You can save yourself hundreds of dollars by eliminating some of the purchases you make. Most importantly, eliminating these purchases can also have a positive impact on the environment. In this article, I’m providing several eco-friendly swaps to items I have stopped buying.
At some point, we forgot the term “reduce, reuse, and recycle” is to be done in that order. It is always best to reduce, then reuse, with recycling being our last resort. Remember, everything is not recyclable and everything we put in the recycling bin does not actually get recycled.
Eco-conscious living is all about living with the environment in mind. It is best to refuse or reuse an item than it is to recycle that item. Recycling should not be an automatic solution if there is a reusable option instead.
Please keep in mind that it is important to incorporate these swaps at your own pace! I didn’t stop buying all these items right away. In fact, it has taken me years to get to where I am today and I’m still not exactly where I want to be. We live in a fast world and we depend on convenience. If you’re curious about tips to help create long-lasting, eco-conscious habits for your family check out this post!
Here are 19 things you should stop buying right now and some friendly swaps that save me money.
1.) Aluminum Foil
Aluminum foil is often used in cooking, baking, and grilling. Although it is convenient, aluminum foil in excess can have adverse health effects. Aluminum foil is also harsh on the environment. This single-use item requires mining, creates pollution, and releases greenhouse gases.
Time to decompose: 400 years
How long is it used: single-use
Recyclable? Yes – if it is clean and free of food waste.
Eco-friendly swaps: For me, none. My family has stopped using aluminum foil and we haven’t missed it. If you feel like you need a substitute try cedar wraps or a silicone grill mat
2.) Breastmilk Bags
Breastmilk bags are the ultimate convenience for moms who are pumping. However, these single-use bags are made from plastic, heated up, then thrown away. Warming plastic can cause it to leach into the breastmilk. It is estimated we eat a credit-cards weight in plastic a week!
Time to decompose: 500 + years
How long is it used: single-use
Recyclable? Breastmilk bags are #4 plastics. These usually cannot be recycled in your curbside bin.
Eco-friendly swaps: silicone storage bags or silicone breastmilk storage pods
3.) Coffee Filters
Although coffee filters are compostable, it is much better to reuse an item over and over again, than continuously buy an item and have to dispose of it. Remember, reduce – reuse – recycle, in that order.
Time to decompose: 6 to 8 months
How long is it used: single-use, but you can rinse, dry, and reuse them.
Recyclable? No, but they are compostable.
Eco-friendly swaps: reusable coffee filter, french press, or one of these.
4. Disposable Coffee Cups
I love a Saturday cup of coffee on the go just as much as the next person. Making to-go coffee an occasional treat as opposed to a daily endeavor will be sure to save you money and help the environment.
Time to decompose: over a million years (Styrofoam) | 20 years (paper cups with plastic lining)
How long is it used: single-use
Recyclable? No. Styrofoam cannot be recycled in your curbside bin. Since paper coffee cups are usually stained with coffee and lined with plastic, they are also not recyclable.
Eco-friendly swaps: Reusable coffee cups
5.) Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets are not needed to keep your clothes clean. If you’re looking for something to reduce your drying time and help with the static in your clothes, there is a much cheaper, reusable alternative. This alternative is also much better for the environment!
Time to decompose: Years
How long is it used: single-use
Recyclable? No. Dryer sheets are made of synthetic material that is not recyclable nor compostable.
Eco-friendly swaps: Dryer Balls
6.) K-Cups/Coffee pods
I ditched my Keriug many years ago when I realized the amount of waste it accumulated. In addition, K-cups are expensive. Instead, I opt to use a traditional coffee pot or a french press.
Time to decompose: thousands of years
How long is it used: single-use
Recyclable? Not in most curbside bins.
Eco-friendly swaps: reusable coffee pod, traditional coffee pot with a reusable coffee filter, french press, or one of these.
7.) Mason Jars
Mason jars have been around for a long time. They provide a rustic, farmhouse-like decor vibe and are currently seen as chic and trendy. While glass takes a long time to decompose, it can be recycled over and over again without losing its quality. Instead of buying new glass, try to reuse glass jars instead!
Time to decompose: 1 million years
How long is it used: Can be reused over and over again
Recyclable? Yes. Glass is 100% recyclable, indefinitely.
Eco-friendly swaps: I reuse mason jars instead of buying them. I rinse out used pasta jars, pickle jars, or soda bottles and use them instead of buying new glass jars.
8.) New Outfits for Every Holiday/Occasion
As tempting as it may be, we don’t need new clothing for every holiday and occasion. We currently have a major problem with fast fashion. Trends are created to keep us buying more clothing, even when our “out of season clothes” are still in perfectly good condition. This is bad for the environment, but also for our wallets.
Time to decompose: Anywhere between 3 months to hundreds of years, depending on the fabric
How long is it used: Multi-use
Recyclable? No, but 95% of used textiles can be reused or repurposed.
Eco-friendly swaps: I purchase sustainable clothing from Poplinen, thrift, and participate in clothing swaps.
9.) Styrofoam Plates
One of the largest kitchen conveniences – styrofoam/paper plates. Although they may save you a little time on doing dishes, it’s not saving your wallet, nor the planet.
Time to decompose: 500 – 1 million years
How long is it used: single-use
Recyclable? Not in your curbside bin. There are extremely limited recycling options.
Eco-friendly swaps: Choose reusable glass containers
10.) Paper Towels
Another kitchen convenience – paper towels! An average family of 4 uses about 2-3 rolls of paper towels per week. One mom tracked her spending and calculated that she saved $400/year by switching from paper towels to cloth.
Time to decompose: 2-4 weeks
How long is it used: single-use
Recyclable? No, but they are compostable.
Eco-friendly swaps: I use tea towels or cotton towels instead of paper towels. You buy them once and can reuse them over and over again. They’re great for cleaning up messes and spills and cleaning/drying your hands.
11.) Plastic Wrap
Plastic wrap is often used to cover food items and keep them fresh and preserved. Despite the marketed convenience of plastic wrap, it is costly over time, not recyclable, and can contain harmful chemicals.
Time to decompose: 500+ years
How long is it used: single-use
Recyclable? No.
Eco-friendly swaps: Try beeswax wrap as an eco-friendly alternative!
12.) Plastic Kitchenware
There was a time when I would buy the mega large box of plastic utensils from Sam’s club. These would cost me anywhere between $10-$15, per box. Often given with to-go orders, deliveries, and drive-throughs, these convenient utensils are also contributing to our plastic problem. With 8 million tons of plastic in our ocean, we should ditch plastic kitchenware.
Time to decompose: 500+ years
How long is it used: single-use
Recyclable? No.
Eco-friendly swaps: Regular kitchen utensils or on-the-go utensils.
13.) Plastic Tupperware
Before I became aware of the chemicals plastic can leach into food, all of my Tupperware was plastic. Not only is plastic toxic for our health, it takes hundreds of years to decompose! When purchasing containers, I no longer choose plastic.
Time to decompose: 500+ years
How long is it used: years
Recyclable? No.
Eco-friendly swaps: Glass containers or Stasher bags
14.) Pre-cut Fruit and Veggies
I’ve stopped purchasing pre-cut fruit and veggies because they are often more expensive, go bad faster, and contain excess packaging.
Time to decompose: the plastic wrapped around these veggies can take 500+ years to decompose
How long is it used: single-use
Recyclable? Usually, no.
Eco-friendly swaps: buy loose veggies! I use a mesh bag to hold loose veggies from the grocery store or farmers’ market.
15.) Sandwich Baggies
Sandwich baggies can be so expensive over time. And, as I’ve mentioned earlier, we shouldn’t be storing our food in plastic because chemicals can be released into our food from the plastic.
Time to decompose: 500 years
How long is it used: single-use
Recyclable? Not in your curbside bin. These can be recycled along with your plastic bags and other plastic wrap in-store recycling bins. Find a list of Trex Recycling stores here!
Eco-friendly swaps: Try reusable silicone bags like Stasher Bags! These bags are toxic-free, reusable, and help to eliminate waste.
16.) Single-Use Water Bottles
While I do believe it is safe to always have some water bottles on hand for public health emergencies, single-use water bottles are not part of my daily routine. In fact, I no longer buy single-use water bottles.
Time to decompose: 450+ years
How long is it used: single-use
Recyclable? Yes.
Eco-friendly swaps: Use reusable water bottles instead of bottle water bottles.
17.) Sponges
Sponges are not biodegradable meaning they never really break down. Every sponge you’ve ever used is most likely still sitting in a landfill!
Time to decompose: 52,000 years
How long is it used: one to two weeks
Recyclable? No.
Eco-friendly swaps: Instead of sponges, I use towels. These are reusable, eco-friendly and they’re zero waste! Another alternative is a dish brush.
18.) Straws
It is estimated that by the year 2050 there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish. That is A LOT of plastic. One of the easiest ways to help to decrease the amount of plastic found in the landfill and the ocean is to use less plastic. Straws are a major convenience, but not buying them has saved me money in the long run.
Time to decompose: 500 years
How long is it used: single-use
Recyclable? No.
Eco-friendly swaps: Instead of disposable plastic straw, I use reusable straws. There are metal, glass, or bamboo options.
19.) Swiffer Sheets
I always dreaded when it was time to buy new Swiffer sheets. Always. It seemed like such a waste. Turns out, IT IS. Save your money on new Swiffer sheets and try some of the suggestions below.
Time to decompose: 200 years
How long is it used: single-use
Recyclable? No.
Eco-friendly swaps: Try microfiber cleaning pads, an old towel or an “old fashioned” mop.
I hope you loved this post all about eco friendly swaps that save money!
What items are you committed to stop buying? Remember, the first step in eco-conscious living is finding ways to reduce. When you stop buying items you are not only saving money but also helping the environment.
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