Friday Favorites : Sustainability Edition
Happy summer! In honor of our {warming} planet, I’d love to share some of my favorites that make it easier to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Kid Convenience
We all know that kids use a LOT of stuff. While the convenience of disposable products is not to be dismissed–especially when you’re in a particularly hard season of life–it’s not that much more work to opt for the reusable version. One such of my favorites is the reusable food pouch. Perfect for applesauce or yogurt or even homemade baby food, these pouches are durable and can even be washed in the dishwasher. We’ve had our set since kid #2 was a toddler, and 5+ years later, they’re still holding strong. We opted for the Wee Sprout brand, but a quick search on Amazon reveals lots of other options.
Honorable mention: Cloth diapers! We are (thankfully) beyond this stage, but I highly recommend Best Bottoms.
Period Items
Much to my daughters’ chagrin, I am enthusiastic about all things period care. I have already waxed poetic on this blog about my love for both menstrual cups and reusable cloth liners, so now it’s time for a shout-out to my new favorites: period panties. Where have these things been all my life?!? They are especially amazing during those leak-prone days at the beginning of your cycle. Again, there are lots of options, but I have tried and really like The Period Co. brand. There are many different styles available, including junior sizes and even adaptive pairs for girls with special needs. New releases include super-comfy shorts for sleeping and even swimwear. Bonus is that they’re relatively affordable. I definitely plan to get some for my daughters when the time comes.
Storage
It is not an uncommon sight in my kitchen to find plastic ziptop bags hanging out to dry. Whenever I can, I rinse and reuse those bags, but what is even better is to start with the reusable kind in the first place. My favorites that I’ve found are the Stasher brand, which are available online but also at a number of retail stores. What makes these so great is that they are easy to open and close, yet also stay sealed. I haven’t tried heating or freezing them, but those are options as well. For research purposes, I was checking out their website, and I think it’s safe to say I will be making some additional purchases in the near future.
Honorable mention: Produce bags! Stop using those flimsy plastic bags and try these Earthwise ones instead.
Shopping
Even though I do it more than I should, I always feel a little guilty ordering things on-line, and I try to order multiple things at once when I can. The cost of shipping and all that extra packaging makes me itchy. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a physical location that specialized in sustainable goods? It would be and it is! Boshi Botanicals is Memphis’s first zero-waste store, and I am here for it. Located in The Shops of Chickasaw Oaks across from the Central Library, the motto on the sandwich board outside the shop says it all: “Eco-friendly cleaning solutions for humans and home.” The coolest part, in my opinion, is the filling station for laundry detergent, dish soap, shampoo, deodorant, bath salts, etc. Just bring in a container (or snag one of the donated ones on hand) and pay for your item by the ounce. No need to recycle plastic packaging, because there is none!
Honorable mention: Second-hand stores! From Goodwill to the Repeat Boutique, you are saving money AND keeping clothes out of the landfill.
Reading
If it isn’t obvious by now, I get very excited by sustainability and am constantly on the look-out for ways to reduce my carbon footprint. One resource in this endeavor I’d recommend is the book The (Almost) Zero Waste Guide by Melanie Mannarino. What I appreciate about this book is the recognition that while most of us can’t fit all of our waste for the year in a mason jar (an example frequently cited), there are lots of simple things we can do without too much extra effort.
I hope you are inspired to seek out earth-friendly products, and if you have any favorites, please share! The pendulum that ushered in a wave of disposable convenience is swinging back in the other direction, providing us with more and more options for sustainability. Together we can make a difference!
