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Are you confused by the title? I really am here to persuade you against some so called green purchases. Spring is around the corner and I always feel like its the second big marketing push after the holidays to try and get you to buy things you don't really need. I have seen some de-influencing of highly pushed items like the Stanley cup collections or fast fashion trends and I have seen plenty of influencers pushing green marketed items but I have not seen anyone de-influencing these items. So, I want to help you by sharing my experiences with some of these zero waste marketed items and de-influence you towards making unrewarding purchases.
Being a consumer is a tricky world to navigate when so much is being thrown our way every minute of everyday. The general awareness of the climate crisis has really increased in the last few years which is a wonderful thing, but I have seen many take advantage of it. How can you take advantage of climate crisis awareness you might ask? Well simply put its by profiting on selling false solutions to a problem.
I have fallen victim to it myself, and that's why I decided to write this blog. I want to help you avoid falling into the same traps that I did. I first started my journey with sustainability in 2019, possibly 2020. I had always cared a lot about the environment before hand but I didn't really start to weigh in on my own personal impact before then. If you were to make a bubble diagram where climate crisis sits at the center there would be more bubbles popping off that thing that a bubble blower in a wind storm which means more problems than one person can solve.
I believe that personally I was overwhelmed by it at first. I didn't know how to get started and the best course of action to take to make the biggest impacts the quickest and that is where I found myself making the most mistakes. If you are starting to relate or find that you yourself are here now, then take a a breathe. This will take time. We have been conditioned by our environments to consume. We consumer media, and foods, and resources, and things EVERYDAY! A person, nor a persons' habits, can truly change over night. The best way to train your brain for success in altered habits is actually slower steps over a longer period of time. That is what I would have told myself 5 years ago anyways, if 5 years ago me would have listened.
The next thing I would have told myself is to not trust all the "eco-friendly" and "green" items being marketed to me. Many of the things being pushed as solutions for going green are far from helpful. So, lets dive into some of the things I was successfully marketed and ended up buying, regretting, and learning from so you don't have to make the same mistake. P.S I am not bashing any companies in particular just pointing out items that say they provide a solutions or are marketed as such when that's not the case or at least it wasn't for me.
Sustainable Swap turned Eco-Fail
First up we have a reusable q-tip. Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking here. The ads said it was so sustainable because it was the only one I would ever need so I wouldn't be purchasing more and more swabs over time. It showed that it worked just like a regular swab but I will be the first to tell you it did not perform well at all! The silicone was washable which was great and the concept that you only need that one is wonderful but it just didn't hold up. As an ear cleaner it just pushing wax around rather than actually gripping any of it. As a makeup applicator it again just smeared rather than gripping the makeup to remove it. As it was not absorbent, like a traditional one, it was not effective for nail polish removal. The 3 main problems a swab solved for me this replacement item did not. It was an eco-fail. A solution would be to use swabs that are plastic free, and use a washcloth instead of a swab when you can like for face cleaning or removing makeup.
Next up we have reusable saran wrap was a doozy. Have you ever overfilled a suitcase and had to sit on it and struggle to get it zipped and when you think its finally going to zip, the zipper busts... yeah that's about how it looked when I was trying to figure out these reusable saran wrap sheets. Originally I didn't order these, it was a shipping error and I ended up
with someone else's package but the company didn't want me to return it so I figured I would try my best to make use of them. If you have not seen these before, then essentially they are clear, stretchy silicone rectangles that have bumps on one side and are smooth on the other side. You are supposed to be able to hold it on one side of a dish and stretch it around to the other sides of the dish and it grips and holds on like saran wrap is supposed to. Again, the concept is wonderful and the idea of eliminating the need for plastic wrap is great, but it didn't work. There were a few occasions when I got it to grip but if I accidently bumped it in the fridge, or needed to replace the wrapper it wouldn't go back on because condensation made it too slippery. Most of the time I just struggled enough trying not to give myself a black eye putting the darn thing on with no success. The alternative to this is to just use food storage containers that have lids or set a plate or dish on top that can cover the food item.
This is not one I actually fell for but one I saw far to many people get. Its bamboo cutlery. If you truly have no utensils and need some then okay, but might I suggest metal? I have been using the same silverware as a 25 year old that I used when I was about a foot tall in my childhood home. When my parents decluttered their home and I got my first place I inherited some of the old silverware and it still works just as good! bamboo is great as a replacement for many things but silverware is just not one of them. Metal is stronger, can be sharper, and holds up way better when exposed to water for longer periods of time like in a dishwasher. It also is easier to keep clean. I would suggest avoiding those traveling cutlery kits and just pack a single set of the ones already in your kitchen drawer if you need a to go kit.
Maybe because I keep my straws in the same drawer as my silverware but I had to add in a bit about reusable straws too. I have used paper straws, thick plastic straws, metal straws, glass ones, and silicone. The paper ones clearly are not so reusable and I find that they end up getting soggy super fast so they stop working relatively quickly. Thick plastic straws (the wide ones) I find work great for smoothies, but do tend to stain easily. The really skinny metal ones are okay. They do the job but are a little tricky to tell if you got clean because you can't see through them, and don't work great for thicker drinks. Glass straws I do enjoy as they are easy to see if you got them clean, but they are easier to break. The silicone straws I seriously did not enjoy. I find they can stain as easily as the plastic ones, and if you are drinking anything thick they tend to just close up when the suction is strong and you can't get anything out. Also the silicone seems to really attract any dust or whatnot so they seem to be the least clean to me. If you are thinking of purchasing a reusable straw I would consider how often you use straws, how many you really need, and what you might be drinking so you can determine which is the best fit for you. Expert level.... see if a friend has too many reusable straws. Maybe you can just have a couple of theirs!
Produce bags I find fairly pointless for most produce. The mesh ones are really cute and aesthetically pleasing but when it comes to green beans forget about it! The beans fall out of all the little holes. Some of the larger mesh bags will have you missing peas, asparagus, small tomatoes or potatoes, etc. I find it easiest just to put the produce I want just directly in my cart or basket then into a bag at checkout. I avoid the plastic bags by the fruits and veggies in the grocery store all together. If you really want reusable bags I would opt for ones that have the tare weight on the tag so you are not charged for the added weight of your bag, and I would select ones without the holes.
Lastly, I only partially fell for the reusable makeup wipes trend. I had an old pair of leggings that had torn so I cut them and sewed up my own reusable makeup wipe rounds but I quickly found out its pretty much the same as using a washcloth and that using a washcloth was actually just easier overall. The only benefit I can see is if you don't want to stain your usual cloths but in that case I would just designate a certain colored washcloth for your makeup/face wash ect.
Don't Fall Victim to Useless "Solutions"
I am sure as soon as I post this I will think of more items I was persuaded to buy and shouldn't have but until then I will leave you with some easy questions to ask yourself and avoid making purchases like these that leave you feeling a little silly and a little defeated. After all, its frustrating trying to make strides in your eco-journey only to realize you contributed to more waste when a solution didn't work out. I get it!
Whenever I see things that I feel would be a good eco-swap I think what solution is it solving? It seems silly to ask this but sometimes we can be so easily hooked on the new concept of something without realizing we don't really need it. A great example was the reusable makeup wipes for me because I already had them really. Washcloths are just larger versions but the tiny size and cute aesthetic of it appealed to me and took over. Another example might be an electronic note taker. It replaces the need to cut down trees for more paper, right and no more pens? But... you already have a ton of scrap paper to use and you have a phone with a notes app and you have a computer that has a keyboard with free note taking apps. Usually the most sustainable swaps come from just using what you already have for more than one purpose.
Like I said earlier it takes time to rewire the brain into thinking a little differently and it can be hard to break habits especially shopping habits while fighting all the marketing being thrown at you. You most certainly will end up with a few things you originally thought would be a great fit but don't quite cut it for you. Try not to get discouraged, see if a friend might find them more useful, or try to repurpose them! The best suggestion I can make is to slow down and just think about it or talk it out before making a purchase of investment into a newer greener item. Usually what you already have is the best choice. Exceptions would be things that will directly impact your health. Example being do you really need a reusable straw? No, probably not but if it dramatically increases your water intake aka helps you stay hydrated then do it! Always prioritize your health and wellbeing.
What eco-swaps have you tried out that ended up not being your cup of tea?
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