February 8, 2020

My First Steps Towards Sustainability

Climate change is an issue that I want to take more seriously in the next decade.

I’ve seen receding glaciers in New Zealand and experienced extreme weather conditions in the US. It’s uncomfortable seeing that those who contribute the least to climate change are the ones who suffer the most from it. And it’s especially disheartening to come from the country that bears the most responsibility for this change.

While I’m not the only person contributing to climate change, my altruistic side implores that I face the discomfort and take on some real lifestyle changes.

I decided that my starting point will be in the bathroom. This is because:

A lot of the products that live there are made of plastic
Items like toilet paper, facial tissue, and makeup remover wipes are single use and not sustainably produced.

I actually find the hunt for sustainable alternatives to be fun. Instagram makes it easy; after liking a few eco friendly brands, the targeted advertising begins and I discover some interesting products.

First Stop: The Toilet

Unrolled toilet paper against bright yellow background — Research how toilet paper is made. It’s depressing.

I really wanted to reduce my use of toilet paper and eliminate baby wipes altogether, so my first major purchase was the Tushy bidet attachment.

Their argument makes sense – why would you clean the dirtiest part of your body with dry tissue paper alone? It’s not very hygienic. Wiping repeatedly only irritates your skin more.

Enter the bidet. Spray a strong stream of water on your butthole and remove the poop hands-free. When done correctly, there won’t be any traces of poop left behind. In turn, you end up reducing the amount of toilet paper you use.

With the bidet, I use 3-5 sheets of toilet paper at most. Without it, I estimate I use 9-12 sheets on average.

While I don’t think I can transition to their bum towels just yet, I am slowly getting sold on getting their bamboo toilet paper. No plastic packaging, sustainably produced, and apparently super soft.

Next Up: The Sink

Tackling hand soap is tricky. I try to re-use soap dispensers as much as possible by buying refills, but the soap refills come in big, plastic containers – which doesn’t meet my goal of reducing plastic.

I found a local company that offers a zero waste solution: Fillaree. They provide dispensers and offer refills in reusable containers. Once I finish my last soap refill, I plan on giving them a try!

Then there’s my toothbrush and toothpaste. Apparently plastic toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes are either non degradable or very difficult to recycle. While I still have 2 plastic toothbrushes left to use (no point just throwing them away new if they’re not biodegradable anyway), my next thing to try is a bamboo toothbrush.

As for toothpaste, I saw these toothpaste tablets from this brand called Bite. These are also on the list to try once I finish my last tube of toothpaste.

Skincare, Hair, & Makeup: It’s Complicated

4 brown and silver makeup brushes, lined up by height

This is where I’m conflicted. I’m pretty sure there are a lot of A+ sustainable beauty brands out there, but do they actually work?

I can’t quit Korean skincare cold turkey. Their products work for me, although their packaging isn’t the most sustainable.

Switching up hair products is not so simple for me, either. I chemically straighten my hair, and I depend on products with specific ingredients to maintain the smooth texture and look that I want. Straying away from these products never work well for me.

And so far, I’m not having any luck with sustainable makeup. I bought a zero waste mascara from Etsy and there is a learning curve to using it. I found the formula very thick and difficult to apply. Additionally, it doesn’t dry very quickly, and 20 minutes later I find myself with smudges under my eyes. This mama ain’t got time for that!

However, I do believe it’s possible for me to be more sustainable in using products for makeup removal. It’s easy to find makeup remover cloths and DIY recipes for makeup remover.

Until I discover more eco-friendly brands with good street cred, this may be the one area where I choose to not to make drastic changes. Maybe someone out there can convince me otherwise?