*I say “easy” while recognizing that these changes may create much more annoyance for some and be nearly impossible for others. We all have very different resources and relationships with time management.

Without getting too high on a soap box here, I’ll simply say that I am tenaciously protective of our environment. When I was a little girl and learned about the term “littering,” I made a sign that said, “Shame on you, litter bugs!” to hold up from our car if I saw anyone throwing trash on the highway! Kind of obnoxiously cute for a little girl but not something I can get away with now… As much as I may wish this weren’t the case, I myself probably add a larger carbon footprint than I’m comfortable with (or even aware of!). Simply being here on this planet means that I’m draining resources from it faster than it can replenish them. Remember that children’s book, The Giving Tree? I feel like each of us is the boy in the story who blindly takes what he needs without realizing what it’s costing something or someone else.

As I’ve spent more time learning how to move through the world, I’ve been inspired to change my lifestyle choices by advocates such as Barbara Kingsolver, Greta Thunberg, and environmental heroes within my own friend circle. And yes, I have a long way to go! That continued awareness excites me as I realize that one person CAN have a big impact over the course of their lifetime. Everyday choices build up pretty quickly, so those “small” incidents of wasteful convenience can add up to quite substantial mountains of harm. However unintentional. So I want to share with you some of the easy eco-friendly life hacks I’ve adopted lately. And if you have any of your own that you don’t see listed here, by all means- add a comment! I thank you in advance 🙂

• Ditching paper towels: These are an example of those everyday conveniences that aren’t actually necessary but are harmful to the environment. Once we decided to give them up we realized how much we didn’t miss them! There may be a slight “eww” factor if you’re not ok with rinsing a cloth after using it to sop up a spill (instead of just tossing it in the trash), but for me the environmental and economical benefits outweigh any squeamishness. Instead of reaching for a paper towel to blot a piece of fish dry or wipe up a spill, I instead use a square of cotton fabric (which very well may be a repurposed t-shirt). You can also buy more uniform cloth towels from Earth Hero or The Laundress which are lint-free and can be thrown in the wash and reused over and over! Here are my old cotton t-shirts which are now enjoying their second life as paper towels. They may not look sexy, but helping the planet is!

• Replacing plastic ziplock bags with silicone Up until pretty recently, I would wash and re-use my plastic zipper bags until they inevitably fell apart and had to be tossed. As much as I hate to use ANY plastic, I couldn’t find a better solution than those handy storage bags for leftovers and snacks on-the-go. Then I stumbled upon a brilliant alternative in Stashers silicone reusable bags available at Sur La Table among other online retailers. Not only are they BPA free but they also serve as containers for microwave or sous vide cooking! They’re pretty indestructible so can be washed and used over and over. I’ve stored all sorts of things in them from dog treats, baked goods, lemon slices, marinating fish, and brown sugar (no moisture gets in!). While $20 for one bag sounds like a lot at first, just think how quickly those single-use ziplocs add up to that same amount…

• Washing your face with reusable non-cotton rounds: There are many daily items that are so convenient that they’ve become part of our routine without a second thought. For someone who loves skincare as much as I do (and believe me, I DO), giving up those soft cotton rounds I used to wipe off makeup or apply toner seemed pretty unlikely. Then a friend gave me a set of cloth pads that totally changed my mind! They’re even softer than cloth, don’t leave little bits of fuzz or lint on your face, and are as good as new after being thrown in the washing machine! Though these aren’t the exact ones I received, I found a set online from the company Unwrapped Life which I’ll be ordering next time I need to give a green gift of my own! (As their name suggests, their packaging is minimal and contains ZERO plastic. Hooray!)

• Cleaning your teeth the cleanest way possible: We’ve all heard that dentist recommend replacing your toothbrush every 3-4 months. Sure, you can get a package of the plastic ones in bulk and easily toss them in the trash when their time is up. But think about how that plastic adds up in the landfill (not to mention the toxic processes required to manufacture them!). Bamboo is a renewable resource that is incredibly versatile and a great alternative to plastic. Most bamboo toothbrushes are compostable at the end of their life and are also affordable- so what’s not to love? There are tons of options for where to find these babies such as: TreeBird, Giving Brush, and Package Free .

• Saving glass jars to use as storage: Do you ever pause over which brand of peanut butter to buy? Or wonder what to do when your plastic tupperware warps in the dishwasher? There’s a win-win situation here when you purchase goods in glass containers. For years after you enjoy the food inside, you can appreciate the sturdy and economical glass houses themselves! Many items have a “jarred” option if you look a little further than your go-to brands. Nut butters, tomato sauce, pickles, honey…these are all things I’ve purchased in glass containers which have then become BPA-free household storage! Glass jars also make great water containers if you don’t own an official reusable water bottle. The best part of all this is that you don’t have to buy anything in addition to what’s probably already in your fridge or cabinets!

• Mopping your floors with reusable pads: With a dog in the house, our floors tend to get dirty pretty quickly. And since I love to walk around barefoot, I can tell when there’s even a little bit of grit on the ground. I started noticing how quickly we went through a (plastic) box of single-use swiffer pads; it was essentially one large and expensive tissue box! Back to scouring the internet and…voila! Found tons of options for cloth pads that fit typical swiffer heads and are machine washable! A simple Google search will lead you to what you’re looking for specifically but I’m partial to the hand-made and inventive items on Etsy. From cotton fabric to crocheted natural yarn, you can find an environmentally friendly and charming alternative to the more mainstream option.

• Carrying your “just in case” items: We all know that paper bags are AWFUL. But many of us still haven’t made the switch to canvas tote bags. I suspect it’s more of a mental hurdle than a physical one because A) the totes just feel and look nicer B) you probably have a few ones lying around that were free gifts anyway and C) you don’t always know when you’ll go on an impromptu grocery run. If canvas just isn’t your bag (see what I did there?), there are also mesh or synthetic versions that fold up even smaller. (But keep in mind that synthetic materials never break down and when washed release micro-particles into the water. Better to stick with the natural fibers if you can.) And while you’re stashing your reusable bag in your purse/backpack/glove compartment, maybe consider tossing in your bamboo utensil set; complete with straw? Again, Etsy has a ton of options ranging from the most basic to the more prepared-for-anything bundle.

• Adding dryer balls to your laundry routine: When I first moved to NYC after college and had to be selective about what I spent my tiny budget on, dryer sheets didn’t make the cut. But I know that many households use them to cut down on static cling or to make their clothes feel softer and smell better. But as I mentioned above, their single use nature alone makes them harmful to the environment, not to mention their usually toxic makeup. (Though not listed on the label, most brands use chemicals that are toxic for people to ingest or even INHALE!) But there’s even an easy solution to this dilemma. Woolen dryer balls. Throw a few of them into the dryer with your wet laundry and they’ll help make your clothes softer, less staticky, AND they even help to cut down on your drying time by absorbing some of the moisture in the cycle. For an added freshness, pour a few drops of an essential oil like lavender or eucalyptus on each ball before adding it to the dryer. There’s a great option from Branch Basics or these adorable penguin ones that I have myself.

• Washing with bar soap: Who doesn’t love a delicious smelling soap? I remember in college I used to buy a powdery-smelling liquid body wash every couple of months. Which also meant 5-6 plastic bottles a year. While I still love lathering up to wash off the grime of the day, I now use good old-fashioned bar soap. It’s surprisingly effective and affordable and usually comes without all the chemicals found in the bottled liquid versions. I’ve had eczema since I was a little kid and I find that the right bar soaps are much less likely to make my sensitive skin flare up than the more manufactured washes. In a dish next to the bathroom sink or in an exfoliating sleeve in the shower, bar soaps do their job, do it well, and do without the unnecessary plastic wrap!

Somehow, we’ve gotten so used to disposables and plastic packaging that we don’t stop and wonder if that style of consuming is really necessary. I’m so grateful to the brilliant, thoughtful minds who come up with earth-friendlier comforts or just remind us that simple is often also kind! My own dear friend, Betsy Rosen, just reminded me of some forgotten eco-hacks I used to use but forgot about. It’s a practice, just like reminding yourself to be patient with drivers on the road or training yourself to grab a mask before walking out the front door. I hope we’ll all continue to learn from each other and take care of the world we share.