You Diligently sort your recyclables, proudly sip from your stainless-steel water bottle, and carry your groceries in a reusable bag. You're convinced you're doing your part to reduce plastic pollution, but there's a secret plastic underworld lurking within the cosy confines of your home! These hidden plastics end up surviving in the landfill long after you're done with them, and can also make their way into your families daily food consumption!
Read on to find out how to make your home safer for your family and the planet ....
#1 - The Kitchen Sponge!
Ah, the humble kitchen sponge - a seemingly innocent cleaning tool that harbours a dirty little secret..
Conventional sponges are crafted from polyurethane foam, which is a synthetic plastic material that won't decompose naturally and contributes to plastic pollution! Sad to see such an innocent, friendly looking product turning out to have a large environmental impact. Every time you use a sponge you're releasing micro-plastics into your home and our waterways!
Fortunately, Eco Scrubs like ours, made from natural materials like loofah and plant cellulose, offer a sustainable alternative without any need for plastic!
Our 2-pack of Eco Sponges are made from loofah plants and cellulose (wood pulp) and contain no nasty glues.
The hand-stitched loofah scrubber is non-abrasive and is suited to your kitchen, bathroom or as a body scrub in the bath or shower!
Our eco scrubs are packed in cardboard instead of conventional thin plastics, so they feel quite stiff when you first get them. Simply wet them and they soften up quickly!
Sponges packed in plastic have softeners added to ensure they're soft and spongey when you first open them, but they quickly stiffen up after a few washes. All that extra plastic for such a superficial issue!
Learn more about our eco-scrubs here.
#2 - Microfibre Cloths
On to the microfibre cloth! What a game-changer this was. Invented in the 70s by a Japanese textile scientist, these extremely fine fibres are lightweight, long lasting, high absorption and quick drying. However, all this comes at a cost to your family and the planet!
Microfibre cloths are made from tiny tendrils of polyester and polyamide which pick up dirt and moisture effectively. Unfortunately these tiny tendrils also break down easily during use and whenever they are used or washed, they release micro-plastics into your home and into our waterways, which eventually ends up in the ocean!
We really don't know how long micro-plastics take to break down completely in the ocean. What we do know, is that they are damaging to marine life and put animals, such as the Laysan Albatross, under threat of extinction. This problem also effects albatross' closer to home!
Another little known side effect is that microfibres can cause micro-abrasions on surfaces. If the microfibre cloth is poor quality or it isn't 100% clean (remember, these micro-fibres are great at trapping dirt!) these micro-abrasions can damage the protective coatings on your taps or your vehicle!
Maybe not the miracle microfibre was meant to be .....
Enter Good Change Eco Cloths!
Crafted from natural fibres these versatile, super absorbent cloths can be reused multiple times and then when you're done with them they can be composted.
There are both large cloths for bigger jobs (or bigger hands!) and our classic medium cloths for everything else.
These cloths eliminate the need for microfibre cloths entirely. They're just as lightweight, fast drying and they resist smells like microfibre cloths.
All this without taking a massive toll on our planet or adding more microplastics to our homes!
#3 - Spray bottles
Well, you probably knew these were plastic... However conventional cleaning sprays, touted as recyclable, or packaged in recycled plastic bottles, may seem like an eco-friendly choice at first glance.
Unfortunately they are often made from non-recyclable plastic materials such as polyethylene or polypropylene. There is also a limit to how many times a piece of plastic can be recycled before it becomes too degraded to use again.
Not only this, but onshore recycling efforts in both NZ and Australia can’t keep up with demand. This means recycled plastics may end up being shipped offshore where anything could happen to them (they may be burnt or end up in landfill anyway).
The other thing is that these bottles release microplastics and can leach chemicals into the liquids they contain.
Glass bottles, like our Bottle for Good™, offer a fantastic solution! These are made to last your lifetime, significantly reducing the environmental footprint.
One of the biggest advantages of glass is its non-toxic nature. Unlike plastics that may contain harmful chemicals like BPAs, glass does not leach chemicals (or microplastics!) into the liquids it holds. This means they are safer and healthier for your home and the planet.
Combine this with a natural refill concentrate like our tablets and you can reduce your plastic consumption further and enjoy effective, natural, plant powered cleaning!
If you're not sure where to start click the button below to find out more.
#4 - Dish Brushes
Now let’s shine the spotlight on a household staple - the dish brush.
Despite its unassuming appearance, the conventional dish brush is an absolute plastic menace. This is because the bristles, commonly crafted from nylon or synthetic fibres derived from petroleum, continuously release microplastics that silently infiltrate our homes.
These get into our food and our waterways, posing a huge threat to aquatic life.
Switching to a wooden dish brush like ours can help reduce your impact.
Zero plastics or micro-plastics involved. This wooden dish brush is your ideal sustainable alternative to plastic dish brushes.
There are some other great reasons to switch too!
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Tampico plant fibres are resilient, and polish or scrub without scratching.
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Wooden handle is one solid piece.
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Designed with a long curved handle to easily clean glasses, drink bottles or jars!
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Made from sustainably forested beech wood (FSC certified).
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The entire brush will naturally break down.
Want to learn more? Click here.
#5 - The Disposable Wipe
An absolute staple in most houses. Disposable cleaning wipes seem like an easy and efficient solution for day-to-day messes, they unfortunately contribute significantly to plastic pollution.
Not only do they contain plastic and other non-biodegradable materials, but when you use them these wipes release microplastics into your home, which are then consumed by your family!
Over 90% of wipes are made from synthetic materials such as polyester, rayon, lyocell and viscose, which end up in our waterways as microplastics and then end up in our food!
Consider switching to reusable bamboo towels, they can be used again and are gentle on the environment and compostable!
Plastic in your home leaves an almost invisible footprint, but it gets consumed by everyone who lives in your household. We still don't know the health effects of consuming as much microplastics as we do (5 grams per week, the equivalent of your credit card), but it's not something we want to gamble with.
Reduce your plastic consumption now. Every small change in your daily habits can make a significant impact on the environment. Want to know more about microplastics and why you should care? Check out our previous blog here.
By replacing plastic infused cleaning tools with natural, plastic-free alternatives we can significantly reduce our plastic waste footprint and make a conscious choice to protect our families from plastic consumption!
Let's take these steps together and make a positive difference for the future of our planet and generations to come.