You can't beat the classics
Starting a new eco-conscious routine can be incredibly intimidating. It seems like new eco-friendly hacks and gadgets are popping every day! Why are there so many new products to shove in our kitchens, and complicated habits to learn? And then there are all those “eco-friendly” habits that are actually worse for the environment. The good news is that this isn’t a totally new playing field. Long before beeswax “plastic” wrap and bamboo toilet paper were invented, someone else was running their households with very little waste: our grandmothers. Collected here are the tricks, tips, and products our grandmas have been using for decades to cut down on waste, costs, and in most cases, to just make life easier!
Stop using "disposables"
Paper towels weren’t popularised until the mid-1900s. So what was everyone doing before then? Save the bamboo and other high-efficiency paper alternatives for your next party trick and head back to the original mess cleaner: cloth towels. They’re more absorbent, can be thrown in the wash, or hand washed very easily, and come in about a million designs to suit your kitchen.
Besides, you shouldn’t be cleaning these 12 things with paper towels, anyway.
That goes for napkins, too
My grandmother often set out beautiful cloth napkins instead of the flimsy paper version we so often see. Not only was this far more cost-efficient – we’ve been using the same ones for decades and there’s not sign of needing new napkins yet! – but they work better, and are much better for the environment, too! An added bonus: I’ve found that using cloth napkins can make a meal seem extra festive and adds a bit of an elegant feel to even the most rushed breakfast egg roll.
Speaking of eggs, check out these zero waste uses for eggs, eggshells and egg cartons.