Products, Their Effect on the Environment, and Replacements

1. Microbeads

Microbeads are tiny plastic particles that pass through water filtration and sometimes end up in the sea. They can be extremely harmful to marine life, as they are food in their eyes. One shower can flush up to 100,000+ microbeads down the drain and potentially into the ocean. Luckily, they are now banned from being used in products, but products with them from before they were banned are still out there. Please be on the lookout for them.

2. Wet wipes

Although they look like toilet paper, tissues or paper towels, they act completely different. Unlike these paper products, wet wipes contain a type of plastic that does not allow it to dissolve in water. When using them, always throw them into the trash and never flush them down the toilet. In 2016 there was a 400% increase in wet wipes found on beaches, which insanely harmful for marine life.

3. Aerosol cans

Since chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are now banned, spray cans are instead using hydrocarbons and other greenhouse gases. Also they are not very economical, some would go as far as saying a waste of money as these cans actually contain more of these gases than the actual product. Even more, the can cannot simply be recycled, it has to go through steps in order to properly be recycled.

4. Phosphate containing detergents

Phosphates are not only known for their ability to act like a natural fertilizer, but also their ability to loosen tough stains on clothing. When they are used in detergents, and the laundry water is drained, phosphates can end up in major bodies of water. There, they can grow the marine plants and clog water ways, not only restricting the areas that marine life can travel, but also cutting off the water supply for smaller areas, and allowing them to evaporate, killing the animals.

5. Chlorine bleaches

Chlorine bleaches are made of mainly chlorine and another toxic chemical called lye. When reaching bodies of water, the lye and the chlorine will combine with natural minerals from those bodies of water and form toxic chemicals that can be extremely harmful to marine life.

6. Sunscreen

Although most sunscreens are good for protecting your skin, they are terrible for the environment. When taking a dip in the lake or ocean, the some sunscreen will wash off, entering the home of many marine animals. They include chemicals such as oxybenzone, octinoxate, and octocrylene, which is extremely toxic for these animals. 14,000 tons of sunscreen is washed off into the coral reefs alone each year, accounting for their lessening health each year.

7. Tea bags

Most tea bags contain some sort of plastic that prevents it from composting. When thrown away, they are sent to landfills and take years to break down.

8. Scented candles

Not only do scented candles release carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, but they also are made of a petroleum byproduct called paraffin, which allows the oil industry to grow. Artificial scents are extremely harmful for the environment as well.

9. Dryer sheets

It is said that the effect of dryer sheets is actually a myth, they will actually just add harmful chemicals to your clothes, rather than soften them. Dryer sheets contain quaternary ammonium compounds, which are extremely bad for human health. On top of the safety issue, dryer sheets are actually not compostable, due to the high presence of plastics and other synthetic materials. They end up occupying a fair amount of space in landfills and will take years to break down.

1. Reusable Utensils

Try limiting the use of plastic utensils and invest in metal utensils that can be reused, like metal straws and chopsticks. If using plastic utensils, try washing them and reusing them.

2. Natural and/or plant based sunscreens

3. Blueland Clean Up Kit

This is an environmentally friendly cleaning product that comes with a reusable spray bottle and tablets that dissolve to produce a great spray for cleaning.

4. Reusable silicone "plastic" bags

5. Wool dryer balls

These are exactly what they are marketed as- dryer balls made of wool! Using these instead of dryer sheets is not only healthier but also more environmentally safe.

6. Loose leaf tea or biodegradable tea bags

7. Organic Laundry Detergents

8. Compostable plates

9. Stick deodorant

10. Lush bath bombs

Although they contain glitter, it is not made of plastic but instead a type of synthetic mica called fluorphlogopite.

Barratt, Sarah. “7 Common Household Products That Are Terrible for the Environment.” Country Living, Country Living, 29 Mar. 2018, www.countryliving.com/uk/wildlife/countryside/a1583/household-cleaning-products-environment/.

Rackow, Emily. “8 Everyday Items That Are Harmful to the Environment.” Wowe Lifestyle, 16 Mar. 2020, wowelifestyle.com/blogs/better-living/8-everyday-items-that-are-harmful-to-the-environment.

Yates, Melanie. “This Earth Day, These Eco-Friendly Products Can Help You Swap Out Single-Use Plastics for Good.” Best Products, 22 Apr. 2020, www.bestproducts.com/home/decor/g1435/eco-friendly-products/.