Updated: Jul 18, 2023
Eco swaps can be made everywhere in your house but I believe a huge impact can be made in the bathroom. Therefore I have collated this post to look at zero waste, eco-friendly items in the bathroom. Most bathrooms are full of products and packaging that is harmful to our planet and as these products often get daily use the impact quickly mounts up. This makes it a key place to focus on as part of your zero waste journey and doing more for the environment. The List of eco bathroom changes I have gone through not only aims to reduce your waste but also to reduce or stop the harmful chemical impact many toiletry items also unfortunately contribute to. Here are my top 10 first eco changes to make in your bathroom:
Toothpaste tubes are often made up of different plastics and can have a metal layer, which often makes them non-recyclable. Even though there are some that are recyclable they can be very hard to clean out, allowing them to be recycled. Additionally, as it is an item you use twice a day you quickly go through the tubes, mounting up your waste throughout the year. Therefore, it is a great place to start with your first eco swap. Luckily, there are plenty of options to choose from, you can get toothpaste tablets, powders or even actual paste in a glass jar. These often come in easily recyclable and reusable containers reducing your waste. Also as they are often made with consideration for the environment they do not typically use harmful chemicals. There are also plenty to try from, so get trying them out and pick the one you like.
To go along with the item above, dental hygiene is incredibly important and I have always been told by my dentist that flossing should be part of your daily teeth clean. Unfortunately, most dental floss is very bad for the environment, as it is made of a nylon coated fibre, which unfortunately is not recyclable or compostable. Further to this, it often comes in a plastic container, again having a greater negative impact. Luckily there is a eco-friendly alternative that I use, which is a charcoal biodegradable dental floss. This, as it says, is biodegradable and often comes in a glass container, which means all you need is the refill and you can be guilt free.
Recently, I have been trying a variety of different bars for a variety of different bathroom needs, including soap, shampoo, shaving and conditioner. I was quite sceptical at first, as I was concerned they would not lather up like typical shampoo or shower gel. However this was quickly squashed when I began to use them and I was pleasantly surprised. If you are destined to get rid of plastic waste you will have to convert to bars in all aspects of your life and I would recommend you do. They don’t use any plastic, the boxes they come in are recyclable or biodegradable or you can pick it up with no packaging at a zero waste store.
Unfortunately, regardless of the advances of razors and how close of a shave they can give they also use a tremendous amount of plastic in their handles and in their heads, which far too often needs to be frequently replaced and costs you a lot of money. Well regardless of what these companies say, they want you to replace them due to them creating an endless supply of money. As safety razors do not contain any plastic and the metal is recyclable you can get rid of a huge amount of the waste you produce. Also, as the blades are incredibly compact you can store a lot more, allowing you to buy in bulk. Look into how your local council recycles these as they are sharp, possibly restricting how they are disposed of. However, with a simple change and a little practice you could pick up these eco-friendly swaps.
I have had people tell me that shampoo and conditioner bars just don’t cut it for them, although I have not had this problem and have enjoyed trying different options I understand it does not work for everyone. Therefore, as a simple alternative eco-friendly option you can get a container and go to an eco-store to fill them up. Eco-stores are popping up everywhere and often have a fairly decent range of shower gels, shampoos and conditioners to select. Make sure your container is durable and try to make it last as long as possible. Remember reducing your waste is a must for anyone who wants to do more for the environment.
You can use these for cleaning all sorts of things but they area also a great green addition to the bathroom. Most sponges sold at your local supermarket are unfortunately made of polyester, polyurethane again contributing to awful micro plastics. Well loofahs grow on a plant and once dried out can be a very useful and durable (I would say more durable than the majority of generic sponges). Even if you do not like Loofahs you can get the one I used, which is 100% cellulose which is a naturally hard-wearing wood fibre. Again this is biodegradable and works great. Due to the fact these sponges can be grown makes them incredibly sustainable and as they can be biodegradable and even compostable they are also waste free.
Now I do not think I have ever used a toilet brush that lasted a long time, due to it snapping shortly after sitting in a terribly moist condition. Additionally, they are nearly always either completely made of or majority made of plastic. Again, I will not go into why this is obviously a bad thing. Considering all this, why not try an eco-alternative with a coconut toilet brush, wooden handle and stainless steel to connect it all. Most of this will be biodegradable or recyclable at the end of its life and create an eco-friendly rustic vibe to your bathroom.
Toothbrushes are another field of plastic, which you might have seen on your newsfeed floating in the ocean or stuck out of the ocean bed. This is because they are a tremendous cause of plastic that causes catastrophic harm to the environment. It is also an item you use daily and when they are disposed of they contribute to a huge amount of waste over your lifetime. Therefore there are a number of eco-toothbrushes that are often made of wood and bamboo fibres, which can be biodegradable and even compostable.
I also understand that many dentists note electric toothbrushes are better for cleaning. Although it is harder to find eco-friendly alternatives there are some out there such as my recent purchase of the Suri electrical toothbrush. Even if you already have an electric toothbrush to mitigate the waste from replacing their heads you can get eco-friendly electric toothbrushes heads. Again these are often made from bamboo and can be compostable. Either way it reduces your waste, whilst allowing you to clean your teeth and be an eco-conscious individual.
I don’t use these much myself but I understand how useful cotton pads can be but unfortunately they still add to the growing waste we humans create. As a great alternative to the rubbish you contribute too you can get reusable makeup pads. I have seen these made from upcycling old clothes to new fabric, which can be reused. The alternatives often comes with a mesh bag that can be used to store them and put them into the wash to be reused again.
Bamboo appears to be a wonder material, which is growing in popularity (pardon the pun) I believe this is due to its ability to be formed into many things, including a cotton-like material. Therefore, companies are able to make biodegradable cotton buds that are entirely made of bamboo. This is obviously great, as it is biodegradable, comes from a sustainable source and stops you using dreaded single use plastic that is polluting our planet.
The bathroom is another place you can begin to make swaps from your weekly shop and transition to a sustainable lifestyle, lessening your negative impact on the environment. I hope this post will allow you to discover some eco-friendly products that can work better than the typical ones and allow you to use your bathroom guilt free. You don’t need to rush to get these as the items you already have are the most sustainable, so keep using them for now but over time consider some of the eco-changes I recommend above and make them part of your new green life. what are some of your top eco bathroom swaps?
Updated: Jul 18, 2023
I have been getting into my houseplants and to keep them fit and healthy they often require you to use filter water. Additionally, filtered water can often be a much-needed item in your household depending on your local water supply. However, something that has always bothered me about most conventional water filters is the wasteful ‘cartridges’ that constantly need to be changed, often going to landfill and contribute to one of the worst pollutants in our modern day, plastic. Now I know some of these companies may detail some recycle scheme, however, I feel these are often ineffective, as to recycle them you have to go through the onerous task of returning it to the company you brought them from. This is often difficult to do and takes more actions of you, which I believe often leads to the majority of people not doing so. Additionally, you are still going through hundreds of plastic cartridges and the harmful plastic they are encased in.
Therefore, I went to search for an eco-friendly way to filter water. This is where I
found Phox Water, who market themselves as ‘The World’s Most Eco-Friendly Water Filter’. This defiantly peaked my interest and with some research, they defiantly seem a lot better than conventional water filters I could find. So I quickly ordered one with a 12-month supply of the clean refill filter media (they also offer an alkaline filter media, which offer other benefits) and waited. It arrived shortly and I have been using mine for several months, so here is my review of the Phox V2 Glass Water Jug and clean filter media.
Look & Size:
Packaging:
All their packaging seemed to be compact and professional, which was a good initial sign. My order came in a single large box (about the size of two show boxes with some extra depth) with the jug and the 12-month supply. The filter media comes in a very small box with the carbon filter and the media in a vacuum packed tight paper PLA composite that is compostable, keeping it all condensed and easy to store. I assume this can be delivered through your letterbox if you only ordered a 3–month supply. The box has all the instructions on how to insert the filter material and prep the jug for use. This made the installation and replacing of the filter elements simple and easy.
The Glass Water Filter and Jug:
The jug itself was larger than I thought it would be. I have seen a couple of Brita filters in the past and they are quite thin and can often fit in the side of your fridge door. Well for sure the Phox Water Jug certainly cannot do this. It is a large cylindrical shape that can hold about 2.2L. For me this is not so much a problem, as I have not kept it in my fridge and just stored it near my houseplants. However, if you are thinking about having this in the fridge, I hope you have a large amount of free space. For your reference, here are some of the filter dimensions:
- Height: 30.5cm
- Diameter: 14.5cm
(the diameter was taken from the spout to the lip section to take the lid off [widest section])
As for the look, you can see the picture for yourself and make your own judgment, for me it looks fine, nothing spectacular but then again I am not that bothered, as it is not really an item you have on display in the house.
The filter:
Now, I have to say this filter is still not perfect but then I do not think there one that is. The reason it is not perfect is due to the filter media. Unfortunately, even though the media is derived from natural sources it contents are not recyclable or compostable. I believe this is because there aren't components that can be used to ensure the water is properly filtered, which are also compostable or recyclable. Now, this is still a negative and I wish there was a solution, having said this, in order to get filtered water I would much rather only have to replace the filter media than the whole plastic cartridge.
To replace the filter media you take the jug apart and twist out the cartridge and clean the parts. The cartridge has its own lid, which has a carbon filter flattened between it and is where the first point the water runs through. You then fill the top container with the media, which filters the water to the holes at the bottom, which lead into the large 2.2l reservoir jug.
Quality:
Now, I do not have any tests or knowledge to check the water quality before and afterwards. Additionally, I have not had much experience with previous water filters. However, in my opinion the water to me taste cleaner after it has been filtered, which must mean it works, right !? Further to this, I have been using it on my plants for the last few months and they have not shown any negative signed and are continuing to grow.
The Positives:
To summarise the overall positives of the Phox Water system here are my key points:
Its more Eco – You do not have to bin large cartridges with all its additional plastic. They have made a filter system, which you can easily replace the filter media only,
Packaging is small and completely recyclable, reducing your waste impact.
The water tastes cleaner and fresher, so it does its job as a water filter.
The instructions are clear and concise and makes it easy to reuse.
The Negatives:
Now for some negatives. These are some I have noted and others I have seen people mention online but thought as this is a review I should put these into this article. I should note though that I always like to be a bit pessimistic, as I do not know your personal circumstances and if you want to buy this I want to be as open and honest. Although there might be more negatives than positives, this is not to say that the filter is poor. It does what it is meant to do; I just wanted to share everything with you:
The jug is a bit heavy, which is not a problem for me at all but if you think it will be for you, it is something to consider.
It has a wide spout, again this is not much of an issue, as long as you are filling something bigger than it is you shouldn’t have a problem. However, if you are filling anything too small like a typical bottleneck you might get your hands wet.
Some people have noted the filer is a bit slow but again, I would not have thought this is much of an issue. Most people fill theirs up and leave it (often in the fridge) until they want a drink. For me as I mainly use it for my plant it is much the same. I fill it up and let it sit until I want to use it for my plants.
As mentions, the filter media is neither recyclable nor compostable.
In my opinion, considering these negatives do not affect me, these are nit-picky and very small compromises to make for the benefit of reducing your waste. I would much rather use a heavier, wide spout and wait for the filter to do its job than contribute to the plastic pollution destroying this world that our typical filters cause. I will admit it is not perfect, as the media still has to be wasted but it is a step forward and drastically reduced the amount of waste you would typically produce.
My Verdict
Well I have decided to share this on my sustainable blog, so I do believe it works and overall a far more sustainable option than conventional water filters. I find the filter works fine and replacing the filter media simple and easy. Most of all I am happy more and more companies are working towards producing a more sustainable, eco-friendly and less harmful product of everyday items. Having said all this, if there is a more sustainable, eco-friendly option out there I would love to know what it is, as I haven’t been able to find one. I will conclude with, if you need one right now that filters the water to a level of non-eco-friendly water filters does and is better for the environment, why not try Phox Water?
