Eco-Friendly Swaps

Being eco-friendly doesn’t mean giving up what you are used to – but it may mean swapping what you currently consume with products that consume fewer resources and lead to less waste at the end of its life. Or it may mean consuming differently – by taking part in the circular and sharing economy. Either way, there are so many easy and cost-effective eco-friendly swaps to consider.

“You can’t buy your way to sustainability” is a common refrain in the eco-community and it’s a valid point – constant consumption doesn’t reduce your impact on the environment, even if it is consumption of eco-friendly products.

However, there are things in our lives that we can not do without, consumables that need replacing.

So if we have to consume, let’s consume responsibly and consider some of the alternatives covered in the blog posts linked below.

Household Items

Here you will find links to random household items I’ve looked into and explored. There are so many small businesses committed to sustainable production and reducing their carbon footprint, so I am sure this list will increase as I discover more.

Water bottles: 15 of the Most Popular Reusable Water Bottles in Australia
Coffee cups: Best Reusable Coffee Cups in Australia: Glass, Ceramic and Bamboo
Kitchen recycling bins: Buying Recycling Bins for Your Home – A Guide for Australians
Kitchen compost bins: Best Kitchen Compost Bins – Get the Right Bin For You
Office recycling bins: Office Recycling Bins – Create an Eco-Friendly Workspace
Stationery: 5 eco-friendly stationery options you will want to know about

And I have written guides that provide you with the information needed to make the right purchasing decision:

Water bottles: A Practical Guide to Buying Reusable Water Bottles
Coffee cups: Sip Sustainably – Why Reusable Coffee Cups Are Worth It
Recycling bin colours: Recycling Bin Colours in Australia – Guide on Council Bins
Stationery: Eco-friendly stationery for everyday use – shopping guide and price comparisons

Peer-to-Peer Sharing

Have I always opted for not buying an item but borrowing instead? Honestly, I can’t say that I have. But I am open to it and it’s something I am exploring further.

Here are some resources I have been able to pull together on this. The information I have gathered is directed toward an Australian audience but those overseas may find something useful, giving you clues for what to look out for in your own neighbourhood:

Eco-friendly cleaning products

Information on the production methods (and therefore the carbon footprint) of cleaning products is hard to find. But the impact chemicals have on the natural environment is known – in particular the impact on aquatic life if these chemicals were to enter our water streams.

In choosing what products to use, I have focused on making sure the products have minimal to no impact on aquatic life, while plastic-free packaging was a secondary consideration. These blog posts summarise the research I have uncovered and my own experience with eco friendly cleaning products:

Personal Hygiene

The easiest area of your life to introduce changes are products for personal use – personal hygiene products being one of those areas. Here’s a list of a couple of easy swaps you can make in this space: Top 5 low waste personal hygiene product

Fashion

Isn’t this sad? I’ve only looked at two things at this stage – shoes and jeans. Having a capsule wardrobe means I don’t buy clothes all that often so I haven’t needed to explore this topic much.

But my shoe game is pathetic and there were some gaps in my shoe collection I really needed to fill. Read this blog post for all the brands I go to when shopping for shoes: 14 Australian Eco-Friendly Shoe Brands Worth Checking Out

This blog post outlines the aspects to consider when shopping for shoes: How to Buy Eco-Friendly Shoes in Australia – Reference Guide

Jeans are something I wear often and they often do need replacing. If you are after a new pair of denim jeans, you will find a full list of sustainable denim brands that sell jeans in Australia here: Sustainable Jeans Available in Australia – Options to Suit All

This blog post outlines the qualities you need to look out for when shopping for eco-friendly jeans: Do Eco-Friendly Jeans Exist? What to Look Out For

Sunglasses and Prescription Glasses

Need new sunglasses or prescription eyewear? Below you will find links to learn all you could ever want to know about sustainable eyewear, as well as links to some pretty impressive sustainable eyewear brands based in Australia. And if you have some old glasses on hand that you need to get rid of, the last blog post in this list will help you out: