Earth Week Tips: Low-waste Bathroom

Part II: Sustainable Bathroom

Now that we’ve covered the kitchen, let’s move onto health and beauty. What do you think of when you consider sustainability in the bathroom? Where do you create the most waste and how can we tackle those issues? I get that in the bathroom in particular, we have to consider hygiene and cleanliness, but let me reassure you that these swaps are hygienic, practical, and sustainable!

Zero Waste Swaps: Bathroom

Bar Soap

The first and easiest swap in the bathroom is to swap to bar soap. It’s a cheap, plastic free option that is also easily accessible. You can find great natural bar soaps that are not only good for your skin and healthy for your body, but are actually better for the environment. Bar soap can often be found packaged in cardboard boxes which can be recycled or even package free, which is awesome!

Things I recommend:

• Bar Soap: Public Goods (get 15% off your Public Goods order with the code CANDICEPGA), Unscented Co.

Shampoo & Conditioner Bars/Refillable Shampoo & Conditioner

Shampoo and conditioner bars might take longer to adjust to and find the right bars for your hair type and to find one to your liking. These are used essentially the same way as traditional bar soap. You lather up the soap in your hands with some water and then you apply it to your hair normally and rinse it out. 

If shampoo and conditioner bars aren’t for you, you can opt for bulk refillable shampoo and conditioner.

Things I recommend:

• Shampoo/Conditioner Bars: BKIND, Unscented Co., Public Goods

• Refillable: Unscented Co., Bare Market, Public Goods

Menstrual Cup/Other Natural or Reusable Period Products

This was another challenging swap for me that took a little while for me to get used to. But honestly once you get the hang of it, it reduces SO MUCH WASTE. The cup is a swap for all disposable period products. If you want to learn more about my menstrual cup journey, you can see the two links below:

• How-to: Have a Low Waste Period

• Answering your FAQ about my Zero Waste Period

I also get that the cup is not for everyone and that’s okay! Maybe you could try period underwear, or organic/natural products, or reusable pads. There are other options out there for you!

Things I use:

• Diva Cup

• Knixwear Leakproof Underwear

• Hannah Pads

Reusable Cotton Rounds

This is a relatively new swap for me because instead of continuing to use cotton rounds, I just cut them out completely. I just didn’t find that I needed to use them that often because I apply toner with my hands and I also usually use an oil makeup remover. However, I wanted to try out this DIY and also have a few on hand for when I did want to use cotton rounds.

There are reusable cotton rounds out there that you can purchase if you don’t want to make your own. But you can actually repurpose an old t-shirt and sew your own reusable cotton rounds! Reusable cotton rounds and used like normal cotton rounds and then I keep them in this small delicates bag and toss them in to the laundry when I have a load to do. So simple, and so effective!

Safety Razor

I only recently switched to a safety razor because to be honest, I was scared of the blades. However after switching, I realized it’s actually quite simple to use and it is a lot more space and cost efficient. There is a tiny bit of a learning curve to get used to the process and feel of handling a safety razor, but once that’s covered, you’re good to go! A sustainable swap to disposable razors!

Things I recommend:

• My razor - Well Kept

Sustainable habits in the bathroom

And now for some general tips! Here are just a few ideas to keep in mind to be more intentionally sustainable in the area of the bathroom and health and beauty.

• Take shorter showers!

  • This one is so easy and everyone can take part in this. Simply shorten your showers to save water and energy.

• Don’t wash your hair as often

  • Related to my first point, try not washing your hair everyday. Not only is it better for your hair, it’s also better for the environment. This will help you out with point number one!

• one in, one out

  • With beauty and self-care products, it can be tempting to hoard products to try. I’m definitely guilty of this and am working on sticking to this “one in, one out” rule. Finish your products before you swap them. If a product really sucks, try to find a different use for it to use it up or maybe you have a friend or family member that likes that product. For example, I’m sure I’m not the only one who has tried a shampoo or conditioner that just does not work. Instead of tossing it out, use it as a shave cream. Try to think creatively to make the most of products you do have.

I hope that these simple tips have encouraged you to make some changes in your bathroom and hair and beauty routines. This is definitely not an exhaustive list of sustainable tips, if you have more, I’d love to keep learning and know what you do to live a more sustainable lifestyle!

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This post is not sponsored but may contain some gifted items and affiliate links. If you decide to shop through the links above, I may make a small commission that helps support this blog and my Instagram. I only share products and brands I love and support. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Candice Tay!

Earth Week Tips: Low-waste Kitchen

Part I: Sustainability in the Kitchen

This week is Earth Week 2020! It’s looking a bit different than the Earth Weeks we’ve had in the past because we’re all staying indoors. Because of current state that our society is in, I’ve also found it more challenging to be plastic-free in certain areas that I was refusing plastic and also not being able to use reusables where I could previously. If you’ve felt discouraged by this, I hope these posts encourage you to continue pressing on and just doing what you can!

I’ve always found that Earth Month is a great way time to encourage people and get people thinking about how to live more sustainably and take care of our planet. Although we’re staying home this week, I wanted to share some of my favourite swaps and sustainability tips in 3 different areas of our life and home…starting off with the kitchen!

If you take a step back and consider your own kitchen, how much waste do you create? For me, the kitchen was one of the most wasteful areas in my home, so even making a few changes has helped me reduce significant waste. 

Zero Waste Swaps: Kitchen

Here are some of my favourite kitchen swaps.

Beeswax Wraps

Beeswax wraps were a swap that I had heard of early on when I first started learning about sustainability and looking into different swaps I could make. They are an excellent swap for traditional plastic cling wrap. I’ve gone 2+ years without cling wrap now and can tell you that you really don’t need it. Beeswax wraps are great for reducing food waste and preserving your food so that it lasts longer.

I typically use the wraps directly on my produce or over bowls to store leftovers. You use the warmth from your hands to mold the wrap over whatever you are covering and then pop it into the fridge — works like a charm!

Things I recommend:

• Abeego

• Ten and Co

Reusable Silicone Bags

Next up — reusable silicone bags. I believe these were the first sustainable swap I had ever purchased. They are a swap for plastic sandwich bags and can be used the same way. I personally use them for freezing things, storing leftovers, and for on-the-go snacks.

My personal favourite are Stasher Bags, because they are made of 100% pure platinum grade silicone, a standard even higher than food grade silicone. This standard passes all U.S. safety requirements and European standards. They are extremely durable and have lasted me for 2+ years. They are also a certified B-corp, which means that their factories and suppliers must maintain very good and responsible practices.

With the rise and “trendiness” of sustainability, sometimes the rush to make sustainable swaps can be even more harmful. I bring this up because, particularly with reusable silicone bags, I see a lot of cheap alternatives that are being sold everywhere, and while I think it’s great that everyone is wanting to make more sustainable changes, I think it’s also important, when making these swaps, to consider the product carefully. What is it made of, how was it made, and what are the conditions these products were made in?

Things I recommend:

• Stasher Bags

Compostable Brush/Sponge

Many sponges these days are made of synthetic material, which means that they can’t be composted. A simple swap for this is to switch to natural, compostable sponges or try a compostable dish brush. 

There are a variety of options out there, like pot brushes with a wooden handle and natural fibre bristles, there are coconut scrubbers and also natural plant-based loofahs. Choose one that best fits to your liking and make your swap! 

Things I recommend:

• Natural Fibre Pot Brush

• Compostable Sponges

Refillable Dish Detergent/Dish Washing Block

This is one that I’d say I’m still in the process of experimenting with. Currently I use a solution of Castile soap and water to wash my dishes, which my husband and I have been doing for a few years now. The only complaint we have with this is that sometimes it’s a bit too liquid-y and is not as grease-cutting as we would like it to be. So now, I’m currently exploring other options like using a  refillable dish detergent from companies like Unscented Co. or Public Goods. Another plastic-free option is a dish washing block, which I find fascinating, but it may require a bit of convincing in my household.

Things I recommend:

• Refillable Dish Detergent: Unscented Co., Public Goods (you can get 15% off your Public Goods order with the code CANDICEPGA)

• Dish Washing Block: No Tox Life

Making my dishwashing solution of 1 part Castile soap to 10 parts water — so simple and quick!

Old Rags & Swedish Dish Cloths

This swap can be a simple upcycling project or you can spice up your kitchen with some cute Swedish dish cloths. These are a great swap for paper towel in your home to wipe up spills and quickly clean up countertops.

If you’re wondering, “what about paper towel for food preparation”, as many people use paper towel to dry off meat or fish before cooking it. This is something that I’ve been thinking of and currently don’t have a “swap” for, but I think, if you really have a need for paper towel in your life, just be more mindful about what brand you purchase from and how much of it you purchase and what the paper towels are made of. Maybe choose something that contains recycled or post-consumer content. And even if you simply reduced the amount of paper towels you use, is already a great step towards reducing your waste.

Things I recommend:

• Swedish Dish Cloths: Ten and Co

• Paper Towel: Seventh Generation

Look how absorbent this cloth is!

Sustainable Habits in the Kitchen

Now that we’ve talked about the swaps, let’s consider a few things (that don’t cost a thing) to keep in mind and be a little more sustainable in the kitchen.

Food Waste

First, food waste. Did you know in Canada, more than a third of food produced and distributed never gets eaten?* Food waste in the home is actually a huge environmental issue and can be reduced at the consumer level with a few changes. 

To reduce food waste:

• Make a list, and buy only what you need

• Learn how to properly store food to prolong its life

• Eat those leftovers!

• Reuse food scraps

*National Zero Waste Council, 2018. A Food Loss and Waste Strategy for Canada.

Upcycling

The kitchen is a wonderful place to upcycle. My favourite things to upcycle in the kitchen are old jars and containers. You simply clean them out with hot soapy water and reuse them! They make pretty vases for plants, they can be restored into a DIY candle, and they can simply be used for more food storage. Take things like old t-shirts and cut them up into small squares to use as rags.

Garbage/Recycling/Compost

Learning to properly dispose of, compost, and recycle things at the end of its life is really important. As I started to learn more about sustainability, there were so many things that I thought were recyclable or compostable that actually are not. Not recycling or composting properly can often contaminate an entire batch of recyclables or compost material, so that’s why it’s important to learn how to recycle and compost properly. Check out your local city’s guide on recycling or composting. There are often great resources on what goes where and how to properly do these procedures.

As you can see, by simply taking a look at the kitchen, there are already so many changes we can take on to be more sustainable. Don’t be overwhelmed and don’t feel the need to tackle everything all at once. Pick one and start from there.

And as always, I'd love to hear from you and your kitchens! What kind of swaps have you made? What are your best sustainable kitchen tips?

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This post is not sponsored but may contain some gifted items and affiliate links. If you decide to shop through the links above, I may make a small commission that helps support this blog and my Instagram. I only share products and brands I love and support. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Candice Tay!

Tips to Live More Sustainably in 2020

My 2020 Sustainability Goals

Taking a look back

I honestly can’t believe we’re already at 2020! This past year flew by in a whirlwind and now I’m already seeing everyone’s 2019 accomplishments, decade in reviews, and goals for the year ahead. Since my blog is where I share about my sustainability journey, I thought it’d be most fitting to share a bit about the “sustainable” things that I’ve been proud of this past year and also look ahead at some new goals and changes I’m hoping to make in 2020.

Low Waste Period

One of the things that I’m most excited and proud of was reducing my period routine to zero waste with the help of a menstrual cup, period underwear, and reusable cloth pads! It has been a long time coming and literally took me about a year to come to this point…though to be honest, I probably spent half the year convincing myself to finally take the plunge and try out a menstrual cup. I’ve received many comments from some of you guys saying you love menstrual cups and the other half of you saying you’re too afraid to try it. Let me tell you, I’ve definitely been there and at the beginning was REAL intimidated by the thought of a menstrual cup. If I can reduce the waste of my period routine, I’m sure you can as well! (Stay tuned for a full length post coming soon!)

Going Paper Towel-less

In 2019, my husband and I didn’t buy a single roll of paper towel. This was such a challenge at first, because any kind of spill or mess, I instinctively would reach for paper towel. We’ve since switched to Swedish dish cloths and old rags which I know isn’t a perfect solution and doesn’t work for all kinds of spills, but it has worked for our family so far. Swedish dish cloths are super absorbent and last quite a long time. I’ve also found that after a cloth has lived its time in the kitchen, they can then be transferred over to the bathroom or for the floor which gives them another life.

Totes for On-the-go

And finally, reusable totes! These have been a total lifesaver and are honestly the easiest swap for someone to make! They’re great for groceries, shopping, or when you’re on the run and need an extra hand to carry some things. Although I have some free cloth ones that I’ve been using, I also purchased a BAGGU tote this past year, which I carry around with me in my purse. I love that it’s foldable and compact and literally fits in any of my purses.

Now that we’ve taken a peek at some of the sustainable changes I’ve made in 2019, I hope they inspire you to set some new goals and challenges for yourself this upcoming year.

3 Steps to take when setting your sustainability goal:

1. First take a look at the different areas of your life and how much waste each category produces. For example, if you take a look at your beauty routine, do you purchase a ton of makeup in plastic containers or maybe don’t recycle empty products properly? Or maybe the most wasteful area of your life is in the kitchen. You see yourself using a ton of plastic wrap or wasting food. Think about what areas you want to implement change.

2. Next think about what small steps you can take to reduce your waste. It’s not about going completely zero waste, but just about learning to be more mindful with consumption and reducing where you can.

3. Finally, choose one of the steps and go for it! Maybe you need to purchase a zero waste swap, or maybe you need to declutter and sell some items. Whatever it is, now is the time to work at the goal!

Looking Forward

I’ve taken some time to think through where I’m at and what I’d like to improve on this year. Some of my goals are just being better at something I had already started doing in 2019 and some are new.

Produce Bags

Plastic bags are definitely a problem that I’m still learning how to work around. I purchased some produce bags last year hoping I would get a lot of use out of them and reduce the number of plastic produce bags I used. I’ve definitely slacked in this area mainly because where I live, reusable produce bags are really only accepted at Whole Foods (which can be pricey for groceries). The other grocery stores that I usually go to are not familiar with how to tare my reusable produce bags and although it starts conversation, I always find myself creating frustration and holding up the cash. I want to use my produce bags more this upcoming year so I will have to find some other solutions to use them. Maybe this will mean going to self-checkout or doing groceries at a different time when there are fewer people.

Another reason why reducing plastic bags has been a challenge is because in my municipality, we are still required to line our compost bins. Although some would suggest compostable or biodegradable liners, I recently emailed our city and found out that my city actually doesn’t have the right machines with the capability to break down compostable plastic bags, essentially bringing these specialty plastic bags back to square one.

So yes, plastic bags are still a real challenge for me that I will continue to work towards reducing this year. My long term goal is to have a backyard compost bin.

Reducing Food Waste

This year I’d like to learn more about reducing food waste and reusing food scraps. I’ve already dabbled in this a bit with re-growing green onion and reusing citrus peels for cleaning. If anyone has anymore tips for reducing food waste or how you creatively reuse food scraps, I’d love to learn more!

0 Takeaway Cups

Let’s face it, living a low waste lifestyle is inconvenient. The more I’ve been on this sustainable living journey, the more I realize how much planning and preparation it takes. Even something as simple as a takeaway cup, if you’re not one to normally carry around a reusable cup with you, it can require a bit of planning to get used to a new routine. This year, my husband and I have decided to set a goal of 0 takeaway coffee cups. We love our coffee and so this year, we’re either having it for here or to go in our own cups. We have some exceptions of course, for example, if someone decides to buy us a coffee and it’s in a takeaway cup, then we will still accept it, but other than that, we are working towards this goal!

Now that you’ve read all about my goals for the upcoming year, I hope it’s inspired you to set a few goals or changes for yourself. I’d love to know what small steps you’re planning to take this year. Let me know below! Here’s to a more sustainable year!

P.S. I’ll be sharing a fun giveaway on my Instagram on Monday, Jan 6, so keep your eyes peeled ;)

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This post is not sponsored and does not contain affiliate links, but does contain some gifted items.