Recent Eco-Friendly Purchases

I’ve been eco-conscious since I was a child. Granted, in elementary school it was only about the destruction of the rain forest based on school lessons and T-shirt fundraisers. Even though my worldview was limited, it ignited an interest in me that continued to grow.

In college, being eco-friendly meant riding my bike around town instead of driving. I also furiously recycled at my family’s home, and later my own, even though at the time you had to drive recyclables to a drop-off location rather than have the convenience of them picked up at the end of the driveway. Thankfully, being eco-friendly became more on trend and forefront in society so it was easier to adapt into an everyday life.

Now, living in such a liberal city as San Francisco, it’s hard not to be green. Unfortunately, sometimes I think being surrounded by so many messages about eco-living can even create some eco-anxiety for myself. I see it bubble up against Steve (“who left the fan on in the room with no one in it?!”), when in reality I’m not perfect either. Rather than stress all of the time, I’m always looking for little changes to incorporate into day to day living that’ll make more positive impacts on the environment.

In the past I wrote a post about some of the everyday tweaks I made for a more sustainable lifestyle. Today, I wanted to share recent purchases I made to do so. Purchases may seem counter intuitive to a sustainable lifestyle (I’ve seen a lot of no-shop challenges in the name of this), but they’re purchases to replace products when they ran out or to test for future uses. Keep reading, because I would recommend these eco-friendly products whether or not sustainability is your top concern.

Lush Naked Products

As I started to run low on my favorite shampoo, I decided now was the time to try a naked product. My mind immediately went to Lush Cosmetics. I went in store and had a great experience where a sales associate walked me through options for shampoo, including Trichomania, as well as Scrubee, a in-shower moisturizer. I love that in-store you can buy as much or as little of the shampoo bars to try them. I also purchased a piece of the Avocado Co-wash, but after a few tries of washing my hair with it I wouldn’t recommend it. I can’t get used to a shampoo that doesn’t suds.

Menstrual Cup

I wasn’t going to even mention this product on the blog – despite wanting to shout from the rooftops how much I love it! I hate talking about periods, so I’ve pretty much kept mum about a menstrual cup. But I can’t ignore it in the context of a sustainable lifestyle because the product cuts down on waste. From a user standpoint, the Lena Menstrual Cup also made my period so much easier and more comfortable. If you want to hear more about this – it won’t be from me. But visit The Golden Girl blog, because her content on a menstrual cup is what helped me make my decision to get one.

Facebook Marketplace

When Steve and I moved into our San Francisco apartment, we wanted to replace nearly everything we’d brought from Chicago. Most of what we had were hand me downs or we’d owned 10+ years, so it was time for a fresh start. But, we didn’t have the budget for a fully fresh start nor did I want to buy all new. Enter, the solution: Facebook Marketplace. We’ve fortunate that people here are very transient and seem to always be selling household goods in near-perfect condition at half the price. We got a West Elm bed for only $250, two West Elm side tables and four West Elm dining room chairs – all looking new despite being pre-owned. These purchases helped mark off the word “reuse” in the phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle.”

Pyrex

I might be the last millennial to purchase Pyrex, what will all of the food prepping, but for the longest time I used the plastic Tupperware I’d collected over the years. My coworkers made fun of me, saying I was just like their grandmas with my sherbet container that now contained a salad. I finally came to terms that the plastic wasn’t good for my body, just as it wasn’t good for the environment, and recycled it all to swap it for glass.

Compost Bin

I recognize composting isn’t easy to do in every city. I never could when I lived in a high rise in Chicago. I dreamed of the day I lived in a house with a yard large enough for composting. I didn’t realize I could also just move to San Francisco, where compost bins are lined up at my apartment complex next to the recycling and trash. I bought a small bin to keep underneath my sink and take out in trips. I chose this one off of Amazon based on reviews.

Like I said, I’m far from sustainable perfection. But, I cut myself some slack and do my best in areas when I can start making tweaks. These five eco-friendly products have helped me feel better about the impact I’m leaving.