrbile in the US so most of us don't even have access to any kind of industrial composting options whatsoever.
I have the unpaper towels and for me its the convenience of grabbing a towel off the roll vs going out to my linens closet. I still need paper towels for cat messes and this helps me use the cloth when i can.
Reusable mesh grocery bags help me to keep things organized and still be able to see whats inside of them. I dont use them for things that could snag like Yuca root.
My bamboo utensil set wont snag on anything and it has a carry case i can put into my purse. I could also put metal into a bag but i prefer not to stab my hand by mistake when i search around my bag. Ive had it for 5+ years now.
While I admire people trying to cut back on waste as much as possible, I gave up even trying hard as long as there are no real political movements forcing the biggest companies to actually lessen the climate crisis. Sure, I won't use plastic, when I don't need to and use products that are reusable and stuff, but why should I be so concerned about my personal waste. Seriously looking at the big picture, it doesn't make a fucking difference, which honestly sucks.
My main motivation nowadays revolves around ignoring horrible big companies like Nestle and Amazon, buying more locally and not buying stuff I don't need. I feel like this would go a long way if more people would follow that.
THIS!
Because you can also make companies change their products if they see a drop of interest in regular ones.
We have a meat producing company here in Germany, that has started to invest a lot into vegetarian options because there was a huge interest by consumers. Now they slowly produce less and less meat products, even went so far to say they want to stop selling meat in general. More companies sell items in less plastic now, from produce to dishtabs.
@@DarlingKnight Of course this works, but only as long as companies see profit in this. Like sure, now you can buy vegan Rügenwalder products which is nice, but they won't stop selling meat either. And there are so many huge companies that do so many terrible things and they have basically zero incentives to change that. There need to be made actual policies with penalties that reflect the real costs towards the climate which in turn will increase prices for terrible products and services (i.e. meat, flying, etc.). Everything else is nice to have sure, but won't really change the global climate crisis overall. It's cynical, I'm aware of that, but the conusmer only matters as long as many of them pull together, the political side is failing us, not the individual.
Just as a side note, if flying is half the price of a train ride but takes only 3 instead of 12 hours, most people (myself included) will opt for the flying. Especially people with low income and less holiday time to spare.
100% this!! One person being zero waste is not effective. Pepsi knocking it off with plastic bottles=impactful
I really only use bags for vegetables like beans or brussel sprouts. Our grocer was selling packs of 3 fine mesh bags for I think AUD$4. If you're making your own, you have to remember that produce is paid by weight, so you'll be paying extra if your bag is heavier. I've made my own from old curtain mesh.
14:39 I need floss picks cuz of disability stuff, so I tend to go for a cheap brand that uses recycled plastic. No claims of compostability, just makes me feel a bit better that some plastic got a second life. Sometimes thats all we can hope for.
That's great to hear you're thinking of how to reduce impact in an area that's unavoidable for you to just refuse (that's all any of us can really do, after all!). And in these cases, when the final destination is the landfills regardless, recycled plastic is actually the more sustainable choice than bioplastic anyway since it at least won't emit methane while breaking down.
@@sustainablejungle The name of the game is reduce, and if you can't you reuse, and when those fail, you recycle. It's a shame how much of that got lost when so much got co-opted in the name of greenwashed consumerism.
In the UK we have interdental brushes which I’ve started to appreciate recently. My dentist recommended them as they can scrub the tooth. They also have long handled ones. The only real downside is the smallest size is prone to breaking but it lasts multiple uses.
I used to work as a cashier at a grocery PLEASE bag your produce no you don’t need to bag your bananas or oranges because they have thick skin and your not eating the peel. The converbelt is really not cleaned that well and if your grocery store has a butchery area sometimes juices and meat scraps leak from the packaging so please bag your produce whether it be a fabric bag or plastic there’s sooo much cross contamination it’s crazy
That's fair. I use self-checkout 95% of the time (I live in a V small town so our store typically only has 1 checker on anyway) so it's super easy for me to just transfer from the cart directly to my bags without it touching anything else. And then of course I wash everything anyway when I get home. So for me personally, they're not worth it, especially since mesh wouldn't exactly keep meat juices off anyway. I do use those upcycled t-shirt totes I showed for very small loose things like brussel sprouts so I would still encourage people to just upcycle for these purposes rather than buy specality "produce bags".;
I use my reusable produce bags all the time. I'm not sure how you're supposed to put green beans straight into your cart, lol. Like just a handful at a time? The bags are a one time investment and pretty cheap; you can also make them yourself if you have a sewing machine. I will say they are not good for leafy greens. I still use plastic for those. I think the plastic produce bags prevent food waste (i.e. your lettuce wilting in a day) so to me the plastic use makes sense. You can always get a lettuce preserving bowl, but tbh I'm lazy, lol.
We reuse plastic produce bags we got on previous shopping trips for our leafy greens, they can be rinsed out and air dried. We also have a lot of reusable produce bags for other produce and I bought some tightly woven bags for bulk items (you can make those too, I've just been too lazy to do that).
I love my mesh produce bags. Especially helpful with something like apples. I leave one label visible for the cashier, and it speeds up the checkout process.
I’ve used my tangle teezer for 10 years now
It’s completely made out of plastic but it’s the most long lasting hairbrush I’ve ever owned, very durable and easy to clean haha
The tangle teezer is also very easy to clean with some water and a nail/hand brush which wasn’t possible with regular hair brushes :)
I love mine, too!
Feels amazing!
Yeah my Tangle teezer is acutally more durable than my wooden bamboo brush combined plastic twines and some other I think plastic bits. The wooden brush keeps losing the plastic twines so next brush will be a tangel teezer.
@ yes! Before that I used wooden and plastic brushes and those only lasted like 2 years
You’re sadly speaking like someone who hasn’t tried the tongue scraper you have there! If you drink tea regularly or black coffee or wine or smoke then a tongue scraper could be an invaluable long lasting part of dental care mine has lasted like 4 years now! You just clean and dry it every time you use it!
I'm happy it works for you! I do drink black coffee and occasional red wine (don't smoke) but I've just never found the need for one, and I have tried mine actually. My toothbrush just seems to accomplish the same thing so I find myself never reaching for the tongue scraper. I was just trying to be honest with myself about zero waste "essentials" I see that personally felt redundant to me, but I'm happy to hear that some people do really like these.
I use mesh produce bags a lot, but I didn't pay nearly that much for them. I got them for $2.00 for a pack of five when I was first looking for them. A few months later, found the same brand being offered for 50c for the same pack of five. So I stocked up on them. One of my local supermarkets has completely done away with bags in the produce section and the other is seriously reducing the number of bag rolls available in the produce section. Not to mention the fact that transferring certain produce (like mushrooms) out of those hard plastic containers into something more breathable is far better for storage.
Personally I really like my reuseable cotton rounds. I've had them for nearly 3 years and they are still going strong. Comes in a convenient tin that stores easily in the bathroom and has enough to last more than a week. I don't wear makeup but I use it to apply cleanser which I can't do with just my hands. Wash cloths would be less convenient to use since they are so much larger than what I need and they take up more space.
Companies have to also get on board but let’s face it, they won’t because they won’t make money. And “ it’s a business it has to make money” is their motto.
We have to vote with our wallets
omg lol, I got a story to share about those biodegradable trash bags. When I used to work on cell towers it was common to line a 5 gallon bucket with a trash bag for use as an emergency toilet in inhabited areas. If we were in the woods obviously we would just make a hole. Then we would bury said soiled trash bag. A brand new foreman, knowing how wrong it is to bury plastic, brought in these biodegradable bags. He was so excited to to try them out... until after his first go quickly realizing the bags had microperforations after creating and an unholy mess in the work trailer when he removed the bag.
Glass baby bottles has been my biggest head scratcher. Once a baby is old enough to grab the bottle, that thing will get launched and it will shatter because it's glass. It will also shatter when you drop it on the floor at 3 AM because you're exhausted and the baby is screaming at a pitch that will drive you insane. Add in two dyspraxic parents and you've got a guarantee of an A&E visit to get glass picked out of someone's foot. That is not my idea of a good time.
I'm expecting and I can't breastfeed for medical reasons so I've been researching bottles. I'm probably going to go with plastic. It's clear, so I can measure the amount I'm feeding easily, and it doesn't shatter. They can also be microwaved, unlike metal.
Don't microwave the bottles! It doesn't heat evenly and can create scalding hot spots in the formula.
I just had my baby a few months ago and that's something I didn't know either.
@@TheGhostWriter117 There are microwave sterilisers, which is more what I was referring to.
In terms of making formula, I've got a perfect prep machine. It makes formula in less than 2 minutes, rather than half an hour using the NHS cooled boiled water method.
I completely agree on the paper towel swap, I find them more difficult to use than regular kitchen towels. As for the compostable garbage bags, while I understand why the exist the real thing is that they tear really easily. What I found is a reusable/washable garbage bin liner. We have been using the same one for years. While it is washable we don't need to wash it that often, as we also compost. This swap for us worked really well.
Flat-fold baby diapers are amazing as highly absorbent lint-free rags. If you can't get past the "Ewww" factor of pre-worn nappies then certain big box stores will ship new ones to you at a good price. Cloth diapers come in 2 sizes, last a very long time, and can be sanitized. Being cotton they can be composted in your flower bed.
Thanks for the reminder that single-use compostable items are still single-use and don’t truly help us break away from our single-use habits.
When my kids were in school and I sent a lunch, I had designated cutlery that I’d gotten for $0.25 each at Goodwill. If they lost it, I wouldn’t be missing pieces of our family silverware.
I will defend mesh produce bags but not for produce funnily enough. My roommate and I bought a 3 pack of plastic mesh produce bags specifically to have a reusable way to make cold brew. We had been using single use cheese cloth and it was not only wasteful but also just cumbersome and expensive :/ the mesh bags are washable and really easy to use. I also don't think they were too expensive, we picked them up fairly cheap at meijer and we've had them for nearly 2 years now.
Mesh? I like to use cotton muslin bags. Water penetrates them readily as do the soluble components of whatever your're brewing but the only place there's any potential for leaves/grounds to leak out is the opening which I do my best to tie shut.
@heatherkuhn6559 its not the very big open weave mesh. Maybe mesh is the wrong word for it. But they are produce bags i picked up from the store. You do have to squeeze the air out of them a little bit, but they work just fine 🤷♀️
The compostable trash bags are designed for industrial composting. Our local composting requires that these bags be used. I think that they are appropriate when used the way they were intended, but agree that if folks are using them for regular trash, they are totally wasting their money and not doing any better than if they just used plastic trash bags.
For the vinegar as a hair conditioner, you definitely don't need to rinse it out. I do like you, mix unfiltered, unpasteurised apple cider vinegar with water half and half, pour it over my head last thing after a shower and never rinse it out. Works like a charm.
I can see one use for non-metal flatware and, honestly, I don't have to deal with it often enough to justify the price of bamboo and that's if I have to pass a security scan, e.g. at an airport or locally when checking in for jury duty. I swear the people at the the criminal justice center make the TSA look sloppy. I have a set of reusable plastic flatware that I keep for security scans but I haven't travelled by air since 2018 and haven't had jury duty since a year or two before that.
Hairstylist and full time shampoo/conditioner bar maker here! Shampoo and conditioner formulation are vastly different. Real shampoo bars use multiple surfactants, often coconut based, to help break the bonds of dirt/oil/product and allows it to rinse cleanly from the hair. There is actually science behind the functionality of this. Just like trying to wash your greasy hands with just water. How does that usually work for you?
There may be some overlap in ingredients better shampoo and conditioner and usually that involves conditioning agents like BTMS, hydrogenated oils or butters because conditioning is still useful during a shampoo, and some may not follow up with a conditioner, so that's helpful to them.
Conditioner bars do not contain surfactants. They don't really have anything that would actually clean the hair, and no, we don't sell them to you for an extra product to buy. Conditioner lubricates the hair strand, helping you detangle, reducing friction and helping eliminate static.
I wish commentators would reach out to someone who has experience with these kinds of things before spreading less than accurate information. 😔
Hello 👋🏽 For hair or skin care recs you should consider letting people know that you're talking specifically about people with your hair or skin type. There are people who are going to take your advice who really shouldn't.
I never understood bamboo reusable/travel cutlery. They do look really cute, and I almost gave into getting them because they look more "eco-friendly," but metal cutlery just makes more sense, especially when taking on the go. They seem more sanitary and easier to wash and dry. Bamboo can be lighter and quieter in the bag, but I think the weight difference is negligible. I do have a separate set of (metal) travel cutlery though because they are slightly smaller and so take up just a little bit less space in my bag :)
I fell for those flannel squares that are supposed to replace paper towels. I just substituted them for napkins.
any products called compostable plastic is such greenwashing
I like using aluminum foil for my sandwiches. It is easily recyclable (it actually uses less energy to recycle than to refine anew) and has a bit of structure that helps protect my sandwich from a bit of squishing. I've been using the same plastic hair brush (and I cleaned it out yesterday) for well over a decade. I don't plan on changing it.
Oral B does a refillable floss container!
Nice, I'll have to look for it! I also use special floss for braces that comes precut in pieces and that's just in a plastic baggy in a cardboard box - dunno why regular floss couldn't be offered that way
Good to know! Always nice to see big-name companies at least making a little effort. I buy bamboo charcoal floss from a zero waste store, which comes in a little glass container, and then I can order just refills when I need more. And I really like it! And then to satsify the pick needs, I just have that reusable metal tool I showed.
The one product you showed that I did use was the floss. I bought those for a while but then realized these are expensive so recently I did switch back to good all fashioned floss. Saved me a bunch of money :)
Chopstick gang!
I ate so many things at work with my chopsticks, my colleagues were shocked when I would use a spoon instead.
The only zero waste product I thought was a waste of money for me personally was hard block dish soap .. made my sink full of water look foggy (didn't find that too appealing) and I didn't enjoy that the bar would often slip out of my hand. I did use all of the product but I haven bought it again, just was not a fan. I switched to a carton container liquid dish soap instead.
In my experience, solid dish blocks work better if you wash a dish or two at a time and just rub your brush bristles directly on it. I mostly wash my dishes right after eating so this worked for me with dish blocks in the past, but I agree that liquid dish soaps are generally more versatile. So even though I dont think the one I tried was necessarily a waste, I've switched back to liquid options, too, as I just prefer them. Plus so many companies are now offering refill schemes for dish soap that it's easy to procure now in a less wasteful way.
I really learned something from this video. Appreciate the content and the realistic approach to sustainable living
If your shampoo bar and your conditioner bar have the exact same ingredients then you're going to the wrong company.
Maybe don't include things that you don't use. Just because you don't use makeup so you don't need reusable rounds, they're actually very good. They're reusable you can wash them. Sounds like you bought something that you don't use and regret it. Maybe try using it
Mesh bag is, obviously, for weighing, and, of course, noone need to buy it for $20. Very convenient at farmer's market too.
We’ve had municipal composting for most of my lifetime here in Seattle, so her first point doesn’t even compute for me. Are folks in other parts of the US really using compostable bags for landfill trash instead of in a compost bin that the city collects? Also, please, please don’t use plastic bags for your compost based on this video (even if they’re dyed green).
Have a happy new year Sustainable Jungle
IKEA bags make great garbage bags cuz all you have to wash it out and put it back. Or a laundry bag if you keep liquids or meaty products out
I always wondered why people used bamboo cutlery...it's going to get moldy and break down way way faster than the old metal ones that you already have in your drawer.
ALSO, I know this is gross but I re-use my dental pick flosser things for like a week each lol. I just keep one in my pocket because I alllways have stuff stuck in my teeth. I'm nasty, it's true.
What’s your advice then for, say, when you are out and you buy a snack or treat that the store would have those plastic containers for to carry it in? Obviously mindfulness about bringing snacks with you when you’re out, etc, but this is for when for whatever reason you forget to bring one and don’t have one of those collapsible container in your purse (which I’ve wondered if they’re worth it) and there is something in particular you want that is not already in a bag/container like at a bakery, etc.? Same goes for relying on catheters and adult underwear cause of bladder issues I’ve dealt with for years. I have yet to hear about medical supplies that don’t contribute to harmful environment impact but yet you still need them.
Hi! Obviously not the poster, but for the adult diapers, depending on the issue, there are brands that make period underwear. Some also make products just for incontinence or post partum leakage. This, of course, will be a less helpful suggestion if you are AMAB, but it was just a thought.
Editing to add: Modibodi has a men's incontinence brief. There is also a brand called Carer that seems to do men's incontinence underwear in more cuts and colors.
I think the worst eco swap I ever tried was the Last Swab. It is a silicone q-tip. I got a two pack in different shapes and I have not found a single use for either of them. Anything I have tried to use them for they just don't work.
I've seen those and have never really been able to figure out a good use case for them. Ear doctors highly recommend not using Q-tips in the ear as it actually impacts wax, so I've never tried them. I only keep a small pack of regular q-tips on hand for occasional first aid uses, in which you would actually want it to be disposable for sanitary reasons. But good to know these are just as useless as they always looked and I haven't been missing out!
I've used the same one in my makeup routine for the past 5 or 6 years... to each their own.
The bio-degradable trash bags mystify me. People get really obsessed with the idea plastic things will "last forever" and isn't that a shame.
But... if you're resigned to throwing something in the trash, it's BETTER if it lasts forever. There's no advantage to having things rot in a land-fill, and some significant environmental consequences.
If you have to throw stuff away, imagine you're sequestering a tiny amount of carbon, and hope it stays locked underground forever.
Sorry, I have really dry hair and do need conditioner. I agree that conditioner bars don't work.
How do you feel about those laundry detergent sheets?
We actually recommend against them! Reason being, that most sheets and pods (for dishes and laundry mostly) are made of substance called PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) which is a dissolvable plastic that allows it to be put in sheet form. And there's a growing body of research showing that while yes, trhe plastic dissolves, it still leaves microplastics and plastic residue in water systems and waterways. So it's not really all that zero waste unfortunately. Instead, we suggest using laundry power since this can be bought in compostable containers, or opting for brands that offer liquid laundry refills.
I had those reusable cotton rounds and they're so not worth it. I think they made them too small to mimic the disposable ones as a marketing strategy. A have just a slightly bigger, double layer one from polyester and I need just that one because it's big enough and because it's polyester it doesn't stain - I don't see myself replacing it in years and if I will need to, I know I will repurpose my polyester fleece to mimic current one.
How do you reduce the uptick in washes when you use more reusable products? I swapped to reusable pads but they need a wash after each use and i can go through 8 a day on bad days. Do you recommend those small countertop washers for smaller loads like that?
I would just honestly hand wash in these instances, first soaking in cold water to help lift the blood, then washing in hot water. I've never tried those coutnertop washers, as they just seem unecessary to me personally. Anything small enough to put in there, I would just hand way.
And you might consider trying PFAS-free period panties instead? I wear these on all except my heaviest days where I use a cup, and find them much more absorptive than the reusable pads. One pair of panties can last me a full 24 hours (and I know that will different person to person a bit).
I think no matter what i use my bleeding is heavy enough that I will need multiple a day. What sort of soap do you recommend for hand washing? Laundry detergent seems like it would be rough on the hands
Well I use natural laundry detergent in general even just for me regular laundry so it's way gentler on the skin period. But you could always just use liquid castile soap. I keep a big jug of Dr Bronner's on hand all the time as it's great for little hand washing jobs...and a ton of other cleaning purposes around the house!
I'm very curious what brand of reusable pads you are using (and possibly what absorption rate they claim to be). I also wonder if adding a menstrual cup and or trying period underwear might help.
@kaid2025 I'm using Hanes Super Leak for post partum leaks. I've been having issues with my bleeding. My bigger cup fills up in under an hour on my heavy days, and it makes my cramps much worse, so it's not worth it to me. I've been meaning to try a disk, but I'm waiting for a normal period and not this one, which has been going on for 26 days.
You can floss with pieces of your hair if it's long enough leaving no need to buy floss to begin with. If you're like me and have so little room that your teeth are chipping, floss might be too thick and only strands of hair will work.
Interesting! That definitely would not work for me as I have super thin and fine hair (I just tried and it broke immediately lol) but I can see how if you have thicker strands of hair, this would be an option.
I didn't even know some of these existed but watch I will start seeing ads for them like the last video of yours I watched which was funny.
Are they really selling trash bags with a "zero waste" label? Isn't it like selling dry water or some equally inane product?
A biodegradable plastic bag could make sense in a country where the trash is burned, since the bag would then be, not counting production, carbon neutral.
Incinerator plants emit huge amounts of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide so burning trash is absolutely not a way to counteract emissions.
@@sustainablejungle That I can agree with, but if you live in a country where the trash gets burned, it's better to throw it away in a carbon-neutral(ish) bag, instead of one made from petroleum, since it in this case doesn't break down into methane.
Why did I not think of buying used phone cases?
you over pay all your products.
You do not come across as authentic. Please use a different face for this channel or be more natural in your speech. You sound like a CEO talking to the lower workforce. The message is important, please do better.
I feel like people often overlook durability. There are a TON of plastic products that are far more durable and long lasting that I would recommend over 'eco-friendly' alternatives. For example, storage bins! Get a good, durable storage bin for organizing your basement or whatever, there is no current better alternative. Using cardboard is less durable and will need to be replaced eventually so get the plastic bin and keep the cardboard box for things like paper or fabric scraps, clothing, pillows etc. Things that are light and pliable and less likely to damage the box. If you need to get a folder get a plastic one! Cuz you'll only ever need to have bought that one folder if you take care of it right. Whenever i see folks opt for a non plastic item over a plastic but more durable item it's just kind of frustrating. The point of sustainability is to also be sustainable for yourself and making trips to the shop less often is much more sustainable for you as a person.
I guess I'm just tired of the focus on eliminating all plastic from your life. Having more wooden cooking utensils than plastic ones isn't more sustainable when you'll need to replace it so much sooner than a metal spatula with a plastic handle for example. I will concede that the health effects of micro-plastics could soon be found to be definitively detrimental to our health, in which case there is absolutely reason to opt for plastic free everything. However, even then you are still going to be exposed to micro plastics even if there is no plastic in your home.
Moral of the story: PLEASE STOP THROWING AWAY PERFECTLY USABLE PLASTIC ITEMS JUST TO BUY A NON-PLASTIC VERSION!
Note: this is not aimed at you, the creator of the vid, but at the people I've seen in my life doing things like getting rid of a plastic folding chair to opt for a metal, basically identical but heavier and noisier folding chair that is prone to rusting if you don't know how to maintain metal or just don't have the time or ability to do so. If you want to swap out plastic items for non-plastic, at least donate the plastic item. Sorry for the rant...