Getting Into Sustainable Products (Without Going Crazy)
I’ll be honest - I didn’t start buying eco-friendly products because I wanted to save the planet. I started because I was tired of buying the same disposable stuff over and over. Paper towels every week. New plastic containers when the old ones got gross. Sponges that smelled bad after a few days.
It felt wasteful, and also just… annoying.
So I started looking for things that lasted longer. Turns out, a lot of those things happen to be better for the environment too. Here’s what I’ve learned after about a year of gradually switching things out.
What I Actually Use Now
Reusable Shopping Bags
I know, everyone talks about these. But I resisted for years because I kept forgetting to bring them to the store.
The solution that finally worked for me: keep them in the car, not the house. When I unload groceries, the bags go right back in the trunk. Took a few weeks to build the habit, but now I rarely forget.
I have about 6 canvas bags that I’ve used for probably 200+ shopping trips at this point. Still going strong. The initial cost was maybe $15 total, and I haven’t paid for bags since.
My take: Dead simple swap once you figure out your system.
Biodegradable Dish Soap (Blueland)
Blueland sells these dissolvable tablets that you mix with water in a reusable bottle. You get the bottle once, then just buy tablet refills. No more plastic soap bottles.
The soap itself works fine. Not amazing, not terrible - just regular dish soap. But it’s nice knowing I’m not throwing away a plastic bottle every month.
The tablets are more expensive per wash than cheap dish soap, but comparable to name-brand stuff. And way less plastic.
My take: Worth trying. If you’re already buying decent dish soap, you won’t notice a difference in effectiveness.
Bamboo Toothbrushes
My dentist probably wouldn’t approve of this recommendation because bamboo toothbrushes aren’t as precisely engineered as Oral-B or whatever. But they work fine for me.
I buy a 4-pack for about $8, which lasts almost a year (replace every 3 months like you’re supposed to). The handles are compostable, though you have to pull out the bristles first because those are still usually nylon.
The handles can feel a bit rougher than plastic, and they stain over time from toothpaste. Minor things.
My take: Easy switch. They work the same, just look different.
Wool Dryer Balls
I switched from dryer sheets maybe two years ago. Dryer balls just bounce around in the dryer and reduce static while also shortening drying time a bit.
I bought a 6-pack of wool ones for about $15. Still using the same ones. No more buying dryer sheets every few weeks.
Downside: your clothes don’t have that dryer sheet smell. Some people miss it. I got used to it.
My take: No-brainer. Cheaper long-term and works just as well.
Stainless Steel Water Bottle
I have a Hydro Flask that I bought four years ago. Still works perfectly. It keeps cold drinks cold for literally 24 hours.
Before this, I’d go through maybe 2-3 plastic water bottles a week. That’s like 150 bottles a year, times four years… that’s a lot of plastic avoided.
The bottle was around $35, which seemed expensive at the time. Very much worth it.
My take: If you don’t already have a reusable water bottle, get one. Any decent brand works.
What Wasn’t Worth It (For Me)
Reusable Produce Bags
I bought a set of mesh produce bags and used them maybe three times. They’re fine, but I kept forgetting them, and honestly, loose produce doesn’t really need a bag anyway. I just put apples and lemons directly in my cart now.
Shampoo Bars
Tried these for a few months. They work, technically, but they left my hair feeling weird - kind of waxy. Some people love them. My hair apparently doesn’t.
Back to bottles for me, though I try to buy larger sizes to reduce packaging waste.
Cloth Napkins
In theory, I love this idea. In practice, I don’t want to do extra laundry for napkins. Paper napkins are compostable anyway, so I don’t feel too bad about them.
Honest Assessment: Is This Actually Helping?
I don’t know, honestly. I’m one person, and my personal consumption is a drop in the bucket compared to industrial waste and corporate pollution.
But I do know that:
- I throw away less stuff than I used to
- I spend less money on disposables over time
- The products I use now generally work as well or better than what I used before
Whether that adds up to meaningful environmental impact… I’m not sure. But it doesn’t hurt, and it saves me money, so I’m going to keep doing it.
If You’re Just Starting
Don’t try to change everything at once. That’s overwhelming and expensive.
Just wait until you run out of something, then look for a reusable or sustainable alternative. Run out of paper towels? Try bamboo ones. Need a new toothbrush? Try bamboo. Water bottle broke? Get a stainless steel one.
Over a year or two, you’ll have gradually replaced a lot of disposables without any big lifestyle disruption.
What’s Actually Made the Biggest Difference
If I had to rank the swaps by how much waste they’ve actually reduced:
- Reusable water bottle - Eliminated 150+ plastic bottles per year
- Reusable shopping bags - Eliminated 200+ plastic bags per year
- Bamboo paper towels - Cut paper towel waste by maybe 80%
- Stasher bags - Eliminated maybe 100+ Ziplocs per year
- Dish soap tablets - Eliminated maybe 10-12 plastic bottles per year
The water bottle and shopping bags were the easiest swaps and made the biggest difference. Start there.
The Annoying Truth
Most eco-friendly products have a higher upfront cost. A $35 water bottle versus a $3 pack of plastic ones. A $40 set of silicone bags versus a $3 box of Ziplocs.
They save money eventually, but you have to have the money upfront. That’s a real barrier that a lot of “just switch to sustainable products!” advice ignores.
If you’re on a tight budget, focus on the things that pay off quickest: reusable bags (free at some stores now anyway), water bottle (buy cheap if needed), and dish soap refills (similar cost to regular soap).
The rest can wait.
Last updated January 2026. Prices and availability change.