Set yourself up for zero waste success! We’ve narrowed down 7 products you can use to start living a more sustainable lifestyle. Seriously, it’s that easy.
1. Our first zero waste essential: This everyday reusable water bottle
So long plastic water bottles, hello reusables! Here’s a (not so) fun fact: every year the average American uses 167 plastic water bottles and spends about $225/year. This Insulated Klean Kanteen Water Bottle is only $28.15 and will last you a lifetime! Pick a bottle that fits your style keeps your drinks cold, and you’ll never forget to show it off. Think about how much “green” you can save just by going green and choosing reusable!
2. Ditch the cling wrap and turn to beeswax wrap!
Up next is one of the cutest zero waste products we’ve ever come across! Upgrade your kitchen to Bee’s Wrap, a sustainable food storage alternative to plastic wrap. This fancy cloth is made with GOTS-certified organic cotton, sustainably sourced US beeswax, organic jojoba oil, and organic tree resin. Go ahead, wrap your avocados, tuck in your sandwiches, and seal up your baguettes. Once you’re done, wash it in the sink with cool water, and reuse it again (and again, and again).
We recommend beginning your Bee’s Wrap addiction with the assorted pack!
3. Say no-go to to-go boxes. Turn to a reusable food canister!
Skip the plastic containers and take your snacks on-the-go with this Klean Kanteen 8oz insulated food canister! Constructed from food grade stainless steel, this double walled, leak-proof, and shatter-proof canister will keep your soup piping hot come lunch time. And for dessert? This canister is great to keep some ice cream cold for an after lunch treat!
4. Reduce your forkprint with reusable utensils
About 40 billion plastic utensils are produced every year, and most of these utensils can’t even be recycled, so they end up in the landfill or the ocean. Breaking the single-use habit can be a big leap in living more simply, and To-Go Ware makes it simple with their reusable bamboo utensil set! Check out these cute utensils and organized carrying pouch, perfect for tossing into your lunchbox, purse, or backpack as you walk out the door!
5. BYOB: Bring your own bag
Do you collect plastic bags under your sink? Skip the clutter and switch to reusable! Plastic bags can’t be recycled in a curbside recycling bin, so only one plastic bag out of every 200 actually makes it to a correct recycling facility. By switching to a reusable shopping bag, you’re helping to eliminate plastic bag waste in landfills, oceans, and scattered around the planet. There are a bunch of awesome options out there, but we love these three by Lassig, Hemptique, and ChicoBag.
6. Protect your produce with these fruit and veggie bags
Way to go, you remembered your reusable grocery bag! What are you going to do with your fruits and veggies, though? We have all sorts of reusable drawstring produce bags for your apples, kale, and tomatoes! Next time you go to the grocery store, grab these on your way out of the house. Not only are they reducing your plastic use, but they’re made of recycled plastic as well!
7. Say it with us: Straws Suck!
And our final zero-waste essential (drumroll please)… a reusable straw!
500 million plastic straws are thrown away daily in the U.S alone, and it’s estimated that if we don’t make a change, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050. Plastic straws are tricky little buggers–they’re typically too lightweight to be recycled properly, and oftentimes they get blown out of trashcans and landfills, ending up in waterways (where they get ingested by marine life and seabirds).
For those of you who prefer straws, there’s a sustainable alternative for you! Get yourself a reusable stainless steel, bamboo, or glass straw to take with you when you go out.
