Simple Ways You Can Help the Planet

By making your home more eco-friendly, you can help reduce plastic waste and pollution, as well as live in a safer, healthier environment. It’s easier than you think! Here are some simple, sustainable ways to green-up your home, one room at a time. Best of all, none require more elbow grease and they won’t break your budget. In fact, they will most likely save you time and money in the long run. 

1. Your Kitchen

When it comes to generating household waste that needlessly ends up in landfills, kitchens are one of the primary culprits - and one of the easiest to remedy. Here are just a few of the ways you can reduce waste.

• Compost food scraps: Invest in a countertop or under-the-sink composter. Food waste in landfills produces excess methane gas, which harms the environment. Composting at home generates great garden soil; if you can’t use it, a friend or neighbor can.

• Avoid single-use plastics: Plastic bags take at least 1,000 years to break down! You can substitute reusable alternatives for disposables. Store perishables in reusable containers or with beeswax wraps. Silicone dish covers and huggers make storing leftovers a breeze. Another option: reusable storage bags, available in a variety of sizes.

• Buy in bulk: Use of some plastic is hard to avoid, so buy in bulk to fill smaller containers. Dishwasher pods work great, are so convenient, and don’t come in a plastic jug. One bulk-size all-purpose kitchen cleaner will work equally well, or better, than the 5 “specialty” cleaners you have under your sink now, and cost you less. We also carry bulk dishwashing liquid and liquid hand soap, available in a variety of appealing scents.

• Use products made with natural & recycled materials: We offer a wide assortment of kitchen tools crafted with bamboo, a sustainable, renewal resource. Instead of ending up in an ocean or landfill, recycled microfiber cleaning cloths and scrubbers work wonderfully and also reduce your reliance on conventional paper towels. If you can’t survive without, try bamboo paper towels; you’ll never go back to paper...  Opt for recycled plastic trash bags, or better yet, plastic-free plant-based trash bags.

2. Your Pantry

In days gone by, the pantry was also known as a larder, a cool area for storing foods, and where raw meat was “larded” or preserved and stored in fat. Most everything else was stored in tightly sealed glass or tin jars. In comparison, today’s pantries tend to be smaller – and full of plastic. How much plastic is hidden behind your pantry doors? Here are several ways you can affordably upgrade to more sustainable, eco-friendly products.

• Choose safe containers: Glass storage jars with screw-on lids are the greenest option. You can easily see what’s inside, they’re dishwasher safe, and recyclable. Lighter in weight, run-of-the-mill plasticware has dangers; be sure to choose ETO- and BPA-free plastic containers.

• Use unbleached paper products: Bleaching wood pulp creates a nasty by-product, dioxin. For the planet’s health, and yours, use unbleached coffee filters and tea bags. Better yet, you may want to eliminate the need to purchase filters altogether with a reusable coffee filter or coffee sock. For baking, unbleached parchment paper is another must-have; look for silicone-coated parchment, as others may contain PFAs, the ubiquitous forever chemicals.

• Go with compostable or reusable dishes and cutlery: Picnics, birthdays and other special occasions often make the convenience of single-use items appealing. Compostable paper cups, bowls, plates and cutlery are just as easy and earth friendly; plus, your guests just might admire your environmental thoughtfulness and follow your green example for their next celebration.

• Pack a planet-loving lunch: Better for you and the planet, try to pack lunches using fewer single-use products, starting with a reusable lunch bag or lunch tote. We offer a nice selection to please kids and adults. Sandwiches can be kept fresh in reusable bags or beeswax wrappers. Stainless steel lunch containers, lunch box sets, and Bento boxes open a world of possibilities to pack-and-go menus!

3. Your Bathroom

Reducing waste in your bathroom doesn’t require a costly remodel. Small changes in the products you use will make a big difference you can feel good about.

• Use eco-friendly toilet tissue: Toilet paper is one of life's little necessities. When you consider your household’s daily use and its impact on the environment, it makes sense to switch to a recycled toilet tissue. Ours is soft, whitened without chemicals containing chlorine,  biodegradable and septic-safe.

• Choose soaps wisely: Not counting shampoos and conditioners, about 1.4 billion plastic soap bottles are discarded yearly. Liquid soaps are a huge contributor to that statistic, but for a variety of reasons, some people must use it. Always be mindful of the recyclability and reusability, of your purchases. Consider investing in a reusable liquid soap dispenser and refill it by buying liquid bath soaps in bulk. Foaming soap dispensers use less soap, making your purchase last even longer. Some brands make 3-in-1 soaps that can also be used as shampoo, thus reducing 3 plastic bottles to 1. Attitude’s liquid soaps are packaged in recyclable metal dispensers. And finally, remember good old-fashioned bath soap bars? They are virtually free from any plastic packaging and are equally effective for removing bacteria and dirt; they tend to be less costly, too.

• Switch to bamboo toothbrushes: Over 1 billion plastic toothbrushes are thrown away in the United States each year. Why not give a compostable toothbrush or bamboo toothbrush a try? After brushing, complete your routine with an eco-friendly dental floss or dental pick. While in your bathroom, restock your first-aid kit with bamboo bandages.

• Beware of hazardous toilet cleaners: Many toilet cleaners are not only harmful to the environment and aquatic life, they pose real threats to you and your loved ones. Put Mother Nature on your side with plant-based, biodegradable toilet cleaners. They are safe, strong, and effective.

• Avoid shower & floor cleaner fumes: To remain clean, bathroom floors, walls and stalls need just as much TLC as the toilet, but once again, dangers lurk in the harsh chemicals so often used. No worries! Your laminate, wooden, tile, ceramic and marble will sparkle with our planet-and-people-safe bathroom and shower cleaning products, formulated with plant- and mineral- based ingredients. 

4. Your Laundry Room

Where does the laundry come from?! No sooner do you think you’re caught up, another load appears. That adds up to a lot of detergent, bleach and softener going into the environment, not to mention the plastic jugs they came in and the chemicals used to produce them.

• Say “No” to plastic containers: The eco-friendly trend of laundry soaps, soap nuts and soap pods, is becoming mainstream for good reason. Yes, less plastic; but they’re also plant-based, very effective, convenient and ultra-easy! Not ready to give them a try? Consider buying bulk-sized laundry soaps. Got a tough stain? Zap it with Attitude’s safe, sustainable stain remover.

• Don’t burn plastic in your dryer: Your typical dryer sheet is single-use, plastic-based, and loaded with toxic chemicals that can skin irritation, trigger allergies, and contribute to air and water pollution. Wool dryer balls are a much friendlier option to reduce static electricity and wrinkles, make clothes softer and help them dry faster. Sprinkle them with an essential oil to give clothes the heavenly scent of your choosing.

5. Your Living & Dining Rooms

Reducing waste doesn’t mean buying new or more; it means taking eco-conscious care of what you have. We can help! Most traditional cleaning products use chemicals and other irritants that can cause health issues like asthma, allergies, headaches, and more. Here are a few options to help you create a clean, safe, more relaxing living and dining room.

• Ditch disposable dusters: Microfiber cloths are gentle on surfaces and act like a dust magnet; the material attracts the tiny particles, lifts them off surfaces and traps them. Give e-cloth’s microfiber cleaning cloths a try. More than reusable, they come with a 100-wash or 1-year promise, so you can cross short-lived sponges and paper towels off your shopping list for good.

• Make floors baby and pet safe: Many floor cleaners contain chemicals that can be toxic if ingested or inhaled by baby or pets, and harmful to the planet. Use non-toxic, biodegradable floor cleaners; they’re good for all your loved ones and the planet.

• Add natural shine: Most furniture polishes contain an array of petroleum-based ingredients and propellants. Go au natural with Ecos furniture polish, made from olive and orange oils. It cleans and beautifies wood, formica, particle board and even vinyl surfaces; plus, its zesty citrus scent is so refreshing.  

6. Your Bedroom & Nursery

You and your loved ones spend nearly 1/3 of your lives in a bedroom, so you want those rooms to be both comfortable and safe. Here are a few simple suggestions to help you take care of yourself, your family and the planet, without a huge financial investment.

• Wash bed linens in eco-friendly soaps: Come laundry day, switch out harsh detergents to eco-friendly laundry soaps. Bothered by static? Rely on wool dryer balls or plant-based dryer cloths and sheets. 

• Improve air quality: Did you know charcoal is a powerful filter? It purifies and absorbs air particles and contaminants naturally and requires no electricity or expensive replacement filters. We offer several charcoal-based air purifiers at affordable prices. 

• Use natural air fresheners: Avoid plug-in fresheners, sprays, and gels because of the phthalates in these products. Phthalates can be absorbed by the skin or inhaled once released into the air, and are linked to many health issues. Essential oils can freshen up a room naturally and are a safer option.

• Disinfect surfaces safely: Bedrooms often become sickrooms, the havens we curl up in as we recover from illness, making them havens for germs that can spread to others and re-infect us. Don’t reach for harsh cleaners that kill a lot more than infectious bugs! Choose our planet- and people-safe disinfectant wipes and cleaners for surfaces.