Courtesy : goodhousekeeping.com
Eco-friendly products
The average person in the U.S. produces about 4.9 pounds of waste each day, according to a 2018 study by the EPA — that adds up to over 292 million tons of trash per year. If you’re trying to be mindful of your environmental impact, it makes sense to look for eco-friendly products as alternatives to single-use, disposable items. But since so many products from cleaning supplies to sheet sets have “green” claims on their packaging, it can be hard to recognize which ones are truly sustainable.
It’s much easier to adjust to an eco-conscious lifestyle than you think (and there’s more to it than recycling your plastics and composting at home). Here are a few tips from our environmental experts:
- Prioritize reusable items over single-use ones. Even small swaps, like using a reusable bag when you go grocery shopping, can make a difference to your environmental impact.
- Opt for products made of recycled materials. For clothing, bedding and other textiles, our pros recommend looking for fibers like Tencel and organic cotton if buying second-hand products isn’t an option.
- To ensure ingredient transparency and integrity in products, look for established, third-party emblems such as EcoCert Cosmos for organic cosmetics Fair Trade Certified ingredients.
FYI: Our environmental experts prefer to use the term “sustainable” rather than “eco-friendly” because the latter implies that a product has no negative impact on the environment. It’s also considered a greenwashing term, and the FTC has strict guidelines on eco-friendly claims. For more information, check out our eco-friendly guide.
These are the eco-friendly products you should buy in 2022:
REPLACES PLASTIC BAGGIES
Silicone Reusable Food Bag
Stasher’s reusable sandwich and snack bags are great because they take the place of single-use plastic baggies that would likely end up in landfills and oceans. They come in multiple sizes, ranging from small pocket-size bags that are perfect for snacks to a half-gallon size that fits up to two strip steaks. Plus, these bags are safe for use in the dishwasher, microwave and freezer
RECYCLED PAPER BOX
THE RIGHT TO SHOW
Not only does this multi-tasking bar soap clean your entire body, but buying it will also give back to the community — the proceeds help create mobile showers for people experiencing homelessness. It comes in a no-frills box made of recycled paper, and the open window on the front means it uses fewer materials. Plus, it’s made with Rainforest Alliance Certified palm oil, meaning it’s harvested in a way that won’t destroy forests.
This 2021 GH sustainability award winner also made it into our best natural deodorant roundup thanks to its sleek, chic refillable containers that minimize the amount of single-use plastics in landfills. The company also regularly audits its mica suppliers to assess the humanitarian impact of the ingredient.
GROVE COLLABORATIVE
Multi-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate + Twist & Slide Glass Spray Bottle
GROVE CO
Grove Collaborative is all about cutting down on waste: it packages plant-based cleaners in easy-to-recycle mini glass bottles with aluminum caps. You simply mix the cleaner concentrate with water in the pre-labeled reusable glass spray bottle, which comes with an easy-grip silicone sleeve.
REUSABLE SPONGE ALTERNATIVE
SKOY
Cleaning Cloths
GH Cleaning Lab Director Carolyn Forte says these Swedish dishcloths, which are made of cotton and cellulose, “are an alternative to paper towels and germy sponges that get thrown out after only a few uses.” They can be washed and reused multiple times for things like washing dishes or cleaning spills.
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Chocolate Fud
You don’t have to swear off your single-serve coffee maker to be more eco-conscious. Just ditch the plastic pods and opt for Nespresso’s recyclable coffee capsules made from aluminum. Even better, you can package them up and drop them off at a UPS for recycling. Our Lab experts love the coffee’s rich, full-bodied taste and also applaud Nespresso’s plans for switching over to recycled aluminum content in their pods
Composting can really help reduce the amount of garbage that goes to a landfill. “I keep this on my countertop for used coffee beans, which stink up my regular pail,” says Nicole Papantoniou, GH Institute’s Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab Director. Plus, the brand also makes other waste bins that can be mixed and matched in color and size to make sorting recyclables a breeze.
RECYCLED WARM OUTERWEAR
PATAGONIA
In an industry that significantly contributes to global carbon emissions and wastewater, Patagonia is often considered one of the best sustainable and ethical clothing companies. Its latest launch of NetPlus designs uses 100% recycled fishing-net fabric sourced from fishing communities in South America. You can read more about Patagonia’s sustainable materials and initiatives here.
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SUSTAINABLE DENIM
LEVI’S
Shop secondhand from a brand you can trust: every denim jean and denim jacket listed on this site is verified by the brand, so you can buy a preowned product without the risk that it’s defective or a knock-off. Our Textiles Lab experts enjoy that you can shop Levi’s for a fraction of the original cost, and it’s a more sustainable denim alternative to shopping n
Little Green Portable Cl
This hardworking machine can easily tackle dirty armrests, carpet stains and more using a combination of water, cleaner and suction. Taking care of your rugs and upholstery means having to replace them less frequently. Our cleaning pros love that the cleaner itself is made from recycled plastic, while the box it comes in uses recycled materials. Plus, Bissell eliminated styrofoam from this product’s packaging, which helps cut down on waste.
100% RECYCLED BOTTLE
Goodbye Stress Mint & Rosemary Aromatherapy Body Was
From Stone Paper that doesn’t come from trees to the type of font that requires less printing ink, Kneipp has given a solid effort toward creating a more eco-conscious packaging label for this shower gel. Our pros were also impressed by the selection of 100% post-consumer plastic used in the bottle. Moreover, our Beauty Lab scientists love its herbal fresh scent and find it relaxing and invigorating at the same time.
SEVENTH GENERATIO
During toilet paper testing, this recycled option was one of the top performers among the “green” brands. “Recycled is the most sustainable option for toilet paper because you’re diverting waste and skipping new pulp to create the bath tissue,” says Lexie plastic bagsSachs, Executive Director of the Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab at the GH Institute.
PRESERVES WATER RESOURCES
LOVE BEAUTY AND PL
Designed to add volume to thin hair, this 2-in-1 product reduces the need to purchase shampoo and conditioner separately. Our pros say that bars have much less water content in comparison to liquid shampoo and conditioners, which can contain 50% or more water. Less water content means that it helps preserve water resources and usually means fewer carbon emissions during the distribution of products
Soothing Bath Treatm
Aveeno’s bath treatments are made of 100% pure colloidal oatmeal, which can help relieve itchy skin to due eczema. Our experts like that the packaging and ingredients are sustainably sourced. Plus, its manufacturing process produces lower levels of greenhouse gases (a factor in climate change) and generates reduced industrial and hazardous waste.
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REUSABLE FOOD WRAPS
Beeswax food wraps are an earth-friendly replacement for single-use plastic wrap made of cotton, beeswax, jojoba oil and tree resin. Beeswax wraps are food-safe and can be used over and over again — just rinse them with cold water and mild soap between uses. Just note that they’re not airtight, so they won’t keep highly perishable foods fresh.
PURIFYOU
Reusable Mesh Produce Ba
A trip to the grocery store means you’ll probably stock up on fresh fruits and veggies, but skip the baggies next time to help cut back on plastic use. Instead, safely store your food in one of these reusable produce bags. This set lists each bag’s tare weight, so you know exactly how much the empty bag weighs.
LOWER CARBON FOOTP
This glossy lipstick is formulated with moringa oil and red raspberry oil, so it’ll moisturize your lips and provide rich color. It doesn’t come with unnecessary packaging like secondary boxes, and the tube is made from 52% recycled plastic. It’s lighter than other lipsticks since the tube doesn’t contain any metals or magnets — that means it has a smaller carbon footprint during shipping.
TIDE
Purclean Plant-Based Laundry Detergent
Purclean laundry detergent is Tide’s first plant-based formula, and our home care pros say it cleans very well. What really makes this product stand out is the fact that it’s made using renewable electricity (wind power!) at a site where zero manufacturing waste goes to a landfill. It’s also a USDA-certified bio-based product.
BAGGU
3-Pack of Standard Reusable Shopping Bags
Since plastic bags can’t be recycled in your blue bin, bring a reusable bag with you every time you go shopping to avoid wasting single-use plastic bags. This cult-favorite tote is a great option to stash in your purse or car: It’s super lightweight, it comes in fun patterns and colors, and it folds into a compact pouch.
FULLY RECYCLABLE PUMP
REN CLEAN SKINCARE
Atlantic Kelp and Magnesium Body Wash
REN CLEAN SKINCARE
This eco-conscious body wash has an uplifting, herbal scent (a mix of geranium, rosemary and sage), and it’s a favorite of Birnur Aral, Ph.D., director of the GH Institute’s Health, Beauty and Environmental Sciences Lab. The bottle is made of 100% recycled plastic — 20% of which is ocean plastic. Since the pump has no metal spring, it’s fully recyclable as-is.
