8 eco-friendly swaps for your kitchen and bath

This post is for you if...

You're trying to find ways to be more eco-friendly at home, but don't know where to start.

You're looking for a thoughtful hostess or housewarming gift that will actually get used and bonus, that’s eco-conscious.

I love a good guide - whether it’s a holiday gift guide, a nutrition based guide, design guide or a plant guide. They can provide quick bits of usable information and great product recommendations to make shopping easier for you.

With that, I thought I should put together our first guide! Ta da!

I’d like to share with you some quick tips and awesome product recommendations that I have found through my journey to less household waste, less plastic use and choosing more eco-conscious products in general.

Eco-friendly alternatives for the kitchen and bath

Kitchen

1. Glass jars over plastic

• I love to buy in bulk when I can (hemp seeds, nuts, rice, pasta, flours, etc...), then store the product in reusable glass jars such as mason jars which you can buy a flat of for pretty cheap at the hardware store (but you can also save glass jars from things like mustard, peanut butter, etc...) You'll find a lot of new zero waste stores opening up around Canada, they have tons of amazing bulk, less waste options. In Toronto, I personally love Bare Market - located in the east end.
• If I buy a product in glass, I either reuse the jar for more bulk goodies or clean and recycle it.

2. Beeswax food wraps over plastic wrap

• Use them to preserve your food: fruit, veggies, cheese, sandwiches, snacks!
• Reusable and compostable after a year + of use.
• We love Goldilocks from beautiful British Columbia - all wraps are made with local, Canadian wax from Urban Honey Bee Farms.

3. Swedish sponge cloths over paper towels

• Reduce plastic entering the landfill and paper towel usage (they can reduce up to 17 rolls of paper towel.
• Naturally antibacterial as they dry very quickly, there is no stinky dish smell as with other sponges and cloths.
• 100% biodegradable, after a few months of use (you can toss these in the washing machine or dishwasher) they can be composted.
• We love Ten + Co from Toronto, beautifully crafted design.

4. Solid dish soap over liquid dish soap in plastic bottles

• Reduce plastic waste entering the landfill.
• Solid dish soap lasts quite a bit longer than liquid dish soap, some replace up to 3 bottles of liquid dish soap (less waste, less $$ spent).
• Look for 100% natural, vegan and sensitive on the skin.
• We love Make Nice Company from British Columbia, they check off all of those boxes with their products.

5. Reusable stainless steel straws over plastic

• I love my smoothies with a straw, so using a reusable straw (not a paper one, those disintegrate) has been a must!
• Straw Hut Co. from Calgary has a ton of fun reusable straw options or well.ca is another great place to find these.

6. Travel mug over takeaway coffee cups

• I am a big fan of my glass travel mugs from KeepCup (not Canadian) - they will even replace the lid pieces if they wear out! No need to toss the glass mug then! 
• There's a ton of options out there, you'll definitely find one that suits your needs.

Bath

7. Solid shampoo + conditioner bars over liquid shampoo + conditioner in plastic bottles!

• No waste, plastic free!
• In the US alone, more than 552 million shampoo bottles are estimated to end up in landfills annually.
• Will last longer with proper care, as they are concentrated and water-free.
• Good products will be made of natural, chemical-free, cruelty-free ingredients that are nourishing, hydrating, cleansing and provide protection.
• We love Unwrapped Life from Calgary! Their shave bars are also AH-mazing!

8. Safety razor over disposable razors + blades

• A more sustainable way to shave that also saves you $$ in the long run
• Blades are recyclable, another plastic free option.
• Safety razors have a single blade that provides a very close shave, that reduces irritation.
• We love Well Kept from British Columbia, plastic-free razors + blades. My favourite is the Rose razor, she’s pretty cute - I still love me some pink!

Fingers crossed that this was a helpful little guide!

Still looking for the perfect hostess or new home gift?

Check out our new curated gift box "Conscious Kitchen". A useful and thoughtful gift idea.

What eco-friendly swaps have you made so far at home?
What are you still looking to learn?

Drop us a comment below, we would love to chat more!