My Green List
In the past few years I’ve made several changes to be more ecologically responsible—use less, reduce, reuse, recycle. These seemingly small changes, though relatively easy in a place like New York, took a lot of effort. I want to acknowledge others like myself, battling away silently in homes and offices, and hope to lend them a hand. This list is for them, and those who want to join in, do more.
Guiding principle
Avoid stuff unless it’s absolutely essential, will be used for a long time, replaces one or more items, and can be recycled or reused. Teaching myself to want, and therefore, need less was the hardest part.
The List
- Shampoo, body and hand & face soap bars, all packaged in paper.
- Kids’ hair and body soap, in rainbow colors, wrapped in biodegradable plastic to boot. They double as play dough before bath time.
- Hand, face and body lotions sold in recycled plastic containers that can be returned at the store. They’re safe for kids, too.
- Toothpaste bits, so no more tubes that can’t be recycled. Big fan of this tooth powder but disappointed in their packaging. They have their reasons, though.
- Bamboo toothbrush with recyclable bristles. Just learned of this new, fully-biodegradable toothbrush. Waiting to try it out.
- Cleaning solutions in tablet form. Just add water.
- Bamboo-based toilet paper, that’s not packed in plastic.
- Dishwashing bar soap, shipped in paper.
- Compostable dish scrubbers made from a single plant.
- Laundry detergent pods, packaged in cardboard.
- Compostable waste bags. These are also available at Whole Foods, at least in New York City.
- Unbleached paper (reusable) shopping bags for veggies, grains, etc. so you can skip the in-store single-use plastic bag. I’ve been using cotton bags, but this Danish report has made sure I’m never buying another one.
- Stackable recycle bins to make waste separation easy.
- Recycle plastic bags at a local drop-off location.
- [Temporarily suspended] Drop off old clothes and textiles at H&M instead of trashing them, and get a discount on your next purchase.
- Donate stuff to Goodwill (or similar) instead of tossing it out.
- Find a suitable Terracycle program for stuff the city won’t take.
- Ship damaged shoes to this program.
- Donate new or gently used shoes here.
- Cotton sleeping mattress instead of a conventional foam one. Salvation Army will even pick it up.
- Milk sold in glass bottles that can be returned and refunded at the store.
- Safety razors instead of disposable plastic ones, for use with a variety of blades to match your beard and skin type. Works great with a shaving soap like this one.
- Smartphone cases made with used wine corks. Haven’t tried their wallets but have heard good things.
- Online stores: Earth Hero, WellEarth Goods, Package Free Store for more responsible shopping.
Still need help with
- A good blend of coffee beans that isn’t packaged in semi-soft plastic. Don’t think those are even recyclable.
- Non-tube toothpaste for kids. I have a three year-old, and I can’t trust her with toothpaste bits yet.
- Good all-weather (or even just winter) shoes that aren’t leather or some form of plastic or wool (trying to steer clear of animal products). I wore canvas hi-tops through this winter, but my toes paid the price. Good waxed canvas boots?
Help me grow this List
Publish your own Green List
Have a list of your own? Publish it here with mine, on Medium. I’ll add you as a writer to this publication (I’ll need your Medium username to do that). Once that’s done, you can write up your list just like mine and submit it to this publication. Once I approve it, it will go live for everyone to see. It sounds more complicated than it is, trust me.
This is very much a work-in-progress. Please feel free to share it, or suggest ways to improve or add to it. Small, consistent efforts by everyone are bound to make an impact.
