22 Earth-Friendly Swaps for 2022

Written by:

Maia James

01/10/2022

Kind Laundry Sheets from gimme the good stuff

Updated: 09/28/2023

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One of my goals for 2022 is to up my Green game. My home doesn’t have many products with toxins in them (although I’m far from perfect), but I want to do better by our planet. Below are 22 easy product swaps you can make that will reduce waste–please share your own ideas in the comments!

Stay sane,

Maia, Founder & CEO

Greener Cleaning Swap gimme the good stuff
  • Instead of heavy bottles of all-purpose cleaner (which are mostly water), these wonder tabs can be dropped into a glass bottle to make months’ worth of cleaner.
  • You can swap any scouring powder with Tandi’s, which smells better than any other one I have used and comes in a refillable glass jar.
  • It sounds crazy, but you really CAN wash your dishes with a solid soap (extra points for zero packaging!).
  • Another swap I’ve made is instead of cleaning my bathrooms with spray cleaners and a bunch of paper towels, I use these cloths— they disinfect with just water!
  • Two waste-reducing brands of cleaning product that we don’t carry in our store, but which I do love: Force of Nature and Branch Basics.

Laundry swaps infographic gimme the good stuff
  • Jugs of laundry detergent are heavy to ship, come in plastic, and are mostly water! Using these laundry sheets is actually so much easier, too–and means my kids can do laundry without over-pouring detergent. I will never go back.
  • Wool dryer balls reduce static and are planet-friendly not only because they last forever (just throw them in and leave them there!), they also reduce drying time and therefore save electricity.
  • With this stain removing stick (which comes completely packaging free!) you can simply wet the fabric and rub the soap stick onto the stained area, then wash as usual.
  • Toss a Cora Ball into your washing machine to prevent microfiber/plastic from breaking off clothes and ending up in the world’s waterways.

Greener Personal Care Swaps Gimme the Good Stuff
  • Body wash is much more expensive and wasteful than a simple bar of soap (and of course, soap doesn’t come in plastic!).
  • I’ll admit that this one is a little bit less convenient, but did you know that you can now get reusable Q-Tips (I admit that I use the biodegradable kind).
  • Around 2 billion plastic razors are disposed of each year, and they all end up in landfills. This eco-friendly straight razor has a bamboo handle and a recyclable metal razor.
  • A toothbrush with a replaceable head is always better than a fully disposable one, and this one is made of biodegradable bamboo.
  • The adhesive sheet of a standard band-aid is often made of toxic PVC. Patch bandages are made with soft, organic bamboo fiber and gauze and are a much more sustainable way to cover minor wounds.

Greener Packed Lunch Swaps Gimme the Good Stuff
  • Waxed paper sandwich bags are certainly better than plastic baggies, but better yet is a reusable way to store a sandwich like this or this.
  • I have a drawer full of these bags, and haven’t bought a plastic baggie in years!
  • Glass water bottles seem like a better idea than plastic, but because of the weight of glass, it is not necessarily a greener option. A reusable stainless steel bottle is still the way to go.
  • Paper lunch bags end up in landfills, so we’ve invested in a quality insulated lunch tote for everyone in our family.

thumbnail_Greener Kitchen Swaps Gimme the Good Stuff
  • I use these daily to cover leftovers that I don’t want to transfer to a separate container; they’ve gotten me off not only plastic cling wrap but also even aluminum foil!
  • Paper straws are a crap replacement to real straws, don’t you think? Instead, bring your own–I like stainless steel and my kids love silicone.
  • Paper to-go cups are obviously better than Styrofoam, but a reusable one is best of all.

Greener Baby Swaps Gimme the Good Stuff
  • Instead of a disposable swim diaper, try a much-less-gross reusable one.
  • There are now better disposable wipes, but best of all is using organic cloths (and you really only need a little water!).
  • Switching to cloth diapers is harder, but an all-in-one is pretty convenient. (I love Esembly‘s whole lineup of cloth diapering products.)
  • Not only are silicone breastmilk storage bags more Earth-friendly than disposable plastic baggies, but it also means breastmilk won’t come in contact with plastic.
  • Even plastic-free sippy cups seem to get lost all the time and need replacing. These brilliant silicone tops turn any cup into a sippy cup.

Note: This article contains affiliate links or sponsored content, which means that if you make a purchase, we may earn a commission. We only recommend products that meet our strict standards for non-toxicity and that we use (or want to use!) ourselves. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that make Good Stuff! 

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