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Five More Easy Swaps I’ve Made to Reduce Waste

| by Alyssa
Last updated on January 1, 2024
Two lint removers: one reusable one, and one with replaceable sticky sheets

One frequent New Year’s Resolution (or intention) on many people’s lists this year is to make an effort to be more sustainable.

It’s a daunting task, really. Monumental.

But you should know that the fate of the planet doesn’t rest solely in your hands (although the manufacturers of the world would like you to think so), which is sort of (?) comforting. But it also doesn’t absolve us from trying to do better on an individual level.

This is why I thought I’d share another set of sustainable swaps that Michael and I have made here in our Charlotte home (you can find the first batch here!). As I mentioned previously, the most sustainable option is the one you already own – but sometimes there are better, long-lasting things we can purchase just once to replace our worn-out or wasteful items.

When considering the waste generated in my home, by far the most trash-producing rooms are the kitchen and the bathroom (obviously the rooms aren’t the ones creating trash – it’s me. I’m creating the trash). That’s why the bulk of the items in this post and the previous one are housed in those rooms; seeing the reduction of waste from the simple swap of a few items is great motivation to continue finding new ways to live more sustainably. So, here are five more swaps I’ve made in recent years:

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1. Leaf Razor

A copper razor sits on top of the black box it came in, and there is also a little box of razor blades to its left

I had eyed the Leaf Razor for a long time before having it quite literally thrust upon me: I won one in a local giveaway a few years ago (yes, people really do win those things!). I was weary of tossing razor blade after plastic-encrusted razor blade but wasn’t quite ready to make the switch to a scary safety razor. The Leaf is a perfect middle ground – there’s not much of a learning curve to using it, but it’s completely plastic-free. Blades can be recycled at most local facilities (I purchased a $4 razor bank to hold all of my used blades – even after more than two years of regular shaving, it’s still not full), or shipped back via Terracycle. My only regret about the Leaf so far? I wish I had chosen the black razor, as my rose gold one is looking pretty rough after years of daily use.

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2. Toothpaste Tabs

Stasher Pocket bag containing white round toothpaste tabs on a black background

To tell the truth, I’m not fully convinced that toothpaste tabs are as good for our teeth as regular toothpaste, so I haven’t integrated them into our household’s daily routine. But, I do use them for travel to eliminate the use of those mini tubes of toothpaste. I buy these Unpaste ones that contain fluoride, but there are so many brands out there selling this same type of product: Bite, by Humankind, and Hello all make toothpaste tablets. To use, pop one in your mouth, crush it up with your teeth, and start brushing with a very wet toothbrush. I appreciate that they don’t need to be carried in my liquids bag, and I just store them in a small, flat Stasher bag alongside my toothbrush and deodorant.

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3. Rechargeable Batteries

A set of four AAA batteries recharging in a case plugged into the wall

The startup cost for rechargeable batteries is a bit steep (especially compared to the $2 multipacks of disposable batteries we used to buy from IKEA back in the day), but I guarantee you won’t want to go back once you make the switch. We made the mistake of going with a cheap charger the first time around and finally replaced it with this Eneloop kit, which includes AA and AAA batteries, as well as C and D battery spacers (so no more opening a product and lamenting “who even owns C batteries?” because for once, you do). The Amazon Basics batteries are a great economical option if you find you need a few more of one type of battery, and are compatible with the Eneloop charger. Rechargeable batteries don’t last forever, of course, but they’ve been great to keep around for remotes, clocks, string lights, and our kitchen scale.

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4. Lint Remover

Oxo Good Grips Lint Remover on a black background

I used to think that my closet was one place where I didn’t create that much waste, but then we got a cat adopted by a cat and I started using my lint roller daily. Not only are the replacement rolls absurdly expensive, but those sticky sheets of paper don’t really pick up that much lint/pet hair before you need to unroll a new sheet. I contemplated ordering one of those lint removers that went viral, but after reading the reviews I wasn’t confident my clothes would make it out safely. My continued searching brought me to the Furlifter from OXO Good Grips, and what a game-changer. It’s not perfect, and I still sometimes need to take a swipe with my sticky lint roller, but it has greatly reduced my use of disposable sheets. My biggest disappointment with this product, though, is that the travel version is not nearly as effective (is this what the kids call de-influencing?).

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5. Refillable Floss

A glass container of refillable floss next to a tube of toothpaste that reads Hey Humans

Yet another bathroom swap I’ve made is changing to a refillable glass container for dental floss. These are also pretty easy to find nowadays (yay!), but so many of them are branded. I turned to Etsy to find a glass container without a logo. I’m less picky about the refill, though. I’ve been happy with the silk floss refills I purchased from Public Goods, my local refill shop, and Package Free Shop. I wish the refills came in a reusable/compostable paper carton, but I suppose it’s still less waste overall than the plastic floss dispensers I used to purchase.

Final Thoughts on Sustainable Swaps

In my opinion, small, easy steps are the ones you’re most likely to maintain – which makes it far more likely that you’ll be able to keep up with them to make a big overall impact. I like to equate these changes to dieting: do too much all at once and you’ll crash, but if you make small lifestyle changes, you’ll see results for the rest of your days.

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Questions for you

Did you make a resolution to be more sustainable this year?

What steps are you taking to reduce waste in your household?

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