10 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Waste & Be More Eco-Friendly

1. Re-use bags of any kind–

Plastic/paper grocery bags, sandwich bags, packaging from products or bags from any kind of food packaging, it can all be reused for anything around the house. Reusable grocery bags and produce bags are great, but we don’t always remember to bring them (plus most stores wouldn’t allow you to use them during the heat of Covid). When that happens, don’t feel guilty, you can reuse those grocery bags! Use them as a trash or recycle can liner, for example. Or you can wrap your breakables in a paper bag or even an old Amazon bubble shipping envelope before you pack them away in a box. I try to re-use bags from literally everything, for things like cleaning the litter box or dirty clothes (and dirty diapers when my daughter was younger) when we are out somewhere. You can also use those as poop bags for when you are walking your dog. Check out some reusable grocery bags that I like here and some organic mesh produce bags here.

2. Switch to compostable or reusable sandwich bags and food wrap

We use Stasher bags and compostable bags, we do occasionally use regular freezer size bags too. I usually reuse the compostable and the freezer bags as many times as I can before tossing or composting them. I hand wash and hang all my bags dry on this wooden drying rack. I also love beeswax wrap instead of tin foil or plastic wrap. You can reuse it again and again, when it’s not usable anymore you can compost it. It is important to compost the compostable bags and food wrap (anything compostable for that matter) when you are done with them as they do not break down in the landfill. Reducing the use of single use plastics is essential in the fight against micro-plastic pollution. Microplastics are everywhere, even at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, which is 36,000 feet deep. *Use this link for 20% off Stasher bags.

3. Stop drinking bottled water–

Get a reusable water bottle and a water filter pitcher or dispenser. I prefer a stainless steel water bottle and the Zero Water dispenser. I also like this water bottle if you want to totally avoid plastic. There are better ways of water filtration, but this dispenser is good if you are on a budget. I know a lot of businesses have cut back on using straws in an effort to be more eco-friendly, which is great. However, straws are just the tip of the iceberg and a lot of those businesses are still using plastic cups among other plastic things! So, while using less straws is great, we need to avoid the plastic cups too. Reusable and compostable cups and other items are the perfect way to do this. I like this reusable cup and I have these silicone straws. I also love using mason jars, I have some stainless steel lids with straw holes that I use. Check out mason jar lids here.

4. Switch from traditional wrapping paper to recyclable paper or use gift bags–

Gift bags are so easy to re-use. I know opening a wrapped package is way more fun, so there are recyclable wrapping papers, but most traditional wrapping paper is not recyclable. That is A LOT of extra waste going to the landfills, especially after the holidays! I am not saying throw out the rolls of wrapping paper you have, just don’t buy more, buy gift bags or recyclable paper instead. Or use postal wrapping paper and decorate it, I did this with my daughter recently and she had a blast decorating it and its recyclable. I really think we all need to make a conscious effort to be more eco-friendly around the holidays. The amount of waste we send to landfills in December and January is heart breaking.

5. Buy less plastic, switch to more eco-friendly products

If and when possible, buy food in glass or other kinds of packaging, single-use plastics are a huge problem. Buy glass leftover containers instead of plastic. I love my Pyrex Snapware leftover containers. If you use plastic toothbrushes, switch to bamboo toothbrushes. Buy wooden or recycled plastic toys instead of regular plastic toys- Green Toys is an awesome company that uses 100% recycled plastic with no BPA, phthalates, PVC or paints. They are made in the U.S. too! I also have some favorite Etsy stores that sell handmade wood toys, check them out here. These bamboo dishes are a great alternative to plastic kid dishes (bamboo plates, bamboo bowls, bamboo cups). I also loved this silicone suction plate when my daughter was younger. I personally, am weary about cooking and baking at high temperatures with silicone because there have not been enough studies showing that it is safe. So, I don’t use silicone cupcake liners or silicone cookie sheet mats, when baking, but I do use them in freezer. Check out my Guide to Less Toxic & More Sustainable Gifts for Kids for more toy ideas.

6. Buy more used items instead of new–

This saves on packaging, price and possibly saves that item from going to the landfill. I don’t buy everything used, but I have been making more of an effort to buy used when possible. There is OfferUp, Craigslist, Value Village, Goodwill, any second hand store or antique shops are great places to find used goods. Note- if you are looking to donate some of your old household goods, do research and find a reputable charity near you.

7. Use reusable cloth and feminine products instead of disposable–

There are SO many reusable products now, try making the switch to even just one of these to reduce your monthly waste drastically. If you use makeup removing wipes, try these Living Centered Wellness Makeup Remover Cloth. Here are some good reusable organic cotton rounds if you use cotton rounds. I also have some reusable unpaper towels that are the perfect alternative to paper towels. I still do use paper towels, but I use way less now that I have these.

Feminine Hygiene Products- I love the Saalt Menstrual Cup. If you want to try period panties, the Hesta organic cotton period underwear are awesome. For pads, try these Natissy organic reusable menstrual pads.

Baby & Moms- For nursing moms, try these organic bamboo nursing pads. They aren’t super absorbent, so I used the reusable ones when I was home and could change them frequently and used disposable when I left the house. Reusable cloth diapers are a great way to avoid sending around 3,000 diapers to the landfill in a year! Cloth diapers can seem very overwhelming, they sure did for me and that’s why I didn’t feel like I could do it. However, they have come a long way and they are way easier than they used to be. I will definitely be using them if we have a second baby. Even just switching out one disposable diaper for a cloth diaper a day can make a difference!

8. Buy cleaning products in concentrate form

Every time you buy a cleaning product at the store, you are not only paying for water, but you are also buying more plastic than you need to. When you buy products in their concentrated form, you buy less plastic and you save money. You just mix the concentrate with water in a reusable spray bottle. My new favorite is Force of Nature. This cleaner is unlike any cleaner I have ever used before. It takes salt, vinegar and water, then mixes it with electricity into an EPA registered sanitizing and disinfecting spray cleaner.

You buy the starter kit which includes the electrolyzer appliance, the spray bottle and a number of activator capsules which contain the salt and vinegar. Instead of buying a new spray bottle each time, you just fill the electrolyzer appliance with water, one activator capsule and turn it on. You wait around 9 minutes, then you pour it into your spray bottle and you are ready to go! For the month of April 2021 use code EARTHDAY30 for 30% off starter bundles + free shipping or EARTHDAY40 for 40% off + free shipping the extra value bundle. Check out Force of Nature here. I talk about my other two favorite concentrate cleaners in my post Affordable, Less-Toxic Product Swaps For Your Household, check it out!

9. Support local companies and companies that focus on reducing their carbon footprint and being more eco-friendly-

Local companies use less emissions to get the product to you, while some claim the difference is miniscule, it is still making a small difference. You may hear about companies being carbon neutral/carbon free, zero carbon, carbon negative or climate positive, these companies are implying techniques to reduce their carbon footprint and are great companies to support. Farmer’s Markets are an easy and great way to do this!

We love supporting local farmers at Klesick’s Farm. We get a box of organic produce from them weekly and it has helped us eat so much healthier. They sell lots of other groceries including meat, they even sell meat shares. You could basically do all your grocery shopping through their website! They are located in Stanwood, Washington and have a map of their delivery area here. Mention the Heeringa’s sent you and use code health25 for 25% off your first box.

10. Start Composting–

Compost bins are great for gardening, but not everyone has one or the space and ability to use one. Just using your yard waste bin for food scraps greatly reduces what you are sending to the landfill. According to the EPA 94% of food waste in households goes to landfills, totaling 38 Million tons per year. There are many different kinds of kitchen compost bins you can buy. All you have to do is fill it up with your food scraps and empty it into your yard waste bin when it gets full. It’s a very easy way to be more eco-friendly!