Let's take a few minutes to talk trash. We've got a HUGE waste problem, and unless we start making some changes, that problem will only get bigger. Here's some context ,The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a great resource for U.S. waste data. According to the EPA's 2017 article National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes, and Recycling, each person is generating 4.51 pounds of waste EACH day. Whew, talk about a truckload! Approximately half of that waste ends up in a landfill; the other half is either recycled, composted, or recovered as energy. We wanted to show you some super easy product swaps to cut down on your individual trash production.
We start and end each day taking care of our teeth and gums (and if you're extra ambitious you might brush and floss after every meal...no shame, we bet your teeth are extra pearly). Here are three low-waste and sustainable oral hygiene products you can use instead of the usual trash.
1. Brush With Bamboo
Instead of using and trashing one of the one billion typical plastic toothbrushes to end up in a landfill annually, swap to one of these sustainable bamboo toothbrushes from Brush With Bamboo. We love these brushes because:
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They last as long as plastic toothbrushes but are eco-friendly and wont end up in a landfill... or worse THE OCEAN. When it's time to change out your toothbrush (every 3-4 months as recommended by the American Dental Association) they are compostable and recyclable!
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Even the packaging is sustainable, no tape or glue used!
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They are Certified Biobased, Vegan, and are BPA and Toxin free
2. Bite Toothpaste Bits
We were hesitant to try a sustainable toothpaste, but were pleasantly surprised by these Bite Toothpaste Bits. We love Bite because:
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Vegan friendly
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NO plastic packaging = NO WASTE
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Fresh minty taste
3. Dental Lace
Alright...we admit we don't floss as much as we tell our dentists we do, but hey, we're working on it! Did you know that if every person in the U.S. flossed the way the ADA suggests, the floss containers alone would fill a landfill the size of a football field six stories high? We were shocked and devastated and knew it was time to find a better alternative! We found Dental Lace. It is 99% waste free and offers:
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Super cute REFILLABLE glass floss containers
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100% mulberry silk (which is totally biodegradable)
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They partner with organizations dedicated to eliminate plastic waste.
4. Saalt Wear
Designed to save your white pants and the planet. Each pair of Saalt Wear is sustainably sourced and it helps clean up landfill and ocean-bound plastic. Saalt’s commitment to sustainability even extends to its packaging. There are many reasons to love Saalt's period underwear, but here are some highlights:
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Each pair is made of an average of 55% post-consumer recycled water bottles.
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All Saalt Wear packaging materials are made of 100% post-consumer recycled paper and are 100% recyclable.
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Each pair of Saalt Wear is reusable. Wear, rinse, wash, repeat.
We love talking about swapping disposable products for sustainable ones wherever we can. There are hundreds of products out there that could lessen our impact on the environment.
