15 Green Household Items for a Sustainable World
Ready to transform your household from wasteful to sustainable with eco-friendly products?
There are hundreds of items you use in your household every day that you may not even realize aren’t the best for the environment. These are items that come in plastic bottles, get thrown away after one use, or come wrapped in plastic every time you order them from the store.
All of this plastic wreaks havoc on the environment. When plastic ends up in a landfill, it’ll take 1,000 years to decompose. While it does so, it breaks down into microplastics and releases toxins into the surrounding area.
Making the switch to a more sustainable household might seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. There are a plethora of eco-friendly products out there that make the switch convenient, so you can continue your normal routine (just without the guilt or stress that pops up every time you throw away a plastic bag.)
Getting started with these 15 eco-friendly products makes the transition to a sustainable household simple and easy.
Environmentally Friendly Products to Transform Your Kitchen
Your kitchen can be a culprit of single-use plastics that end up in landfills where they take hundreds of years to decompose. From plastic snack baggies to trash bags to bottled soap, they all leave a negative footprint behind when they end up in a landfill or in our environment.
The good news is that these environmentally friendly products are easy swaps so you can have a kitchen you’re proud of.
Grocery shop without those single-use plastics.
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Life Without Plastic - Reusable Bags
A great, sustainable food storage option is Life Without Plastic. These sandwich bags are made of fabric, so they’re completely plastic-free. They are made of 75% jute and 25% cotton, which together make a fabric called juco.
These bags are water-resistant and have neither velcro nor a zipper. Instead, you close it by looping a cotton string over one of the two wooden buttons attached. The option of two buttons gives you flexibility when closing the bag.
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Earthwise - Insulated Shopping Bag
You’ve probably already made the switch to reusable shopping bags, but have you tried an insulated, reusable shopping bag yet? Earthwise makes insulated shopping bags that allow you to keep cold items cold or hot items hot all the way home.
This reusable shopping bag is made of nylon and is waterproof and leak-proof. So you don’t have to worry about accidental spills in the car. If spills do occur, the bag is easy to clean. It’s the perfect eco-friendly shopping partner.
Design a table with ethical products
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Good Natured - Compostable Tableware
One of the greatest sources of single-use plasticware is parties. Whether that’s a party you throw at home, a concert, or an event that your town throws. Plasticware like plastic cups, plastic silverware, and plastic plates are usually bought because they’re cheap, clean, and easy to use. However, all of that is used once and then thrown away. From their manufacturing to their end of life in a landfill, plastic utensils and plates have a negative impact every step of the way. Biodegradable options use less energy and fewer resources to make than their plastic alternatives.
Good Natured has you covered for your next event. They have a collection of over 400 products to choose from, making them a company at the top of the list of the greatest assortment of eco-friendly products available in North America. Their products are made from plants, won’t leak or get soggy, and can even handle the dishwasher if you want to use them more than once.
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Eco Soul - Compostable Plates
Another excellent sustainable product for parties that also supports women in India. Eco Soul makes compostable plates out of palm leaves. They are able to support hot or cold meals, can be microwaved, and are washable if you’d like to use them more than once. When you’re done with them, you can compost them in your garden or compost pit.
Eco Soul works out of India and employs mostly women in their manufacturing and assembly/packaging sites. They ensure they do as much good for their workers as they do for the planet. They provide their employees with fair wages, free meals, and safe working conditions.
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Transitions2earth - Biodegradable Utensils
Whether you’re heading out to a fair or having more people over than you have silverware in your kitchen drawer, Transitions2earth has biodegradable cutlery that you don’t have to feel guilty about throwing away. This cutlery, made with EcoPure®, is designed to decompose in a landfill. It can also handle whatever meal comes its way – it won’t melt or deform when it comes into contact with high-temperature foods. All of the cutlery is BPA-free, recyclable, and biodegradable.
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Buluh - Bamboo Straws
Plastic straws are a huge source of plastic pollution. Many places have banned plastic straws and have made the switch to more environmentally friendly alternatives. If you’re ready to make the transition away from plastic straws in your home, the Buluh bamboo straws are a perfect sustainable solution. They are eight inches long and made from bamboo, which makes them a natural, biodegradable, and sustainable product for your home.
Bamboo is a versatile material that many are turning to. Buluh employs Balinese artisans to carefully craft each straw by hand. Because bamboo grows so quickly, it’s ready to be made into straws within five months. The upside to these straws over other options, like steel, is that they don’t conduct heat. So you won’t accidentally burn yourself when using your straw with a hot drink. These straws come with a brush so you can clean them and reuse them, and a bag to carry them when you’re out and about.
Put a finish to food waste with these storage options
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Bee’s Wrap - Food Wrap
For years plastic wrap has been the solution to keep leftovers fresh in the fridge, but now it’s time to say goodbye. Bee’s Wrap is better at keeping your food fresh and is easy to use over and over again. This eco-friendly alternative is made from cotton and covered with beeswax, jojoba oil, and tree resin.
It’s breathable, which makes it a better option for your food, and reusable. It’s easily washed with soap and water before you use it again. When it’s at the end of its life, it’s compostable. With Bee’s Wrap, you get more uses out of it than you do with single-use plastic wrap, and don’t affect the environment when you’re done with it.
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Vejibag - Cotton Veggie Bags
No more storing your veggies in a plastic bag in the fridge. Vejibag is designed to hold your produce and can keep it fresh for two weeks. This is because the bag allows for airflow and creates a humid environment on the inside so that your vegetables get the moisture they need to stay fresh. These bags are made out of organic french terry and are a more sustainable option than plastic. They’re all made within the United States with ethical labor.
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Koaland - Bread Bags
While you can’t really do anything about the bread that’s already wrapped in plastic in the store, you can do something about how you store bread you make at home or pick up from a bakery. Bread like this tends to do better when it’s wrapped in something like cotton or linen instead of plastic. Plastic doesn’t wick moisture away from the bread-like cotton or linen does, which causes moldy and soggy bread – no thanks!
Koaland bread bags are made of linen that is able to be washed and reused. The upside of this brand is that their bread bags can be used for any size loaf. So no matter what you make, these bags will fit your bread. They have a drawstring closure for easy opening and closing and keep everything fresh.
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Stasher - Reusable Silicone Bags
Say goodbye to single-use plastic sandwich bags. Stasher bags are made of silicone and are reusable. They’re made of non-toxic platinum silicone and are BPA, PVC, and latex-free. They come in a variety of sizes, including pocket-size bags for on-the-go needs, sandwich bags, quart-size bags, and half-gallon bags. They even have bags that can stand up on their own.
You can put these bags in the microwave to reheat food and throw them into the dishwasher for easy cleaning before reuse. Plus, Stasher allows you to be environmentally friendly without being boring. The bags are available in 12 different colors and prints.
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ChicoBag - Reusable Velcro Bags
If you’re not a fan of the traditional pinch-lock seal or zippers that many bags have, ChicoBag is your answer. These are reusable bags that seal with velcro. They have the advantage of being easily folded to put away when not in use and can be washed in a washing machine before being reused. These are made from recycled, stain-free materials, making them an ideal choice for storing food.
Try these environmentally conscious cleaning solutions
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No Tox Life - Dish Soap Block
What’s the one thing you use every day in your kitchen? Cleaning products! Dish soap is a major culprit of plastic. Just think of how many bottles you go through! To turn your kitchen into a sustainable haven in your household, switch your dishwashing soap to a dishwashing soap bar.
No Tox Life’s Dish Block allows you to get the same level of clean you’re used to, without all the plastic bottles. Their dish soap comes in a block that is completely vegan, biodegradable, cruelty-free, and septic safe. It cuts through grease and grime easily and is also gentle on your hands.
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Twist - Eco Friendly Sponges
While you’re making a switch with your dish soap, you should take a look at your sponges, too. Many of them are made with plastic and end up thrown out after they’ve reached the end of their life. Twist changes all of that. Their eco friendly sponges are completely plant-based, made of cactus, and are dye-free, glue-free, and plastic-free.
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UNNI - Compostable Trash Bags
Trash bags are a swap that can be difficult to do. You want something that is durable and can hold all of your discarded items, but also one that isn’t going to do damage when it’s sitting in a landfill for 1,000 years after you toss it.
UNNI makes their 100% compostable and biodegradable garbage bags from plant starches. They don’t have any polyethylene in them, are BPA-free, and are non-toxic. They are durable enough to hold your waste and will break down completely in 180 days. These bags are also certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute and OK Compost Home.
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STOUT by Envision - EcoSafe Compostable Bags
What makes these bags stand out is that they decompose quickly and easily. While average biodegradable and compostable bags take around 6-12 months to break down, these STOUT by Envision EcoSafe Compostable Bags decompose in 10-45 days and only take up to 6 months to biodegrade in a composting facility.
They are able to carry items without ripping or leaking and are certified by the US Composting Council (USCC) and the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). Blind and visually impaired workers make these eco friendly trash bags, so purchasing these bags helps support these workers in the United States.
Small swaps are not only easy, but essential. Here’s why.
Switching to reusable and sustainable household products makes a big difference. It means less waste ending up in landfills or wild spaces, fewer animals accidentally getting caught up in or eating plastic, and a step forward into a better, cleaner future.
Tags: green household, environmentally friendly products, reuseable, compostable, biodegradable, eco friendly, ecosafe