Plastics Hiding in Plain Sight
Written by Ava Clarcq
Being passionate about the environment and fighting climate change can be overwhelming! But, ever since I was a young kid, I did my best to recycle right, take care of the natural environment around me, and educate myself on sustainable actions. Within the past few years, I discovered how reducing your personal waste is one way to make a tangible difference as an individual. Thus, finding zero waste alternatives was pertinent for me to continue living a sustainable lifestyle.
At our Impact Earth store, I found two products that have helped me slowly manage this transition with ease. About a year ago I noticed when I was taking out the trash that we mostly threw away paper towels. From cleaning up spills to wiping hands our bin was always full to the brim. You may be thinking “towels aren’t a form of plastic”. It’s important to remember that packaging counts too! Paper towel rolls are all sold in a plastic wrap. Thus, replacing normal paper towels with “Un-Paper Towels” has been such a great way to lower our single-use plastic consumption. They are just as effective, and everyone loves the cute colors and patterns they come in.
Swedish Dish Cloth
A reusable paper towel that can be washed on the top rack of your dishwasher!
My second favorite product has been “HiBAR” shampoo and conditioner. Finding a replacement for plastic bottled products was such a game-changer for me. I love being able to recycle the minimal cardboard packaging and have a product that is plastic-free! In addition to being zero-waste, all of their products are sulfate-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, silicone-free, and are 100% vegan which is super important for me!
HiBAR Shampoo
These solid shampoo bars are great for travel and come in a variety of styles including for curls!
The most important part of my journey is finding where I can improve and slowly making changes to lower my waste and promote a sustainable lifestyle. Our products have been amazing at providing me with the tools I need to succeed along my waste-free journey!