Updated: Jul 18, 2023
Eco swaps can be made everywhere in your house but I believe a huge impact can be made in the bathroom. Therefore I have collated this post to look at zero waste, eco-friendly items in the bathroom. Most bathrooms are full of products and packaging that is harmful to our planet and as these products often get daily use the impact quickly mounts up. This makes it a key place to focus on as part of your zero waste journey and doing more for the environment. The List of eco bathroom changes I have gone through not only aims to reduce your waste but also to reduce or stop the harmful chemical impact many toiletry items also unfortunately contribute to. Here are my top 10 first eco changes to make in your bathroom:
Toothpaste tubes are often made up of different plastics and can have a metal layer, which often makes them non-recyclable. Even though there are some that are recyclable they can be very hard to clean out, allowing them to be recycled. Additionally, as it is an item you use twice a day you quickly go through the tubes, mounting up your waste throughout the year. Therefore, it is a great place to start with your first eco swap. Luckily, there are plenty of options to choose from, you can get toothpaste tablets, powders or even actual paste in a glass jar. These often come in easily recyclable and reusable containers reducing your waste. Also as they are often made with consideration for the environment they do not typically use harmful chemicals. There are also plenty to try from, so get trying them out and pick the one you like.
To go along with the item above, dental hygiene is incredibly important and I have always been told by my dentist that flossing should be part of your daily teeth clean. Unfortunately, most dental floss is very bad for the environment, as it is made of a nylon coated fibre, which unfortunately is not recyclable or compostable. Further to this, it often comes in a plastic container, again having a greater negative impact. Luckily there is a eco-friendly alternative that I use, which is a charcoal biodegradable dental floss. This, as it says, is biodegradable and often comes in a glass container, which means all you need is the refill and you can be guilt free.
Recently, I have been trying a variety of different bars for a variety of different bathroom needs, including soap, shampoo, shaving and conditioner. I was quite sceptical at first, as I was concerned they would not lather up like typical shampoo or shower gel. However this was quickly squashed when I began to use them and I was pleasantly surprised. If you are destined to get rid of plastic waste you will have to convert to bars in all aspects of your life and I would recommend you do. They don’t use any plastic, the boxes they come in are recyclable or biodegradable or you can pick it up with no packaging at a zero waste store.
Unfortunately, regardless of the advances of razors and how close of a shave they can give they also use a tremendous amount of plastic in their handles and in their heads, which far too often needs to be frequently replaced and costs you a lot of money. Well regardless of what these companies say, they want you to replace them due to them creating an endless supply of money. As safety razors do not contain any plastic and the metal is recyclable you can get rid of a huge amount of the waste you produce. Also, as the blades are incredibly compact you can store a lot more, allowing you to buy in bulk. Look into how your local council recycles these as they are sharp, possibly restricting how they are disposed of. However, with a simple change and a little practice you could pick up these eco-friendly swaps.
I have had people tell me that shampoo and conditioner bars just don’t cut it for them, although I have not had this problem and have enjoyed trying different options I understand it does not work for everyone. Therefore, as a simple alternative eco-friendly option you can get a container and go to an eco-store to fill them up. Eco-stores are popping up everywhere and often have a fairly decent range of shower gels, shampoos and conditioners to select. Make sure your container is durable and try to make it last as long as possible. Remember reducing your waste is a must for anyone who wants to do more for the environment.
You can use these for cleaning all sorts of things but they area also a great green addition to the bathroom. Most sponges sold at your local supermarket are unfortunately made of polyester, polyurethane again contributing to awful micro plastics. Well loofahs grow on a plant and once dried out can be a very useful and durable (I would say more durable than the majority of generic sponges). Even if you do not like Loofahs you can get the one I used, which is 100% cellulose which is a naturally hard-wearing wood fibre. Again this is biodegradable and works great. Due to the fact these sponges can be grown makes them incredibly sustainable and as they can be biodegradable and even compostable they are also waste free.
Now I do not think I have ever used a toilet brush that lasted a long time, due to it snapping shortly after sitting in a terribly moist condition. Additionally, they are nearly always either completely made of or majority made of plastic. Again, I will not go into why this is obviously a bad thing. Considering all this, why not try an eco-alternative with a coconut toilet brush, wooden handle and stainless steel to connect it all. Most of this will be biodegradable or recyclable at the end of its life and create an eco-friendly rustic vibe to your bathroom.
Toothbrushes are another field of plastic, which you might have seen on your newsfeed floating in the ocean or stuck out of the ocean bed. This is because they are a tremendous cause of plastic that causes catastrophic harm to the environment. It is also an item you use daily and when they are disposed of they contribute to a huge amount of waste over your lifetime. Therefore there are a number of eco-toothbrushes that are often made of wood and bamboo fibres, which can be biodegradable and even compostable.
I also understand that many dentists note electric toothbrushes are better for cleaning. Although it is harder to find eco-friendly alternatives there are some out there such as my recent purchase of the Suri electrical toothbrush. Even if you already have an electric toothbrush to mitigate the waste from replacing their heads you can get eco-friendly electric toothbrushes heads. Again these are often made from bamboo and can be compostable. Either way it reduces your waste, whilst allowing you to clean your teeth and be an eco-conscious individual.
I don’t use these much myself but I understand how useful cotton pads can be but unfortunately they still add to the growing waste we humans create. As a great alternative to the rubbish you contribute too you can get reusable makeup pads. I have seen these made from upcycling old clothes to new fabric, which can be reused. The alternatives often comes with a mesh bag that can be used to store them and put them into the wash to be reused again.
Bamboo appears to be a wonder material, which is growing in popularity (pardon the pun) I believe this is due to its ability to be formed into many things, including a cotton-like material. Therefore, companies are able to make biodegradable cotton buds that are entirely made of bamboo. This is obviously great, as it is biodegradable, comes from a sustainable source and stops you using dreaded single use plastic that is polluting our planet.
The bathroom is another place you can begin to make swaps from your weekly shop and transition to a sustainable lifestyle, lessening your negative impact on the environment. I hope this post will allow you to discover some eco-friendly products that can work better than the typical ones and allow you to use your bathroom guilt free. You don’t need to rush to get these as the items you already have are the most sustainable, so keep using them for now but over time consider some of the eco-changes I recommend above and make them part of your new green life. what are some of your top eco bathroom swaps?
Updated: Jul 18, 2023
Technology has been integrated into our society over the last 20 years and is now a vital part of our life. It helps with everyday tasks, connects us with people around the world and has changed the way the world is run. It also allows information, stories, ideas and suggestions to be shared. For those reasons I love technology. On top of this, it can increase your productivity and ease of life, whilst being fun to use and a massive point of entertainment in the twenty-first century. However, technology and electrical products are often very poor at caring for the environment, which is something I hope they change and I am here to advocate for. I believe most people do not realise the impact they have on the world and this is more so in technology and getting the “latest” phone, laptop, camera or home tech. Therefore, for those that are considerate for our future but still wants to pick up some technology to help them connect with the world here are some key aspects to look for when making your next tech purchase and how to find eco-friendly technology:
Transparency
Transparency is key to a green and sustainable future. The first step to being green is understanding your impact and to do this you need to understand the product and the company. Before you look at a specific product, look at the company, are they clear with their goals, aims and impact as a whole? In regards to a product, can you find out what parts are in it and where they come from, were it is put together. Even right down to the source of the base materials? This will all help with understanding the full impact the item will have. Look out for open and honest companies that give as much information about the product as possible. Just be careful of greenwashing, as the company might highlight certain credentials to hide or overshadow others or altogether have unfounded claims.
Carbon footprint
A clear and obvious one is to check how much carbon does the product produce in its creation and even its life (the power consumption). Carbon counting is and will hopefully continue to become a must have figure to all products and if a company offers this it is a good indication on a product's sustainability. The lower the carbon footprint the better. However, if the company does not tell you it can be very hard to find out. When looking at carbon footprint if it is possible you should look at the whole life carbon, as a higher initial carbon footprint might result in a lower one over the life of a product or even the carbon to recycle the item at the end of the products life. I believe this will become a huge part of our future, so look out for it and ask these companies to provide it.
Power usage
Power is unfortunately not always sustainable and certainly not green or clean. It is also not infinite (yet) and with an ever growing population the demand for it is constantly increasing. Due to this, we need to get more power efficient items of tech going forward to reduce what we use. The more efficient and less we use the less is needed to be produced. This reduces any negative impact from fossil fuel power stations but also allows power to be used for more critical functions such as at hospitals.
Materials uses
Many materials in tech harm the planet. This can be from materials that are mined, which can scar the earth or can be from materials we create like Plastic that also pollute the planet. Therefore, it is good to look for sustainably sourced and natural materials that are used. When looking at the materials in a product look for those that have a higher recycled content, use natural & sustainable materials (if safe to do so) and that minimises the amount they use compared to others. Also, look at the packaging used and make sure this is recyclable. Look for sustainable, no-toxic and ethically sourced materials to be eco-friendly. It is also important to begin to think of the products end of life (see below) and how the materials used will affect this.
Ethical supply chain
This one might be a little tricky to track and check but a company may note it or have a certification with the product detailing it. An ethical supply chain looks at the social responsibility of the corporation. The aim of which is to ensure the product is created in a way that treats workers and the environment ethically. If you know where some of the parts of the product come from then you can check if they are ethical too. It is not just the company itself but the entire supply chain leading to the product being in your hands. Some obvious things to think about is making sure they pay their staff a living wage, do not use sweat factories or child labour or actively pollute our earth.
Repairable and Upgradable?
Moving away from our wasteful culture we need to look at keeping our items including tech in use for as long as possible. To do this we want products that are repairable, so we can continue to use them or upgrade them to keep up with the rest of the world without completely replacing the whole item. Upgradability is an important factor in technology in order to keep up with new software, games and the hardware needs to meet this demand. Therefore, we need to make products upgradable without having to waste the entire device. Look out for companies that design their device to have key components replace increasing the longevity of the product. This all leads to less waste, better use of resources and less carbon emissions, which is obviously better for the environment.
End of life
The world has grown a throw away culture, which is literally killing our planet. We need to get away from this and adopt a circular economy (cradle-to-cradle) approach that allows a product to be reused, remade, or recycled in some way. A lot of companies do buy back or offer discounts for your old trade in, which is a good start. However, the product needs to be made with materials that can be reused and recycled. When purchasing a new item consider its end of life, as this will be something that has to be dealt with in the future.
Support
As an additional bonus a company may back positive initiatives such as charities, planting trees, carbon off-setting, recycling programmes and the like that help them get closer to a truly eco-friendly company. Although this is a great addition your first consideration should be the sustainability and eco-friendliness of the product itself but if the company supports charities you do it is a great addition to your purchase.
At the moment it might be quite hard to find out all this information, as many companies do not disclose it at all (especially when it is not very good for the environment). However, the more we understand about the product and company the better we can view how sustainable, eco-friendly or green it is for us to buy it. I understand you probably do not have the time to fully check a product , nor do I but a quick google search and a run through of the criteria above will help you make the right choice. Always think of the life of a product, as the longer we use something the less waste is produced and the less carbon is used. We also need to push for companies to fully disclose their products information and supply chain, as well as making their products repairable and upgradable. This will put sustainability and our planet's future as a priority when making new products. I hope the above will give you a few items to consider when making your next tech purchase and hopefully in time we will be able to find eco-friendly tech that meets our needs without jeopardising our future.
Updated: Jul 18, 2023
Now if you can’t tell I am quite passionate about animals; keeping them safe, seeing them and giving them the best life, which often means leaving them in their amazing natural habitat. Well recently, I was lucky enough to go on holiday to Thailand and Singapore, which whilst I was there had a 3 day tour to elephant hills and the Khao Sok National park located In Southern Thailand. Me and my partner both love animals and wanted to experience elephants as magnificent as they are but in an ethical way. Well whilst searching for an experience like this we found out about Elephant Hills. My partner did a huge amount of research to find a place that puts the animals first, whilst giving us an amazing opportunity to experience Elephants and some incredible wildlife in the most ethical way. As mentioned, this led us to Elephant Hills and here I will tell you about my 3 day experience there, my opinion on their ethics and my recommendation whether you should go or not.
Are Animal Encounters Ethical?
Firstly, a lot of people are conflicted about encounters with animals and I should also note the best way is from a distance in a safe place in the wild with the animal is in their natural habitat. However, this is not always possible, as many animals have already been captured, put through horrendous acts, bred in captivity or require relocating and rehabilitating. Therefore, there are some places that will let you ethically help these animals, enjoy their company and get once in a lifetime experiences, which I would recommend. I should note you do need to do your research and find out what companies are good, bad and doing the right thing. Also, use your common sense, as there are so many different types of animals that you can have experience with and some you can instantly tell is not the right thing (such as those you should not be near (tigers, lions, most bears, certain apes, etc.)).
Elephant Encounters
Elephant encounters are much more common, I believe due to their softer nature but also as the unfortunate mode of transport some people use. Again I must press to leave the animal wild and in its natural habitat is definitely the best but some animals have had tough lives due to us (humans) and therefore left to our care. So when considering any experiences with these beautiful creature please take note of some of the following things. Firstly, never ride an elephant to do this it is often very painful for them and they have to have their soul broken to achieve it, something I hope you a agree you do not want to contribute too. Secondly, there can be many practices when having elephant encounters that are unethical such as using bullhooks, chains and forcing them to do anything. Therefore, make sure you do your research, so that these unethical practices are not undertaken and the elephant has freedom to do what they want.
Who is Elephant Hills?
Elephant Hills is a luxury tented jungle camp in Thailand, who offer amazing nature tours. They have two camps, one ‘Elephant Camp’ based in Phanon District between the Khlong Phanom and Khao Sok National Parks and the second ‘Rainforest Camp’ that floats on the Cheow Lan Lake. I would start by saying the luxury tents at both locations are for certain glamping and do give a luxury but adventurous vibe. I would also state you defiantly get a great experience of nature and local wildlife in the Khao Sok National park.
The Elephant Hill Camp has their luxury tents a very short walk surrounding the main hall, where you will go to eat, be briefed on the activities, as well as being able to participating in some. At the camp they have some information about the place, a small shop and have a small swimming pool for your down time. There is also plenty of staff to help you with any queries.
The Rainforest Camp again has luxury tents but on a floating string of approximately 20 with a slightly larger floating section for meal and again briefs. It is surrounded by the forest, which has Asian elephants, Malayan Sun Bears, Asiatic Black Bears, Clouded Leopards, Malayan Tapir, Asian Golden Cats, Crab-eating macaques, Great Hornbills, Gibbons and more.
They aren’t all about the luxury holidays they are also part of the bigger picture of helping the wildlife and nature. They are part of Elephant Conservation Projects ensuring elephants have the highest priority for their care, welfare and are happy but also spreading awareness of endangered Asian Elephants and conservation by keeping the wild populations safe. Further to this, they are also part of wildlife monitoring projects to find out all the kinds of wildlife in the forests of Khao Sok National Park.
Are they ethical?
This is a huge concern for us, Me and my partner, wanted to have a once in a life time experiences with amazing creature but in a way where it is ethical, benefits the animal, the environment and in a safe manner. Therefore, we looked at, where the elephants came from? How they were treated? Do they help prevent animal captivity of any sort? We understand Thailand has their own culture and rightly so but we still wanted our experience to align with our own beliefs. Therefore, we did not want anything we didn’t agree with such as elephant riding, bullhooks or forcing the elephant into anything. To help show their devotion to the animals in their care (many who had been rescued) they have been audited by Global Spirit (an independent UK-based company, assessing animals welfare standards) meeting 100% core criteria and achieving level 5 of exceeding requirements. Also, when booking we confirmed with our travel agent that their ethical standards of no rides, no bullhooks and only great care for the animals. When we arrived we found many of the elephants are rescued from labour roles and even a circus, which we were happy they no longer lived these lives. During the visits the elephants could come and go as they please and were not forced to do anything they did not want to. Additionally, we were told that they limit the visits to two visits a day to further prevent any stress of the animals.
The Experience
Now to tell you more about our experience on our short get away to both their camps and what we thought, saw and felt about our adventure.
Day 1:
When we arrived we had a brief induction to the camp and schedule and then got allocated our tent for the night. The whole place was as described eco-friendly and this certainly seemed to be the case with all the items appear to be from natural sources and waste free, including the lack of air conditioning. Although it was hot, it was not unbearable and we managed to get some sleep with ease. Before this we had a dip in the small pool, explored the site, as well had a nice dinner in the evening within the main hall. Around the place and our tent we saw many glimpses of wildlife, from strings of ants, a snail climbing a leaf, numerous birds and many other insects.
After the night our first day was off to see the elephants, which was a great experience and the main point of our trip. When we arrived we saw a separate group leave, so waited in their café overlooking the elephants. When we went up to visit the elephants we first saw them around the large pen with some currently bathing in a large pond splashing about. I should also note that we were happy not to see any bullhooks and no one on top of an elephant with each elephant having their own keeper, so they connect with a regular person daily. The keepers encouraged the elephants over by holding their trucks like two people holding hands but never forced any of them, as proven when some chose not to come over and to remain elsewhere in the large pen. Even when they came over to the section we were at they were also free to walk off at any time. We were each given a platter of food to give the elephants including a number of veg and a medicine ball of herbs to help them. This was great to have the elephants come over and hand feed them and watch them spit the little herb medicine ball out, whilst holding out for their favourite treats. We then went over to another section to give them a wash, each elephant had their own spot, we were given a bucket, a hose and some brushes to scrub them. I would have to say this was incredible to get this close to the elephants, touch them, get picture and help them out, bearing in mind they were free to leave whenever they wanted. We then went back to the little café nearby, where they taught us more about the care of the elephants and the project to protect the wild ones.
After this, we went down onto a small boat trip along the meandering river nearby. The guide was incredibly helpful and pointed out creature for us to see, one unique one was a bright yellow mangrove snake dangling over a tree. They also told us some information about the local national parks. After this when we got back we got changed for the evening to get a taste of the local culture and participated in a cooking demonstration, as well as a dance presentation from a local school, which gave us a great experience of the local culture.
Day 2:
On the second day, we went out to a remote Khao Sok lake to their ‘floating Rainforest Camp’ a string river tent boats. On the way, we stopped off at the Ratchaprapha Dam, which has some beautiful gardens, trees and view of the lake and was close to where we set off to the river houses. The journey took some time but was amazing to see the beautiful crisp water, white cliffs and surrounding forests. When we arrive we got another brief introduction and saw the fish by the cooking house section of the string of boat, who seem to convene for the food they receive.
The journey had taken much of the time but there was still time for a bit more adventure, so me and my partner grabbed a Kayak free to go on and paddled around the lake into the creaking arms etching into the forests to hear the chirping of birds and the odd movement stirring our interest further. One of my favourite animals is the Gibbon, so I was on a keen look out for them.
When arriving back we saw another marvellous site when a group of Langur Monkey began jumping through the trees by the waterside. We were lucky as they were right of toward the backside where our river tent was, I quickly scampered to the tent got my camera and began taking some photos. We must of stood there for about an hour watching these monkeys in their natural habitat until they disappear back into the forest they came from.
The evening was another spectacular. We enjoyed a meal in the communal tent and then sat outside our river tent for about an hour. Looking out at the darkening tree line, listening to the noises that seemed alien to us, wanting to see the incredible creates they come from. Then just before we went to bed the skyline transformed into what I can only describe as a work of art. Due to us being in the middle of a large national park there was no light pollution, so the night sky stars were more vivid than ever, another memory I would never forget (the photos below do not give it justice).
Day 3:
After another night on the river houses, we had another opportunity to see more wildlife. A short boat trip and a wobbly run across some large floating logs we stopped in the middle of well a rainforest. From here, we went for a walk to see some incredible tree and plants, that we climbed up and over through the forest on a small track, I would barely call a path. This was exciting because tracking through the jungle is an amazing experience. We saw all manner of bugs and stings of ants marching across and up the giant trees. then after a little trek, we ended up at a steep decline and descended into a large opening of a cave. The cave was massive, very high inside, which we walked through and came to a large opening and was directed around to see the wildlife, including bats, whip spiders and even an incredible colourful (blue headed) snake. Coming out of the cave, it felt like we had experienced another different world of nature among an amazing wildlife tour.
After a short tour back to the boat we got to the river boats with enough time to get our belongings together. As we had some time we did take another short kayak journey in and out the meandering lake into the crevices, eye peeled for any more signs of life. We saw some birds but other than that we were unlucky. Back to the string of riverboats we did get another chance to see the langur monkeys appear again, which we watched for some time. We were given lunch and then got back onto a boat to take us back to civilisation.
Would I recommend going?
Well from my experience, I would defiantly recommend you visit and experience Khao Sok National Park and if you want an ethical elephant experience then Elephant Hills is a great choice. I should note it is quite expensive and when we were out in Thailand many trips for elephant experiences were offered and detailed to be ethical, however, we didn’t know that going to Thailand and we weren’t able to vet it and hold someone accountable. What I will say is the whole experience did seem ethical for the elephants and all other animals we experienced. Although, I have heard of one or two possibly negative things in regard to ethics in the past. I believe that you need to give time for places like this to receive more education and change to a better standard. It is important to understand that these cultures that have been there for years takes time to change to what we consider ethical. All I can say is I did not witness any poor ethics and I do believe the people there had the animals best interest at heart as well as that of the locals. Overall, It was a great experience filled with nature and wildlife.
