Do you know the traditional kitchen sponges (those green and yellow once and even the one that claimed to be a "greener" options from the big box stores) are made of plastic? Those ended up in the landfills and would take up to hundreds of years to decompose. Do you also know that the glass can be easily recycled and produced into new glass but if they ended up in the landfills, it takes million years to decompose. Styrofoam does not biodegrade and can not be recycled so we must stop using it completely and out-law those ASAP.
Shocking, isn’t it, when we lay the numbers all out. The time needed for these common household trash to breakdown is extremely disturbing and overwhelming. We should urge our lawmakers to take action to ban some of these materials, but as an individual we need to start doing our part now and be kind to the environment and future generations. Recycling & composting is important. Find new life for unwanted items before throwing them away. As always it’s best to avoid using or reduce consumption on items that take a long time to breakdown.
We are not perfect. Sometimes I forget that I need to place finished toilet paper rolls in the compost or recycle bin, or I give-in when my son asks to buy him some single serving yogurts as his snacks. However I believe we should still all do our best and work toward a cleaner planet for our children and future generations. No actions are too small, and it's definitely not an excuse for not doing anything. Below are a couple of favorite plastic-swaps that are easy to do, but can make a big difference in reducing plastic waste from your home.
Scrufah- Compostable kitchen scrubbers
Scrufahs are made with 100% plant-based fiber. They are made with dried loofah and not treated with any chemicals. Safe for the planet and safe for your family too.
Shampoo Bars
Oliver Flynn’s Honey & Citrus Shampoo bar works as well your old bottled shampoo, if not better! Best part? It's will last for at least 60 washes and plastic bottle free!