Top Five Sustainable Swaps 2020
Happy Tuesday friends! So, we can all agree that this year has brought on new challenges right? But, new challenges allow for a fresh perspective. And for us, this year has allowed us to take a closer look at our daily routines and rhythms, our relationships, and most importantly given us the opportunity to reflect on the journey we have chosen up until this point.
For some of us, reflection may have brought on the desire for change. And, no matter how big or small that may be, I think we can all pause and be grateful for this year of reflection.
Focusing on the smaller transformations that 2020 has brought to our family, I would like to share the top five (5) sustainable swaps we made this year, and maybe you will find that you can make some changes too!
Sustainable SWAP ONE | Big Berkey Water Filter
I don’t know what it is about a pandemic that makes you questions whether or not you truly have access to the essentials. Or why we immediately ran out of toilet paper?! But, one of the first things I asked Justin to buy when the world shutdown in March was a water filter.
We purchased another filtration system but quickly needed a replacement filter and found ourselves out of luck. Well, that’s when my countless hours on YouTube (watching videos on living tiny + RVs) came in handy. When I suggested we buy a Berkey. It took some convincing…
These filtration systems are not cheap! The upfront cost can be a little off putting but, when you calculate how many filters you need on that Brita and the dollar bucks that can cost over time… the Berkey is a no brainer.
Haven’t done the research? No problem! Basically, the Berkey filters last about 6-8 years (depending on the amount of water you drink each day)/8,000 -12,000 gallons. Plus, our Big Berkey can hold 2.5 gallons of water! That crushes the capacity of any other water filter I have owned.
Two | Betterway Toilet Paper
Bamboo toilet paper is a relatively new find/swap for us. So, what made us take the leap? Two words, soft clog. TMI I know but, theres something to be said for full transparency!!
So, we signed up for a tp subscription through Amazon’s subscribe and save, and would receive our order like clockwork every other month. But, that system failed us as soon as TP became a novelty in March 2020. Our last shipment arrived a week late when we were down to one last roll, and was never to be seen or heard from again after that last delayed shipment…
Since then we have been relying on the old fashioned way of getting toilet paper…heading to the store. One time, in the height of the hysteria Justin even snagged a package of tp from another customers cart that was overflowing with the precious goods.
I think that’s one of the strange things I will always remember about 2020, the anxiety of running out of toilet paper, lol.
Sooooo, long story short, recently I became sick and tired of having to search for normal toilet paper that wasn’t overpriced, inconsistently delivered + preferably not cause “soft clogs”. Enter sustainable swap two, bamboo toilet paper!! I jumped in on Betterway Bamboo because of the reviews on Amazon. But, it remains in my subscribe and save because it is safer for the planet!! This tp is 100% tree free! A huge step in conserving our forests.Did you know that bamboo grows 10-20x faster than trees?
I know what you’re thinking…yes, the toilet paper is soft! And so far, septic safe!
Sustainable Swap THREE | Laundry Detergent
I LOVE this laundry duo! I have future plans of using our “grey water” to manage our garden and when I learned of Oasis Laundry Detergent, I knew I had to give it a try. This detergent is biodegradable + super concentrated so, it doesn’t take a lot to get a load of laundry clean. In that respect, this detergent also lasts a very long time!
However, Oasis is scent free. So, when I was at about half a bottle I decided to order doTERRA’s laundry detergent and add it to the mix. It was an amazing idea!
doTERRA’s laundry detergent uses the power of doTERRA OnGuard protective blend! It is tough on stains and packs a punch with 10 ml of On Guard essential oil in every bottle. In case you don’t know, On Guard smells like Christmas!
On Guard is one of doTERRA’s proprietary blends. A combination of Wild Orange, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus Clove Bud, Cinnamon and Rosemary! With a warm, spicy aroma that energizes and uplifts, it is a fantastic all natural nontoxic cleaner to have on hand!
FOUR | Reusable Storage Bags
I started to become more aware of our overuse of Ziploc bags when we sent Nora off to Kindergarten. Between snacks, lunch and left overs, we were just being wasteful with the amount of single use bags we were using. I was researching ways to become more zero waste, and even though we are far from zero, we are getting closer with each small sustainable swap we make.
But, I’ll just say it, reusable bags can be a pain in the butt! For instance, marinating meats…in the beginning I was never 100% confident that I was cleaning the bags properly. But, that fear subsided and I feel confident that we can add more reusable bags to our collection, and further reduce our wasteful ways.
Sustainable Swap FIVE | CSA + Grass Fed Beef
Jumping in on our CSA was one of the best sustainable swaps we made this year! Our membership really opened our eyes to a lot…like how certain produce just taste different when you get them from a local, organic farm. Super fresh, packed with nutrients, void of harsh chemicals, and in a lot of instances super-sized!
If you have a CSA in your area, sign up! Not only will you have access to fresh, local, organic* (depending on which farm you choose of course) produce. In most instances you are supporting a family owned business. And, I don’t know about you but, I will choose that any day over a big box store!
This summer we purchased a stand up freezer for our garage, and stocked it with different cuts of grass fed beef. The cost is way cheaper than at your local grocery store, and the quality is unmatched.
Here’s the skinny, we are hoping to replenish our freezer with the same kind of beef, and I am on the hunt for grass fed pasture raised poultry and pork as well. But, next year (and this may or may not be a good move) I plan on visiting farm stands for our fresh, local produce instead of taking part in our CSA. I just want explore all of our options before committing. And, we are blessed to live in an area were farm stands are pretty close by.
Making sustainable swaps can be easy for you too! But, it does take conscious effort to put the plan in motion. Just take a good look around your home, and you may find a product or two you can swap out in every room for a sustainable/nontoxic alternative.
Which room will you start with?
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I love local veggies and anywhere I am I always on the look out for that. The other things you have mentioned sounds equally helpful.
Thanks so much Roslin!
WOW! I absolutely loved reading this! Thank you for the tips on becoming more environment friendly. I would have never thought of bamboo tp but I will definitely be trying it. 🙂
Thanks so much for reading! I never thought of it until recently too. Its been working out great so far!!