Not all swaps are created equally. Some will work for you and some won't. Everyone's zero waste journey is different. Here are just a few swaps that didn't work out for me.
Reusable straws really worked for my husband…he was using a new plastic straw once or twice a day…I got him metal straws and he uses those for his iced tea & smoothies now. I also got the little straw brush cleaning kit which gets any slime out before he puts them to the dishwasher
If I have a bowl that doesn't have a lid and I need to refrigerate it, I just throw a plate on top. It's obviously not watertight or anything and i wouldn't use it for transporting stuff, but it's fine for just keeping a leftover salad or whatever. Bonus points because you can set stuff on top of the plate, which you can't do with plastic or beeswax wrap 😊 That thing about asking yourself "Do i really need this" before buying a new product--SO TRUE. I think too many "green" companies want you to "buy" your way to environmental friendliness. Which... that will never ever work lol. When I first started trying to reduce waste, I went on a popular website for "zero waste" products and bought a set of those reusable ziplock baggies. Thought I was being so green. 😅 Realized after a while that I didn't use them all that often, and in fact I just didn't need plastic baggies for much of anything. Wish I'd waited a while to buy them. 🥴
That doesn't work for a casserole dish tho :( Idk I don't use them all the time but then again neither did I use seran wrap. I just kinda use it to cover a casserole dish in place of saran wrap
Bees wax clothe i only comes in handy for two purposes for me. 1 i have a dedicated one for covering the half of an onion i dont use. 2) little square ones for putting between bread, cut bagels, flat bread etc so the they dont stick together when i freeze them ( instead of wax paper or plastic).
I find my biggest use for them was cheese. Buying a large chunk of parm at the grocery store instead of a Container of shreds. If I don't want to shred it all in one go I'll wrap it with the beeswax cloth and it keeps it the right amount of protected in the fridge.
I've always hated the idea of buying a compostable phone case to replace a current non-compostable phone case. I feel like it would be more wasteful to switch rather than just using the plastic one until you get a new phone, then maybe switching over.
Yeah i finally got a gelly case because the plastic ones that looked like they were supposed to protect the phone broke too easy and id have to rebuy it in six months. I imagine the biodegradable cases would be more of a pain.
I have a silcon straw that I can fold into my small purse or pocket. I rinse right away then soap and water when I get home. I haven't been able to get beeswax wraps to work. I also just use containers with lids. I get refills at my local co-op and refill store. I didn't even try the bar dish soap.
About the phone case: considering the carbon cost of manufacturing and shipping them, do you really think it's better to get multiple cases that won't last very long, rather than one that will last a long time but won't break down as easily after? I suppose it depends on multiple factors, but I'm curious about how the trade-off works out in the end.
It's always so interesting to see things like this! Because I love my solid bar soap, it's been almost a year an I live alone without a dishwasher so I've been using it a lot. Personally, I find that it's very convenient when washing like a single plate at a time :D But I totally agree that sealable containers beat beeswax wraps any day of the week
What brand of dish soap bar do you use? The one I bought doesn't suds up much. Also I agree, beeswax wraps are great in place of saranwrap but I never used that stuff longterm anyway. Only for covering something to transport it to an event.
@@GeeklingNo1 The one I use is from a local enough Swedish brand "Järna tvåleri" they are quite big but don't seem to ship internationally, I'm afraid. But the one I use is coconut oil based, it doesn't lather up like typical name brand liquid dish soap but it works just the same. Usually I rub the brush directly on the soap and go through two or three plates before reapplying. I don't know how helpful this is without a product name but :)
Agreed with the bar dish soap. I like the blue land dish soap instead. Re: beeswax wrap. I pack my salad in a lid but will bring a lemon half to squeeze in my salad. That’s the only time I use the beeswax wrap. The only other swap I’ve “failed” with is the safety razor. I tried for WEEKS to figure out how to do it without cutting myself and failed miserably. After one particular gash, I had to give it up for my own safety.
That’s so interesting for the straws, I think they only work for me because I make my own iced coffee at home in a reusable cup otherwise I don’t think they would work for me either😅. I jumped on the beeswax wrap bandwagon for a while and then I realized I could just use the Tupperware I already had at home🤷🏾♀️😅
I sewed a cloth duster to replace swiffer and it takes in the dust so well it does not let go of it in the wash... Went back to swiffer and am reusing the same one 2-3 times before I use it to clean a really dirty area and throw it out eventually.
when I did bar dish soup I got a ceramic butter dish, flipped it upside down, and cut the soup to fit so I could cover it and only use a little at a time. It works okay. Gotta find the right brush.
For me it‘s reusable make-up pads, I need at least two of them a day. If I wipe of my makeup I can’t really use them again without washing them. (So I would need a lot more than 3 pieces) Plus nail polish remover has strong chemicals and I don’t know how long the pads would last if I want to remove my nail polish. I don’t know what a good solution would be because I do like the concept.
For what it's worth, instead of getting ones marketed as make up pads, I bought some that were meant for people who are breast feeding (Sometimes you leak, so it's like a pad that can fit in your bra). They normally come in much bigger packs. But I feel the same way about the konjac sponges. I felt like they weren't drying sufficiently between uses unless I wanted to keep like five in rotation, and I don't want to do that.
I think you need way more than three or four pads. I have close to twenty. If you are interested in learning to sew, making some square make-up pads out of flannel is an easy first project. I made mine from scrap flannel around ten years ago, and they are just now starting to wear out. Having a whole bunch is key, and if you typically do laundry with cold water you might need to "strip" them with boiling water, dish detergent, and oxygen bleach after six months or so. (Cold water isn't great at lifting oils.) I wouldn't use them for nail polish removal.
The thing about beeswax wraps: if you forget about the bowl in the back of the fridge, the wrap still can only be wiped clean with cool water. We had to throw away a couple because they got moldy/smelled like stinky food and there was no way to clean them.
if you have an older phone model, i recommend buying cases second hand too.. personally i bought a couple of cases from vinted that were new or almost new. people really swap phones too often now, so its soo easy to find something for yourself
I carry a few straws with me. I bought a pack of tumbler straws and have some in my car and some in my bag. No excuses! The hardest part is putting them back in the car/bag after i wash them!
My grandmother would make her own dish soap from used cooking oil, it’s completely different from liquid washing liquid and you need to get used to it and learn how to use it. Definitely not for everyone. Straws were also disappointing for me, I got them mainly to use going out but no matter how often I’d ask for no straw they’d always bring one.
Yes, they do always give me one no matter what. They're kind of "programmed" to and it's a habit. My friend just gave me some metal reusable straws as a gift (she's not into zero waste at all), but I think I will donate them somewhere. I don't use straws of any kind, but I give her some credit for trying to be "sustainable".
Yeah it's really surprising to me in this day and age how many places will still automatically bring you a straw in your drink :/ Like have them on hand if people need them, sure. But stop default-putting them in my water glass. I don't even like using a straw rip
I think Pela cases are good if you use your phone for 1-2 years at a time, or otherwise the 'typical" lifespan of a phone. I love my case and almost wish I had gotten 2 to change my aesthetic.
Great video, very informative. I guess a video like this helps because you have actually tried the products. Consumption is still going on, even with eco friendly products. So it makes sense to research the product before buying it. Tip : straw cleaner brushes are helpful.
I use regular store bought dish soap, put a little of it in an old foaming soap container and fill the rest with water. The foaming nozzle helps you use less and the water stretches it,i use it for dishes and hand soap, I don't like the smell of other hand soaps. I also don't like the idea of getting things shipped so i buy what they have at the store,like laundry flings or the laundry sheets.
I use the stainless steel reusable the straws at home. I've never found the need to use any straws while im out. Just drink from the cup. It's ok to tough it out for a bit even if you have a preference.
I bought my mom some dish soap in a ceramic container and I haven't found it to be gross yet. That being said, you need to use hot water with my brand of dish soap or it doesn't bubble at all. Not a huge fan but I'm going to use what I have and maybe buy a different brand when this one is over. In terms of straws, carrying around a random straw makes me feel the same way. But because I prefer soda and iced drinks I tend to carry around a reusable cup and straw. It's actually my favorite zero waste swap. I have started making casseroles more often and since I prep them on the weekends for the whole week I will use beeswax wraps if I don't have a lid for it. Other than that I am also gluten free so I don't use them very often. That is unless I'm taking a GF pastry from home for my lunch at school. While I've found ways to use these I can see why you weren't able to. The ones that haven't worked for me were the pela case because theyre SO EXPENSIVE, and a collapsable straw bc I never felt like I could properly clean them.
For phone cases, I use to buy one brand new. Now I buy second hand through Mercari, eBay, fb marketplace, OfferUp or no buy groups. Sometimes you can also find them at thrift stores. I currently have a Pela case (my second Pela case) I bought second hand, it was basically brand new I bought off of Mercari. Great insight thanks for the video
I do use metal straws at home when I make a smoothie but I do not think straws are a necessity at all (unless you have a disability). If you carry one with you when you go out and about, go to a bathroom and clean it before putting it back in your bag. My PELA case started deteriorating after a couple years of use. Such a pretty, pretty case... what a pity. Yeh, there are things that might work for some and not for others, which is fine. The important thing is that we try our best to do as much as possible to live a sustainable life :)
I used to carry a reusable straw but it was a pain to clean and, yeah, they got gross. I just go without a straw when I’m out. But I definitely use them at home!
Pela cases didn't work for me either. I get my phone and protective case at the same time, and I expect my case to last the lifetime of my phone because I will keep my phone for its life and only replace it once every 10ish years.
I didn’t like pela, they’re cute and everything, but I felt they were expensive. And the cases would stretch out, or break down, it’s almost better to get a plastic case that is good quality and will hold up for longer then spending more money for a product that doesn’t hold up. And I’ve had like 6or 7 pela cases
A veces pienso que el problema no es el plástico, sino el sobre consumo del mismo. Podemos usar cosas plásticas porque realmente son útiles, variadas y muy muy muy duraderas… solo hay que dejar de lado el consumismo y ser más consientes con las compras….
It seems to me people (read Americans) don't even know you can drink without a straw. Everything straw is stupid waste. What I hate the most of the reusable straws are becoming trendy where I live when straws really weren't a thing at all before the reusable trend.
Straws began as an adaptive device for disabilities. My autistic child struggles with the motor planning needed to control liquid in a cup. Straws are essential for her. For many other people, straws are a convenience item. It's easier for me to drink a necessary amount of water with a straw. (Keep in mind that much the US is at a lower latitude than Europe and therefore significantly hotter.) Things like straws and giant water bottles are absolutely US centric consumer phenomenon, and I am aware that our outsized presence in media tends to export our culture at the expense of everyone else's. But straws are useful, and nowhere near the largest contributor to plastic pollution that people think.
I have a straw that folds into a little container and has a rubber inside so cam still chew on it 😂, so never gets handbag dirty and I always carry a water bottle so I drink water thru it after and it always stays clean 😀 incase anyone still wants straws but has that issue
As someone who is super mold averse, I just have stopped using straws in most cases. In my experience, there is no feasible way for me to NOT get mold in my reusable straws, and I’ve tried lol
I like to use it as a replacement for plastic wrap. It does clean pretty easily and it's antibacterial bc beeswax is. I've tried two different brands, one storebought and one from a small brand on amazon. The storebought one was so stiff and hard to work with that I genuinely never touch it. The other one is soft and pliable. I crumple it into a ball and warm it with my hands for a bit then use it to cover casserole dishes. My mom was pretty impressed with how well it kept the baked oatmeal we made from drying out. It's definitely not for everyone but I like having a couple on hand for covering dishes without a lid or wrapping sandwiches. If I still ate gluten I would use it to steal bread from restraunts since theyre gonna throw the leftovers away anyways :P
@@GeeklingNo1 I'll have to look into it! The main thing would be that we don't generally use much plastic wrap except for bigger dishes like casseroles or baked goods. As long as it can hold up well between uses, I'll definitely give it a go in our household.
Beeswax wraps did not work for me either I found Tupperware or stashed bags was a better alternative for storing food I use reusable straws a lot but I will say that some work better than others. I did not like silicone straws or metal straws. I mostly did not like the taste of them. I had some luck with reusable plastic straws for a while but then they started to taste like soap so we ultimately switched to glass straws. With the exception of one straw my cat broke we have really enjoyed the glass alternatives. The taste is good and I like the height and the thickness. I will say they are not all created equal though. I bought a pack that had 3 different kinds and one is much thicker than the other. I like to use the thinner one for my regular drinks, the thicker tall one for smoothies, and the shorter one for short cups (but I wish this one was thinner). I tried to get a glass one to go. It came in a nice carrying case but unfortunately because it doesn’t bend or fold it was too long for my purse so I haven’t managed to have one to go. That being said I don’t eat out much and I only ever order water so it only comes with a straw 50% of the time. I try not to ask for one but sometimes it comes with one already or they give it to me and when 8m looking away my mom opens it and puts it in my drink 🤦🏼♀️ Bar soap doesn’t sound like it would work for dishes but refill systems seems very useful I have enjoyed bar shampoo though
