When it comes to the products you use to clean your home, you likely focus on the ingredients and not the packaging. However, there's a lot to be concerned about, especially if you're actively seeking to cut down waste or live a zero-waste lifestyle. Packaging, impact on the ecosystem and waste are three elements that plague most cleaning products. Let's take a deeper look.
Cleaning Agents Come in Plastic Containers
If you're shopping the cleaning aisle, you'd be hard-pressed to find products that don't come wrapped in plastic. Regardless of whether they're dishwasher tablets or a spray cleaner, plastic seems to be the common theme. While many areas in the US do offer recycling, that can be costly and timely. Containers often sit for years before they're broken down for reuse and made into other products. If you buy those in glass or biodegradable containers, you can repurpose or break it down much faster than commercial plastic.
Chemicals Damage the EcoSystem
When you think about chemical use, it's easy to miss the fact that it often seeps into our waterways. Think about rinsing off a rag, or rinsing a sink out after cleaning, where do those chemicals go? Into the water supply. Even treatment plants can't completely rid all of the water of this pollution. This is the main reason why people seek out natural alternatives.
Natural cleaning products also cause fewer reactions and allergies, and you'll be minimizing your exposure to irritants. This is especially helpful if you have sensitive skin that's prone to break outs when it comes in contact with regular cleaning supplies. These natural alternatives are also often multi-purpose; you can use them in every room of the house and on multiple surfaces because they're not abrasive.
Paper Products Are Wasteful
If you use paper towels to clean your counter, chances are you're tossing a lot of trash. This doesn't get recycled, so it's filling up the landfills quickly. Many people also use them to clean up spills, leading to more waste. There are several alternatives available including rags, which you can purchase at any store or even make your own from old clothes. Sustainable options also include bamboo paper towels that are reusable and biodegradable at the end of their useful life.
How We're Upping the Game
Seek Bamboo is all about the eco-friendly lifestyle, promoting as little waste as possible, and that's evident in our products. Plus, we get rid of harmful chemicals in our cleaning products, so you achieve the same level of clean without the impact on Mother Nature. Each of our products is tailored with sustainability in mind. Our goal is to eliminate waste and provide useful products at the same time. Some of them include:
- Bamboo Paper Towels — imagine, instead of tossing the paper towels in the trash after using them, you simply tossed them in the laundry? With our bamboo paper towels, you can do just this, not just once either — up to 75 times! Now, you've extended your paper towels months, instead of minutes.
- Bamboo Cotton Swabs — we offer two different types of cotton swabs. One is reminiscent of the typical ones you find in a supermarket or drug store, with cotton fluff on each end. Ours, however, are not made with paper or plastic, but rather bamboo pulp and bamboo cotton. These are the one-use type, but they're 100% biodegradable, simply toss them in a compost heap or bury them. They come in a pack of 500 and with a biodegradable container.
Our other product is made of medical-grade silicone and is washable, either by hand or dishwasher, and it comes with a carrying case. These you reuse time and again, and many of our customers love them.
- Sponges — We currently carry several types of natural sponges, made with sustainable materials, including konjac, loofah, and natural sea options. All of these sponges help eliminate waste and are made from naturally-reoccurring materials which mean minimal, if any, impact on nature.
Another service Seek Bamboo offers is the opportunity to sign up for a subscription. Simply set up a specific delivery schedule and you'll avoid running out of products, talk about a win-win situation. Many of the products on our site are eligible for subscription, just click the button to sign up.
Adapting the zero-waste lifestyle means starting out with small things. Before you know it, you'll be cutting down clutter and trash like nobody's business. Take the appropriate steps today by choosing bamboo products over plastic and you'll be well on your way to making a difference!
