With Earth Day on April 22, we’ve rounded up some easy ways to reduce waste in your daily self-care routine.
Each year, Canadians throw away nearly three million tons of plastic waste, only 9% of which is recycled. Most of the plastic we toss out ends up in landfills, and about 29 thousand tons end up in our natural environment. The Government of Canada recently announced a comprehensive plan to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030, and you can be part of the solution.
Sip Safely
Environmental scientists predict that there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans by 2050—so getting rid of single-use plastic water bottles isn’t just a choice, it’s a necessity. A stylish glass water bottle is one of our favourite ways to cut back on plastic. The Fifth Ave. water bottle by BKR comes in a sleek, slip-proof silicone sleeve and is BPA and phthalate-free. Take it on your morning walk, or keep it on your desk for an accessible — and pretty — reminder to stay hydrated between video calls. Plus, you only need to knock back a few of these bad boys to hit your water goal for the day — it holds a whopping one liter of water.
Sustainable Skincare
Look for beauty brands that are focused on sustainability, whether they embrace the use of organic materials or use recyclable packaging. Versed Skincare has a recycling guide to help make recycling their products easier; Canadian beauty brand F. Miller sources ingredients for its cult-favourite face oil organically from their native growing region for minimal environmental stress. Their reusable glass bottles are individually printed by hand using vegetable-based ink, and they work with TerraCycle’s Zero Waste recycling program to maintain an almost entirely waste-free facility. Watch for their refill program, launching later this year.
Brush Better
Good brushing habits add up, but not always in a good way. Did you know that most toothbrushes can’t be recycled? Due to their small size and mix of materials, toothbrushes aren’t collected in typical recycling streams. Most of them will end up in landfills, where they will take a thousand years — literally — to decompose. New Colgate Keep has a replaceable head, and a reusable aluminum handle for 80% less plastic waste compared to other similar sized manual toothbrushes. The first-of-its-kind Colgate Keep comes with two head designs: Deep Clean with Floss-Tip bristles and Whitening with spiral polishing bristles. Plus, Colgate’s recyclable cardboard packaging is made with 60% recycled content. It’s a win-win!
