My Attempt To Be Less Trashy, pt. 1: Bathroom

When I was in the 6th grade my class went to the Coloma Outdoor Discovery School for a two or three day program. I don't know what my fellow classmates took away from the it, but aside from being half asleep and nearly falling off a top bunk after someone's alarm clock went off at 5am, I remember learning about invasive plants, composting, conservation, and being more eco-conscious with my day-to-day life from a bunch of Northern California hippie types from the late 90s. Between that experience and growing up in remote areas around natural spaces, I believe I was predisposed to be at least a little environmentally aware. 

I'll be the first to admit that I am not the best tree-hugging-earth-cookie-granola-groupie out there, and individual action is a drop in the river compared to the impacts of major industries in terms of pollution and waste, but I try to make a conscious effort to reduce my impact on our struggling planet when I can. Imperfect eco-consciousness is better than not trying at all!

That said, I've decided to lay out some of my lower waste swaps and actions in a series I'm calling "My Attempt To Be Less Trashy." I will lay out some things I have done to try and curb my footprint, and hopefully you'll consider trying some of these out yourself if you can. The things you can do are limitless, and there are so many different YouTube videos on the subject, but I might as well throw my hat into the ring anyway.

I'm going to kick off this series in the bathroom, just like I kick off my morning routine. The following are swaps I've made to make life a little greener:

Bamboo toothbrush

One big hunk of plastic we deal with every day is our toothbrush. It's easy to see why plastic ones get used so regularly, though, since they're everywhere and you can pick up five for a dollar at any big box store. I wanted to try out something different, so I picked up one made from bamboo. The bristles are still plastic, but the majority of the toothbrush is capable of being thrown into a compost bin. Plus, it works the same as any old manual toothbrush, and while it cost me a little more it's still about as much as a name brand one. 

Deodorant in cardboard

One thing I found to reduce the plastic in my life is deodorant from the brand Hey Human that comes in a cardboard tube. I like how it smells, it works really well, and the packaging is recyclable paper, which I like. Other brands have started doing it too (I think Old Spice started using cardboard for some of their deodorants) so it's a pretty easy swap if you want some variety.

Bar soap and conditioner

People talk a lot of shit about three-in-one shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. I get it; it doesn't do a good job as either shampoo, conditioner, or body wash, and you're left with dry skin and hair. I've been blessed with pretty good skin (so long as I'm not out in the sun too long, I burn like crazy), so I can keep my shower supplies pretty minimal. I use a pine tar soap bar and a conditioner bar since a lot of body wash, shampoo, and conditioner are made with a lot of water and come in bulky plastic bottles. Being able to get away with using one bar of soap, and having a bar for conditioner, saves space and clutter in the shower and saves on plastic and water waste.

Bidet

When I first used a bidet-- like a lot of people using a bidet for the first time-- I yelped from the jolt of water going into my nether regions. However, after that I have grown to miss it when I'm away from home and need to poop. Not only do I get a squeaky-clean feeling down below, using a bidet also means I can use less toilet paper without sacrificing cleanliness (I use Who Gives A Crap's bamboo toilet paper too), so I can take a dump knowing I'll have a funky fresh booty.

There are other ways to waste less in the bathroom; shorter showers, water-saving shower heads, toothpaste tabs, the list goes on and on. The things I shared are just a few of my favorite hygiene-based changes to greenify my daily routines. I'll keep playing around with other things to see what else I can do, but I hope you consider some of these in your routine. 

Stay tuned for other swaps and habits I've tried to make myself less trashy!