Month: May 2025

Please read the following post for important information on how I’ve chosen my recommendations:

Sustainable Options Overview

TLDR: Bleach is bad for you and the environment. Only use it if someone is sick with a SPECIFIC illness, and you need to kill SPECIFIC* harmful germs. (For example, you don’t need bleach to kill COVID. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/why-soap-preferable-bleach-fight-against-coronavirus)

Why you should care: Y’all, I read the studies, and there are SO many ways that bleach gets into our household environment and causes problems. It’s mind-blogging!

What you should buy: You don’t need bleach. Seriously. https://www.maids.com/blog/how-to-sanitize-laundry-without-bleach/ 

Y’all, I have been using bleach in my white loads for AGES. I guess I knew it was bad but didn’t really think about it practically. 

Bleach does lots of stuff. It means you can save energy because you don’t have to wash your clothes with hot water to kill microbes. It gets rid of stains and makes your clothes look whiter/brighter. 

Fun fact, bleach makes stuff look white because it stays on your fabric and gives off light. So when you look at the fabric, it gives you the impression that it’s whiter or brighter. OMG! https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/20/9084 However, a key part of this is that it STAYS on your fabric and can get trapped there for more than a year. That’s not a good thing to have rubbing against your skin.

So do we really need bleach? Not really. Only for killing certain bacteria.

Using bleach is like hiring a giant bar bouncer. It’s great if you actually need muscle. But most bacteria aren’t in the big leagues. And you don’t need a bouncer to break up a scuffle on the kindergarten playground. 

Most bacteria gets killed by your washing machine’s regular detergent and a spin in the dryer. However, there are some cases like rotavirus (diarrhea and vomiting), which needs hot water over 60 °C, detergent AND you can use bleach sanitizer. 

NOTE: Wash your hands immediately after doing laundry and don’t touch your face. Store dirty clothes in a dry place, which will discourage bacterial growth. Remember that bleach only lasts for three months.

https://academic.oup.com/jambio/article/132/2/1435/6716105

Bleach tends to cause a lot more problems for the average homeowner than it solves. It gets into rivers and hurts aquatic life. It messes with our public water system. It reacts with a whole bunch of different chemicals we have in our air and furniture to create nasty stuff that gets into our body through skin or breathing or eating.

Seriously, it creates a LOT of chemicals that stay in our house for years and can cause health problems. Even the EPA has this fact sheet: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2013-08/documents/factsheet_whatstheproblemwithbleach.pdf 

Still want to keep your whites white? https://zerowastefamily.com/what-we-use-instead-of-bleach 

*One of those very specific bacteria is norovirus. That’s a time where you actually do need to go to the store and get some bleach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAkH4jakLYA 

Additional Reading:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653512013410
https://www.greenplanetscientific.com/greenplanet-scientific-blog/the-dangers-of-bleach-and-why-it-is-toxic.aspx
https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-health/public-health-toxicology/bleach/
https://record.umich.edu/articles/clean-results-u-m-researchers-learn-how-bleach-kills-bacteria/
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/disinfecting-with-bleach/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441921/
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.3139/113.110464/html
https://academic.oup.com/jambio/article-abstract/122/5/1124/6714322

Photo Credit: featured image, Kelly Sikkema/in-post photo, Jack Finnigan

Please read the following post for important information on how I’ve chosen my recommendations:

Sustainable Options Overview

TLDR: “Choosing a reusable cotton q-tip is an eco-friendly option that can reduce your environmental footprint, as well as your spending.” https://ecofriendlyhacks.com/reusable-q-tips/index.html 

Why you should care: This photo will tell you everything you need to know https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/article/seahorse-ocean-pollution

What you should buy: https://www.walmart.com/ip/8-Count-Reusable-Silicone-Q-Tip-Cotton-Swabs-Portable-Swab-Ear-Cleaning-Makeup-Women-2-In-1-Set-Case-Cosmetic-Mirrors-2-Pack-Green-Grey/6617918475

“Single-use Q tips contribute to the global plastic waste crisis. An estimated 1.5 billion cotton swabs are produced every day in the world and the average person throws away approximately 415 of them each year, according to a report by market intelligence company Acute Market Reports. These products are frequently found in landfills and oceans, polluting the environment and posing a threat to marine life. By opting for reusable Q tips, individuals can play a part in minimizing their ecological footprint.” https://ecofriendlyhacks.com/reusable-q-tips/index.html 

Don’t use a Q-tip for cleaning your ears: https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-dangers-of-q-tips-1048870 If you’re going to use it to clean your ears, buy this: https://www.amazon.com/Handmade-Removal-Cleaning-Cleaner-Keychain/dp/B07PTPX4GZ I like brass because it contains copper, which has antimicrobial properties! https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3067274/ 

It sucks that my pick is a Walmart buy. But I honestly couldn’t find what I wanted elsewhere except Amazon, and I tried!

This is another option: https://lastobject.com/products/lastswab?Color=Turquoise I don’t like that it’s made of “durable materials,” which tells me absolutely nothing about what it’s actually made of. I also think the plastic carrying case is completely unnecessary. 

Some Q-tips say they’re compostable/biodegradable. I’m extremely skeptical of this. I’ve tried composting those Q-tips and three years later they haven’t decomposed one bit!

But, if you HAVE to buy regular Q-tips, I’d recommend these from The Humble Co. https://earthhero.com/products/the-humble-co-biodegradable-cotton-swabs-100pk “These organic cotton swabs with bamboo sticks go a step further than traditional eco-friendly cotton swabs by using only sustainably sourced, and “panda-friendly” bamboo, and packaging everything in a recycled paper box.” https://zerowastememoirs.com/zero-waste-eco-friendly-q-tips/ 

There are other brands out there like https://zerowasteoutlet.com/products/biodegradable-swabs-bamboo-cotton?sscid=11k9_83q7v& but they don’t have the sustainability that The Humble Co does. I emailed and asked! https://www.reddit.com/r/ZeroWaste/comments/gf5q2l/has_anyone_tried_those_silicon_qtips_and_if_so_do

Additional:
https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/comments/39fj3w/ive_used_this_thing_as_an_ear_cleaner_for_the
https://lochtree.com/blogs/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-reusable-q-tips https://citizensustainable.com/q-tips/#google_vignette 
https://www.amazon.com/Pampoo-Case%E4%B8%A8Reusable-Packaging%E4%B8%A8Strengthen-Stick%E4%B8%A8Eco-Sustainable/dp/B08NCP6CLR/#customerReviews
https://www.amazon.com/BOETECO-Reusable-Makeup-Silicone-Cotton/dp/B082YLNPGK
https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Reusable-Portable-Silicone-Beauty-Black/dp/B085737GM8/
https://www.thehealthy.com/ear-nose-throat/reusable-q-tips/
https://www.reddit.com/r/ZeroWaste/comments/gf5q2l/has_anyone_tried_those_silicon_qtips_and_if_so_do/
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/22/magazine/ear-wax-removal-ear-pick.html https://www.greenmatters.com/p/zero-waste-q-tips-reusable

Photo Credit: Jen Theodore

Please read the following post for important information on how I’ve chosen my recommendations:

Sustainable Options Overview

TLDR: Regular laundry detergent has components that are harmful to the environment and to your skin. Plus, there’s a ton of waste and you’re mostly paying for water, which is a waste of money.

Why you should care: These are getting harder to write. I feel like you should just care because your body and the environment are important! But check out the reasons below…

What you should buy: https://www.shopetee.com/products/concentrated-laundry-detergent 

I really liked this Consumer Reports roundup of eco-friendly detergents, but they didn’t really look at sustainability. It was mostly health related. Still good to know: https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/laundry-detergents/how-to-find-an-eco-friendly-laundry-detergent-a8349611828/ 

This is a good roundup of what I’ve found to be the environmental impact of regular detergents. It’s more succinct than I could make it:

https://www.greenmatters.com/p/detergent-environmental-effects

“Non-concentrated liquid laundry detergents contain 60 to 90 percent water, and a concentrated one could have 15 to 50 percent water, according to He.”

https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/2014/05/13/purex-laundry-detergent-cut-water-content-percent/9049081

“A horrifying 1 billion laundry jugs are discarded in the United States annually.” https://www.treehugger.com/ditch-laundry-jugs-and-go-plastic-free-4858737 

For the most environmentally friendly load, wash in cold water! https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/partner-content-laundry-lightening-the-load 

I’ve also used laundry detergent sheets from different brands, which come in compostable bags. I think that’s great, but I tried composting the bags for two years and they didn’t break down even a little. Most packaging that says it’s biodegradable is actually only biodegradable in professional facilities. But this is the packaging that Etee uses, and I’m impressed because it looks like a solid choice: https://tekpaksolutions.com/

Additional Info:
https://apnews.com/article/climate-solutions-greenwashing-laundry-detergent-plastic-7c91d2981783d9c9e0b6e5b62caded9e
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffkart/2021/08/08/study-says-up-to-75-of-plastics-from-detergent-pods-enter-the-environment-industry-says-they-safely-biodegrade
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45711230
https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/cleaning-and-organizing/using-too-much-laundry-detergent-causes-more-problems-than-you-think/ar-AA1wD2DV https://www.rd.com/article/laundry-pods-bad-environment/

Photo Credit: Averie Woodard

Please read the following post for important information on how I’ve chosen my recommendations:

Sustainable Options Overview

TLDR: It’s better to invest in sustainable bath towels for your own health and the health of the planet.

Why you should care: “Towels marketed as ‘ultra absorbent’ often shed microfiber plastics when washed and dried.” https://www.leafscore.com/eco-friendly-bath-products/best-eco-friendly-towels/ Microfiber plastics pollute our soil and water. Plus, we rub these towels all over our bodies so they should be made of stuff that’s safe for our skin.

What you should buy: https://www.the-citizenry.com/products/mara-organic-waffle-towel-set?v=44255203918011 

These towels are effing expensive! I got them on sale at Christmas.

The following link is actually a great primer on towel materials and it’s consistent with all my reading but in a much more concise form. The only info that’s not exactly accurate is the part about some fabrics being antimicrobial. Studies don’t support that so ignore that paragraph! https://fiveadrift.com/blogs/news/7-reasons-why-you-should-be-using-eco-friendly-towels 

I liked these towels because they last a long time. They have the GOTS and Oeko-Tex certifications, which means they were made with safe and environmentally friendly practices.  

Plus, you can throw cotton towels in the washer, whereas other materials don’t fare as well in a machine.

One of the big downsides of this product is that it’s made from Turkish cotton, which means a larger carbon footprint for shipping. But since I’m only buying it once and then keeping it for many years, I’m less concerned about this issue.

Additional Reading:
https://greenwithless.com/sustainable-organic-bath-towels/https://shrinkthatfootprint.com/eco-friendly-bath-products/
https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/organic-towels/
https://nontoxicdad.com/home/are-your-bath-towels-toxic-what-you-need-to-know
https://shrinkthatfootprint.com/eco-friendly-bath-products/

Photo Credit: pablo ramos