I’ve been making a lot of changes in my life the past few months. If you’ve been following me, you’ll know that last year I went on a budget to pay off my debt. With that, I’ve become more mindful with my purchases and overall consuming less. At first, I quit fast fashion moving towards buying the majority of my clothes second hand. Shopping second hand for clothing has opened my mind to other items from my daily routine that are simply unneeded or aren’t bringing value to my life. And if there is something I’m in need of, there’s usually a selection at the thrift store I can browse through first.
Some of these items I have intentionally stopped buying and switching to what I see as a better alternative. I’m starting to be more conscious of where the products I’m using are coming from and how much waste I’m producing. So for me that means simple swaps to use less plastic. I had already swapped out most of my food containers to glass and brought silverware to work to reuse.
Plastic Toothbrushes
I recently made the switch from plastic toothbrushes to bamboo. This was an easy swap that I pretty much made overnight (don’t worry, my old plastic one had run its course) which will immediately help how I’m impacting the environment. Plastic toothbrushes can take hundreds of years to breakdown in the environment compared to wood or bamboo toothbrushes.
During my latest visit to the dentist, I asked my hygienist her opinion on bamboo toothbrushes to make sure I wasn’t doing any harm by switching. She assured me that there’s no harm switching over to natural bristles, other than they can sometimes be a little rough on the gums. So far, so good! I purchased this Mother’s Vault set from Amazon, however I will be purchasing local going forward as the shipping box came with plastic.
Plastic Straws
This past Christmas, everyone that got a gift from me received an aluminum, reusable straw. I had already made the transition to a reusable straw, keeping the Ultimate Straw in my purse for use at restaurants and multiple straws at home. This is such an easy swap that will save resources that do not need to be wasted on a single use product.
As for backyard BBQs or parties in the future, I will no longer be buying plastics straws for beverages. Beverages can be enjoyed without a straw! If push comes to shove, I’ll purchase paper straws which are at least compostable.
Cotton Rounds
I found out about reusable cotton rounds a few months ago and immediately added them to my Christmas list. I don’t use cotton rounds everyday, but I do use them enough to where I want them in the house. Reusable cotton rounds are available online from many retailers and will probably last you forever.
I was gifted this set from Amazon which came with a small laundry bag. I’ve been using the rounds with witch hazel on my skin in the evening to tone my skin and remove any leftover residue before treatment.
Microwave Popcorn
When I started tracking macros, I fell victim to buying those 100 calorie popcorn packs. How silly of me! You can easily achieve the same goal by buying popcorn kernels in bulk and weighing out the kernels yourself. Also, by skipping the microwave popcorn, you’re saving yourself money and resources because there’s less packaging.
When it comes to popping the kernels, I personally recommend using a stove top saucepan or skillet with a lid. Add a little oil to the pan, heat to medium-high, add kernels and the lid, and continuously moved the pan until popped. You’ll never go back to old fashioned microwave popcorn again – I promise!
BCAAs
If you haven’t read my post 4 Things I’ve Learned on My Fitness Journey, you should give it a read. I go into fitness related products that I advise steering clear to help save you money (and time).
One of those products is BCAAs. Now, depending on your protein intake, BCAAs may be of use, but for most they’re completely unnecessary. I personally consume around 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, as so do most others in the fitness world. If you’re consuming this amount of protein will ensure your body is getting all the amino acids it needs to recover properly. In my opinion, BCAAs are just a supplement that are over promoted as part of the consumerism of the fitness industry.
Looking for something tasty to drink during your workout? Good old Crystal Light packets or flavor enhancers. You’re still spending money, but it’s much less than you’ll spend on BCAAs (which you’ll run out quickly – let me tell you).
What products have you stopped purchasing? Was to save to money or to be more sustainable?
