Wherever you’re living in the world, whether it’s in a city, village or beachside town, we all are witnessing the overwhelming impact of the waste that humans produce. However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Many countries, cities and businesses have been working hard to reduce waste and the results have been noticeable. For example the extra charges on carrier bags at the supermarkets and bans on plastic straws, BUT, I believe we can still do better. Aside from the obvious bring your own carrier bags, say no to plastic cups and so on, I’ve outlined a few simple things you may not have thought about before that help to reduce your daily waste! So here are my 4 simple things we can all change to reduce our waste …

The Eco Egg Laundry Egg

It sounds a little funky but stay with me. The eco egg is an innovative laundry washing system that completely replaces the need for laundry detergent and fabric conditioner. It uses two types of mineral pellets encased in a recyclable egg, which was originally designed for sensitive skin but is also cruelty-free and suitable for vegans. The mineral pellets work together to draw the dirt out from your clothes and leave them clean and smelling fresh. The pellets last for 70 washes and then after that, you can just buy a pellet refill pack. The switch to the eco egg can help us save up to 40 plastic bottles of detergent a year which would otherwise end up in a landfill.

Not only that, tonnes of detergent that often contains harmful chemicals pollute the water systems every year. I have tried and tested the eco egg a number of times now and LOVE it! I would never change back. It removes the dirt and stains from my clothes and leaves them smelling fresh and clean. The egg and mineral pellets for 70 washes cost only £9.99, even cheaper than detergent! Double winner!

4Earth Kitchen Switch Kit

The humble sponge doesn’t seem like a problem child but actually when you start to dig deeper, there are all sorts of nasty secrets lying beneath the surface. The standard sponge harbours a pretty gross amount of bacteria, which then means we need to change them out more frequently. Unfortunately, the standard sponge is not biodegradable and as we regularly throw them out, we’re just adding to the atrocious amount of waste in landfill sites. This is where the 4Earth kitchen switch kit comes in. It is 100% sustainable, natural, and biodegradable and contains NO plastic! The kit has a dish brush made from bamboo and sisal, a scouring pad made from coconut husk and a sponge made from wood pulp all packaged up in a reusable hessian bag. They also look a lot tidier than that luminous yellow sponge next to your sink! The set retails for £20.

Menstrual Cup

Sorry guys, this one is for the ladies and something I feel really strongly about. Did you know the average woman throws away 125 – 150kg of tampons, pads and applicators in her lifetime which amounts to more than 200,000 tonnes of waste per year?! It’s a truly staggering amount AND it’s so unnecessary. Menstrual cups are reusable cups generally made from soft grade silicon that collect fluid instead of absorbing it. This means it doesn’t cause any dryness, affect your pH and can be left in for up to 8 hours before removed, rinsed and reinserted. I could preach for hours as I made the switch quite a few years ago but to break it down, they are:

• Healthier for your foo foo!
• Cheaper as one cup costs around £20 and will last you a few years
• Convenient as they are completely discreet so you don’t need to worry about strings hanging from your bikini, they hold 3 times more fluid than a tampon giving longer-lasting protection AND after a few uses, you can just boil it to disinfect.

I use the Pixie Cup and love it! They come in an organic cotton bag so you can keep it on you just in case, and they also donate cups to girls in poverty. I have the combo pack which costs $25 USD.

Water Canteen

I won’t harp on about plastic water bottles; we all know at this point that they are suffocating our planet. However, treating yourself to a good quality water canteen and carrying it with your results in you drinking more water, being able to refill it with whatever drink you may fancy and never needing the plastic alternative ever again. I personally use the Yeti bottles and they are incredible! I add my water and ice in the morning, carry it with me all day and the ice is still there at the end of the day. I even take it to restaurants, as I get tired of them giving me plastic water bottles when I ask for water. You really can’t go wrong! They retail for $39.99 but are well worth the investment!

There are of course endless lists of eco-friendly alternatives, these are just a few that in the past few years I have changed to and was surprised at the effectiveness, cost difference and reduction in waste! If you have any alternatives, I would love to hear them in the comments below!