Environmental protection affects us all. That’s why we should also look for environmentally friendly alternatives in the household and hygiene sector. In the article you can read how you can contribute to environmental protection with very simple measures in everyday life.
Currently, almost every topic revolves around environmental protection, CO2, and green energies. But not only with major measures such as replacing the old heating system or installing a solar system on the roof, but also in small ways you can make an everyday contribution to the environment. For example, environmentally friendly alternatives for the household and hygiene products we use every day offer particularly great potential. We will show you how you can contribute to environmental protection with very simple measures in everyday life.
Reducing plastic in everyday life: small decisions with a big impact
Numerous everyday products are still packaged in plastic, often directly with several layers. Starting with food to clothing and other goods – not to mention the disposable plastic containers for cosmetics, cleaning and hygiene products. While plastic is convenient and protects goods from pollution, it poses a problem for terrestrial and marine ecosystems, especially in large quantities, in part due to the slow decomposition and associated proliferation of microplastics. So, you can do the environment a big favor by cutting back on products with plastic content or packaging in your everyday life and choosing more sustainably minded alternatives.
Store more environmentally conscious – store sustainably minded
Wherever possible, replace disposable products with reusable ones, such as fabric shopping bags instead of plastic bags, or a reusable drinking vessel instead of bringing a new coffee-to-go cup every time. Buy local organic food more often, or food from stores and markets without packaging where you can fill your own containers.
When it comes to hygiene products, for example, look for innovative offerings such as solid shampoos, toothbrushes or cotton swabs made from bamboo, or facial tissues and makeup removal pads made from sustainable materials. The same goes for sustainable and environmentally friendly cleaning products and wipes throughout the home.
Sustainable fibers instead of plastics
With many manufacturers now claiming their “green mission,” in many places the difference between conventional products and their eco-friendly alternatives is hard to notice at first glance. But when shopping for paper products such as sanitary and toilet paper, for example, it is now possible to turn to alternatives made from sustainable materials with alternative fibers. It is particularly easy to substitute different types of paper such as toilet paper, facial tissues, handkerchiefs and cleaning cloths. Instead of regular paper, products made from bamboo, straw, recycled paper or unbleached pulp can be used. Modern clothing is also increasingly made from environmentally friendly fibers, and cotton and linen are in vogue. There are also alternatives for leather and silk that cause less animal suffering.
Alternative materials: innovations for the environment
Buying products made with these new materials, however, offers a whole range of benefits. The most important is sustainability, as bamboo, straw, recycled paper and unbleached pulp come from natural resources and can be both rapidly renewable and easily recycled.
Plastics initially consume fossil raw materials and require a lot of energy at each step of production. At the end of its life cycle, it ends up in a landfill or incinerator, where it once again incurs costs, consumes energy and pollutes the environment – whereas sustainable natural materials are compostable or recyclable.
Chemicals are also used in the production of paper and pulp, depending on the process. However, environmentally conscious companies can choose to use mechanical preparation or recycled paper preparation instead of chemical preparation of virgin fibers. In addition, environmentally conscious suppliers also pay attention to reducing water and air emissions and minimizing energy consumption.
New packaging concepts and environmentally friendly materials in the age of “greenwashing”, i.e. the feigned environmental friendliness of numerous manufacturers, it is now up to consumers to separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff.
Cleaning agents are available as tabs in paper packaging, and the cleaning stone in a jar. The environmentally friendly cleaning agents in tab form (glass cleaner, bathroom cleaner, kitchen cleaner) can be dissolved in water and are ready for use after a few minutes. Together with the use still glass spray bottles hardly waste results.
So, when you go shopping for the week, specifically reducing disposable packaging and plastic – and instead reaching for conveniently available environmentally friendly alternatives – is not a problem with a lot of effort these days. In this way, you can also achieve great effects in everyday life with conscious decisions.
