Celebrate Green Blog

by Lynn

Yesterday I wrote about switching from my old favorite stand by, Vaseline, to a product that does the same thing, but isn’t made from petrochemicals.

That got me thinking about so many other products I’m now either making or purchasing that are better for people as well as the planet. Many are not perfect, especially those I buy (and neither am I when it comes to this). They’re not always made locally and they come wrapped in packaging that sometimes can’t be recycled, among other downsides. And yet, they’re a a step in the right direction both in terms of supporting companies that are at least making an attempt at doing better, and that I’m using fewer products packed with chemicals that can cause harm.

I’m taking small steps but so many more of them than I was even a year ago!

Today I thought I’d introduce you to just a few of the dozens of other substitutions I’ve made.

Deoderant

I spoke last year of my frustrating hunt for a deoderant that worked. I finally found the Holy Grail of deoderants handmade by a small company in NY, Soapwalla Kitchen. I wish I hadn’t had to try so many before landing a winner. After all, deoderant isn’t something you can give away after you’ve tested it. But at least those I tried were chemical free so no harm to the environment when getting rid of them.

Decorated cookies

Gift giving for me is often about giving consumables and it was even before I became more eco-aware. And happily, over the years since I began more careful evaluation of products, organic food has become more widely available. One of my favorite gifts to give has always been decorated cookies which is why I was over the moon to discover Beautiful Sweets. Their selection of organic, gorgeously handmade cookies is unbeatable and they’ll even do custom designs. They also added gluten free which makes them even more beautiful!

Polartec® zip shirts

When we moved to the Northwest from Arizona, I needed to find warm clothes fast and when I came across Polartec, I was ecstatic. Just love the stuff. My favorite has been black zip tops which honestly, make up my entire winter wardrobe. (I work from home and don’t get out much so why do I care if I wear the same thing every day? Answer: I don’t.)

Unfortunately, the shirts I’d been buying for years were not made from recycled plastic bottles or other recycled materials, which some Polartec is. In 2010, 35% of Polartec’s product was made from recycled raw material with a goal of getting that to 80% by the beginning of 2012, so looks like I could start buying some new ones, but meantime, I switched to merino wool zip tops. Wool as we all know is a renewable resource, very warm for its weight and inherently fire retardant. Wool garments generally are more expensive, but on the other hand, I’ve noticed that after a number of years, sometimes when I wash to Polartec, it takes on a peculiar odor I can’t get rid of and they have to be donated. So as my Polartecs wear out, I’m moving completely to wool.

Toilet paper

Bet that title got your attention! But it’s not what you think. (Although I’m aware that some brave souls have moved from toilet paper to reusable wipes, I’m not there yet.)

I’ve never been one to buy Kleenex or other types of tissue. Just seemed silly when I could just as easily use toilet paper to wipe our family’s noses. Despite the word “toilet” in the name, it worked fine for most of my lifetime.

Meanwhile, my husband, since the day we married, carried a handkerchief, not for decoration in his suit pocket, but to actually use. And I will admit that washing them was never one of my favorite household duties.

But then I moved into the green world and realized a hankie is so much less wasteful than boxes of tissue. And I had drawers full of handkerchiefs because I’d taken my mom’s when she passed away and more from an aunt, so I could use them, not to dab at my dripping nose, but to incorporate in all sorts of crafts projects as well as to wrap small gifts.

So, no more wiping my nose with toilet paper. I’ve armed myself with a selection of beautiful (and free) hankies which have the added benefit of reminding me of my family each time I use one.

Trash bags

When I was growing up, I don’t think plastic trash bags had been invented. (Hold the laughter please.) If you had trash (and things weren’t so encased as they are today), you put it into a trash can without any liner! Yes! Believe it or not we all lived to tell the tale.

We didn’t line our trash cans whether they lived under the sink or by the garage. If you needed to toss something smelly like fish bones or you took it to the outside trash can. When the inside cans got dirty, you washed them.

Today, the fact that I don’t line any of my trash cans with plastic might seem crazy, but to me it just makes sense. It’s no more trouble to empty the can once or twice a week than it is to take out a bag. In fact, if you want to get into it, it’s actually faster since I don’t have to wrestle with twist ties or tie a knot in the bag. Yes, it takes 2-3 minutes to rinse it out when it’s dirty, but it’s just not big deal Plus, my conscience is clearer because I’m not tossing plastic bags into landfills and on top of that I save a lot of money too.

Ah, win-win-win-green. Just the way I like it!

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, and founders of Green Halloween®.