So you are looking for ways to take the toothbrush you use twice a day to the next level. You want to be able to smile widely knowing that you are making environmental friendly choices that are leaving a better world for future generations to come. For many of us one such environmental toothbrush option are bamboo toothbrushes. Anyway you brush it, bamboo toothbrushes are environmentally friendly. Why Switch to a Bamboo Toothbrush? Our Sustainable Toothbrushes at Seek Bamboo are made from a quickly growing renewable resource. Bamboo toothbrushes help protect our water supplies by needing less water to grow than other resources. And bamboo grows without harmful pesticides and fertilizers.
Bamboo toothbrushes are a great alternative to traditional plastic toothbrushes which harm the environment from creation to disposal. Plastic toothbrushes are even manufactured using toxic chemicals. Yuck. Once you have made the choice to switch from unsustainable plastic toothbrushes to sustainable bamboo you may wonder what you should do with your bamboo or charcoal toothbrush when you are done with it. There are many environmental ways to safely dispose of your bamboo toothbrush.
Can you compost bamboo toothbrushes?
Yes! The bare toothbrush handle, which has the bristles and connecting metal removed, can be disposed of in a commercial composting bin and will safely return to the soil within 6 months. Or you can compost it in your own home but know that the process might take a little longer to complete. Depending on several conditions: soil, temperature and atmosphere bamboo toothbrushes can take from 3-4 years to break down at home. This might seem like a long time but it sure beats plastic toothbrushes which are not compostable at all and will be around polluting our lands, oceans, and communities for generations to come. Choose a bamboo toothbrush knowing you will be able to turn it into soil which can grow a wide range of beautiful flowers and yummy food in.
How else can you use bamboo toothbrushes?
In addition to creating great compost which will help your garden plants grow the bamboo handle is a perfectly good piece of high quality bamboo – feel free to reuse it. You can use the bamboo handle to mark rows of crops in your garden, or as part of eco-friendly outdoor art projects, or as a decorative touch to your yard. You might consider using them to make an eco-friendly birdhouse to encourage birds to enjoy your yard. Or you might consider ways you can use bamboo inside your house such as for trivets or coasters. So yes while you can definitely choose to compost your toothbrush handles, but you can also give them another life before you toss them in your compost heap
Why choose a bamboo toothbrush over other natural toothbrushes?
While bamboo toothbrushes are not the only type that will break down and become compost they have many advantages over other alternatives. For example wood is sometimes used as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastic toothbrushes so you might ask if bamboo or wood makes the most sense to use.
Bamboo vs Wood Toothbrushes
Bamboo grows much quicker than trees and therefore is more easily managed sustainably. Within 5 years of planting bamboo can be ready to be harvested. On the other hand trees can on the equator take 10-20 years while trees in boreal forests of Canada or parts of Europe can take 80-120 years. Bamboo is also a type of plant that needs to be harvested to keep growing. Bamboo also is known to absorb as much as 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare per year and releases over 30% more oxygen into the atmosphere compared to an equivalent mass of trees. Bamboo toothbrushes give you the confidence you are using a sustainable crop whose harvest is not harming wider ecosystems and which can potentially play a crucial role in stabilizing our planet's atmosphere.
So can you compost bamboo toothbrushes? Yes, yes you can! So choose a toothbrush that is made with an eco-friendly sustainable plant that can even help stabilize our atmosphere, and which can end up being turned into compost. Compost which allows us to keep the cycle of growth continuing in our own yards and in our own homes. Bamboo toothbrushes are the way to go if we want to make sure we are leaving the planet in a good state for generations to come. Check out our entire breakdown of Bamboo Toothbrush Benefits in our Sustainable Lifestyle section. Choosing a bamboo toothbrush might seem like a small step but it is an important one to take for ourselves, our homes, our communities, and our future.
