12 Products that will help you go Zero Waste

Being Zero Waste is really easy once you have the proper tools. Here’s a list of some products you might want to invest in while going zero waste.

1. Reusable travel utensils – Bringing utensils around with you can be a bit of a pain sometimes but buying this little travel kit makes it so much easier to have utensils on you at all times.
2. Reusable water bottle – On average, American’s use 167 disposable water bottles a year. By using a reusable water bottle you can prevent all of those water bottles from being used and possibly ending up in landfills.
3. Reusable mug – A reusable mug is the same idea as a water bottle, however, reusable mugs are made to withstand high temperatures.
4. Reusable straws – Straws are really wasteful as they’re usually single use, however, a lot of people like straws. If you want some straws that can be used again and again check these out. They have both straight and bent straws as well as a little cleaning wand that comes in handy if you’re using these with smoothies.
5. Reusable bag – You can find reusable bags everywhere now. You can get a reusable bag from Wegmans for as little as $0.99 or if you’d like you can find really cute large canvas tote bags on etsy. Bonus: Keep one in your car at all times for any impromptu grocery trips.
6. Reusable produce bags – This pack of 9 comes in a variety of sizes making it easier to purchase however much fruit or vegetables you may need. These are great for farmers markets or regular grocery stores. They also have the weight of each bag on a little tag so you can subtract that weight when checking out.
7. Reusable wraps – These bees wrap food storage options can be used to wrap up sandwiches, veggies, bread, or anything else you might need. The bees wax provides an antibacterial property and also warms with your hand to mold and provide a seal.
8. Reusable paper towels – These are reusable unpaper towels. They are absorbent and durable. Just throw them in the wash after use. You’ll never have to buy paper towels again!
9. Reusable napkins – This is the same basic principle as the unpaper towels. If you’d like you could just buy one or the other rather than both to save some money. I personally would probably buy the unpaper towels and use those as napkins because they’re larger. You can also choose your own prints!
10. Reusable makeup removers – I used to always take my makeup off with either a cotton round or a makeup removing wipe. These are wasteful though because they’re single use. Instead, consider investing in some reusable facial rounds. Although they are more expensive than a single pack of makeup removing wipes or cotton rounds, you only have to buy them once and they’ll last you years.
11. Toothbrush – Bamboo toothbrushes are a great option. Often times the bristles are not biodegradable but the handle is. The only bamboo toothbrush with biodegradable bristles would be pig hair bristles but I’m not really into that.
12. Reusable menstrual products – For all my menstruating friends, there are now plenty of options. There are menstrual cups, reusable pads, and period panties. Choose the one that’s best for you and your lifestyle!

Written by Patricia Van Valkenburgh, Class of 2019.

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