I’ve always tried to be somewhat eco-conscience but boy did the pandemic put a lot of things into perspective for me. Anyone else feel that same way? While isolation brought time for home decor and organization projects, it also gave me time to think about our roles and responsibilities as humans here on the planet. All of that lead to a new mission of changing the products I use daily in a way that was beneficial for the environment. I didn’t set out to do anything drastic but rather wanted make small and manageable changes over time that were eco-smart. Even small changes can have a lasting impact! If you’re looking for some ways to start your environmentally-friendly journey, check out these five tried and true household items to be more green below!

I’m just starting my journey. There are so many great products and habits that can help our planet big and small. Share what you’re doing with me on Instagram @withmadisonaz

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5 Household Items You Can Use To Be More Green

No. 1: Who Gives A Crap Toilet Paper

Or should I say number two? There are a lot of these eco-friendly toilet paper companies popping up. Who Gives A Crap (WGAC) is where I landed and I could not be happier. This company offers two types of earth-friendly toilet papers (among other sustainable products). WGAC offers a recycled paper option and a renewable bamboo option. I’ll be writing a subsequent review on their product but I love that they use recycleable shipping materials and packaging, they donate 50% of their profits to help give people access to clean toilets and their packaging is super cute! Oh and, duh, their toilet paper is super soft!

No. 2: Stasher Bags

Cooking for two people we usually have leftovers. We were formerly huge Ziploc people but have since moved to using mostly reusable storage bags. We’ve tried a few different options but love Stasher Bags. While any bag that you can use more than once is great for the environment, we’ve found that Stasher Bags hold up better in the dishwasher over time. Yes, they are expensive but their website states that they are endlessly reusable. Think how much you’ll save on Ziplocs in the future and the difference you’ll be making for the planet. You can buy them in a number of places but we pick ours up in-store at Target!

No. 3: Biodegradable Charcoal Dental Floss

Well that’s a mouthful! Literally! I am super OCD about flossing my teeth. Like I floss two times a day and use a water pick OCD. (losing your two front teeth will do that to you!). It’s no wonder I was going through so many of those on-the-go plastic floss picks. One day I was thinking about it and it occurred to me that those were just ending up in a landfill somewhere and would take forever to breakdown. So, I made the switch to a planet-friendly floss by Mother Earth.

How is it earth friendly? For one, it is made of bamboo fiber so it will break down more quickly after it’s thrown away. They also send a cute little reusable glass holder to eliminate the waste of a traditional floss containers. Last, but not least, they send all of their refills in plastic free and eco-friendly packaging. It’s worked pretty darn well for this compulsive flosser and I feel better about flossing so often! I buy mine on Amazon and it ships quick!

No. 4: Blueland Cleaning Products

When it comes to being eco-friendly, one thing I never thought about was shipping. We all have items delivered to us all the time especially with the advent of Amazon. Shipping weight is a huge factor when it comes to overall fuel usage and CO2 pumped into our atmosphere. So, when I learned about Blueland I was super intrigued.

Blueland is a home cleaning supply company that not only focuses on creating products that exclude harmful ingredients but also on reducing the need to ship excess water weight. They do this through their carefully formulated tablets that dissolve in water. Most cleaning solutions are made up of mostly water which most people have access to in their homes. With Blueland you simply fill their reusable containers with a tablet, fill with water, and let dissolve. We have been using their entire line of products including: dish soap, hand soap, window cleaner, bathroom cleaner, all purpose cleaner, laundry tablets, and dishwasher tablets and could not be happier! We’ve even started using these products at our short-term rental property!

No. 5: Reusable Produce Bags

A lot of these efforts were geared towards eliminating plastic use. It’s crazy how many things use some sort of plastic in their packaging or purchasing process. One area where I noticed a lot of plastic use was when it came to produce. Every time I would get home from the market I would have plastic bag after plastic bag from produce. We were already using reusable totes for the most part and I wanted to change this part of my shopping habits too. I ordered these great mesh bags from Amazon for my grocery runs. They are washable, have a nice drawstring and cashiers can still see and scan barcodes through the mesh!

There are always more things each of us can be doing to better protect our environment. I’m always learning and improving but these are a few of the ways I’ve gotten started. Let’s keep thinking of ways we can protect and preserve this beautiful planet we live on!