The Ultimate List of Zero Waste Swaps

Spread the Sustainable Gospel!

The Ultimate List of Zero Waste Swaps | We cannot buy our way our of our environmental crisis so when discussing zero waste swaps, it can land a bit controversial since it seems as if Zero Waste “experts” are trying to con you into buying something. And I’d agree with you.

It’s getting more and more difficult to sift through legitimate, genuine advice and an Ad.

But then again, to a degree, lowering your overall trash output is about swapping one thing, a disposable item, for something that will last a long time. Where the line is drawn, is when you pass over the need vs want internal debate.

 

If the swap is replacing something you need, yes, I classify it as sustainable, if not, then it might be a bad choice.

On average, we generate nearly 5 pounds of trash each and every day without giving much thought. From food packaging waste to single use disposables, we fill our bins with waste that could potentially be avoided.

My rule of thumb is that if you can replace a disposable with something you already have, then that this the absolute best option. If you need to purchase something that is reusable to replace a disposable out of necessity, replace it with something that is locally made to either your community or country.

So room by room, here my favorite items I recommend for replacing the items that you’d usually throw away.

The Ultimate List of Zero Waste Swaps

Kitchen Zero Waste Swaps

• Homemade Rags as Paper towels

• Cloth Napkins

• Silicone Baking Mat to replace parchment

• Reuse Food Jars for leftovers and Food Storage

• Ball Jars for Food Storage

• Reusable Zipper Bags

• Reusable K Cup

• Reusable Wax Wraps to replace Plastic Wrap

• Wooden Spoons

• Wooden Dish Brushes

• Solid Dish Soap

• Charcoal Water Filter

• Reusable Cupcake Liners

• Tea Strainer to use when you buy package-free, loose leaf tea in bulk

• Reusable Coffee Filter

• Dishwasher Soap

Shopping and On-The-Go

• Reusable Shopping Bags – It’s best to use secondhand first.

• Reusable Produce Bags

• Wax pencil to avoid PLU tags

• Ball Jars for Bulk Storage and Food Transport (especially for restaurant leftovers)

• Reusable Water Bottle

• Cutlery – pack your own from home or try THESE

• Reusable Straws

Bathroom Zero Waste Swaps

• Safety Razor

• Shampoo

• Conditioner

• Loofah

• Ear Swab

• Make Up Remover – Just use Scrap Cloth

• Bamboo Toothbrushes

• Toothpaste

• Menstrual Pads

• Menstrual Cup

• Hand Soap

• Deodorant

• Floss

• Mouthwash

• Bidet to use less toilet paper 

• Plastic Free Hair Brush

• Floss Pick

Cleaning/Other

• Laundry Soap

• Dryer Balls to replace dryer sheets

• All-Purpose Cleaner

• Mop

• Reusable Swiffer Heads

• Broom

Miscellaneous

• Plastic Free Phone Case

• Reusable Furnace Filter

• LED Bulbs

• Reusable Lighter

• Lint Roller

• Trash Bags

• Diapers

Again, don’t look at this list as some bucket list reason to purchase a bunch of things. First and foremost, look around your home for things you can use as replacements to the disposables you once threw away. Using what you have is a great way to save money and prevent some items from getting sent to landfill.

Related: 10 Ways to Start Zero Waste With Items You Already Have

The most impactful thing any of us could do to reduce our global impact is to simply stop buying so much stuff. With self-storage facilities being one of the fastest growing markets to date, it’s very evident that we all have a consumption problem.

Stop looking for excuses to buy something. Yikes, I know that sounds terribly rude but I do it too! We all do! We first have to be resourceful.

I plan on updating this post regularly with new and efficient tools to reduce waste so stay tuned!

What tools do you love for reducing waste?