Founder of Happy Human, Vinnie Ong shares her tips for being more sustainable at home
Did you know the average Aussie throws away 130kg of plastic each year and that 90% of that is single use items!?
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when looking for ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle, but in reality there are a tonne of small inexpensive swaps we can make in our daily routine that will have a huge impact on the planet.
Here are my top 5 go-to eco-friendly product swaps for happy humans looking to build a healthier planet.
Choose to refill rather than recycle
When it comes to everyday personal and home care products, I found it really challenging to find plastic-free alternatives that didn’t break the bank. That’s when I learnt most cleaning products contain over 80% water, which is one of the reasons they are in single use plastic packaging.
This also means we’ve been emitting unnecessary carbon emissions by shipping water around the world when most of us have plenty of it on tap at home.
This is what sparked my idea to launch Happy Human, a refillable and reusable solution that removes the water and condenses the active ingredients into a tablet - all you need to do is fill your forever bottle with warm tap water at home, pop in the tablets, and you're good to go – think of it like a Berocca for cleaning!
Reimagine your daily brushing routine
Brushing and flossing might seem like a snooze but I don’t think most people realise all the plastic toothbrushes you’ve had since you were a kid are still on the planet lying in landfill or polluting our oceans. I recommend opting for a biodegradable bamboo toothbrush that will eventually return to the earth naturally.
For toothpaste and flossing, give plastic-free tooth tabs and natural silk floss a go - my favourite sustainable oral care products are from an awesome Australian brand called The Good Company.
Enjoy your morning caffeine hit with a side of sustainability
If you're a coffee lover like me, chances are you have thrown away more single-use coffee cups than you care to admit. Don’t worry, no one is asking you to kick your daily coffee habit, but given that dirty paper cups can’t be recycled and the plastic lids go straight to landfill, a cool reusable cup is the way to go!
There are so many brands to choose from, but one of my favourites is Fressko.
Bee kinder to the planet with reusable beeswax wraps
From school lunches to leftover dinners, imagine how many metres of plastic wrap you have used in your lifetime. Reusable and washable beeswax wraps are a nifty food storage system that not only keep your food fresher for longer and lower your plastic consumption, but the huge range of fun colours and prints are also guaranteed to brighten your day. My go-to option is Wrappa or if you’re feeling crafty, you can make your own with just a few supplies.
Reusable and washable beeswax wraps are a nifty food storage system that not only keep your food fresher for longer and lower your plastic consumption, but the huge range of fun colours and prints are also guaranteed to brighten your day.
Top tip: you can say goodbye to paper and plastic cups at a picnic too with Porter Green’s stylish silicone wine glasses and tumblers.
Single-use stinks… but you don’t have to
Switch your single-use plastic or aluminum antiperspirant to an eco-friendly cardboard encased deodorant stick, like the ones from Aussie brand Woohoo Body. Not only does this earth-loving product reduce your plastic consumption, but the natural deodorant is also better for your health with no aluminium salts or nasty chemicals – deodorant, re-imagined!
The Green Giveaway: For your chance to win $674 worth of gorgeous sustainable products by local Aussie businesses like the ones listed above, head to Happy Human’s website and fill in the form to enter before 19 June!
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