Giving our planet a gift starts with our daily lives. For some, the task may seem laborious, but it's quite simple: it's about integrating lots of small gestures into our routine and taming easy habits. This is an opportunity not only to put your shoulder to the wheel of social change, but also to save a few pennies, since we are mainly talking about reuse, "handmade" and recovery!
A bit abstract as a concept? Not that much. Here's how it translates to us on a daily basis. And to reassure you, I'm not one to give myself too much trouble in general… I don't have time with two children, so it's all about simple and quick stuff.
Recover and reuse at home: yes, but what?
Small tea containers
I received a nice set of teas in small metal pots . Unable to bring myself to put them to recovery, I made, with my daughter, a lip balm solution that I poured into the said jars and then gave them as a gift to the family. It lasts a long time, it's simple and very economical!
Candles
At home, we love to light candles . The catch: they often come in pretty glass containers, and we're not quite sure what to do with them next. Why not get it all back? To clean the containers, pour boiling water over them, wait for it to cool, then collect the suspended wax.
Photo: Soy White
Homemade cleaners
Do you have old vaporizers? Do not put them in the bin; instead, take the opportunity to make your own homemade cleanser recipes! To make our all-purpose cleaner, we macerate orange peels in a Mason jar in 2/3 vinegar and 1/3 water, for three weeks. For our glass cleaner, mix 50ml vinegar, 50ml rubbing alcohol, 1 tbsp. cornstarch, 400 ml of water, and a few drops of essential oil of your choice.
Deodorant
It is also possible to recover a container of deodorant and make a stick with a simple and quick homemade recipe. My favorite recipe is right here! Eh yes! It really works and it's aluminum-free (most commonly found in antiperspirant tablets).
Used or changing clothes
All parents will be able to confirm it, children, it grows quickly. Who says accelerated growth, also says buying clothes on a regular basis. The quality of used clothes often resembles that of clothes purchased new, but as a bonus, they are very soft! Look for the many bazaar Facebook groups, it's magic! Otherwise, let yourself be charmed by evolutionary fashion . For the price, you have several years!
Buy reusable instead of disposable, a big step towards the solution
tea infuser
Still in tea, instead of buying bags that will end up in the trash, just buymetal infusers . They're pretty, but you can reuse them over and over again and it costs less than buying boxes of sachets… Not to mention that you reject fewer non-biodegradable materials in the environment!
Credit: Geneviève Bergeron
Coffee pods
Do you drink coffee and have a machine that uses single-use pods? We can – finally! – find reusable pods on the market to fill and wash. Something to feel a little less bad about! Here's where we got ours.
Compote pouches
It exists, and it's so practical! Also, I like to make sure of the freshness and composition of my food, which is much easier when we make our compotes ourselves. The pouches are durable and easy to wash. There are several models, but I like those of Mini Kiwi .
Snack bags
Like plastic bags, but reusable, washable and durable ! Several Quebec companies make them, the choice is not lacking, and they are so pretty that it is difficult to buy only one.
Fruit and vegetable bags
Plastic bags in the grocery store are becoming more and more likely to disappear, so I got ahead and bought some in nets. I love them, they are so practical! The stains wash out very well. The ones made by D'un Sac à l'autre are more practical than mine, you can see through them very well!
Washcloths
Washcloths are washable and much softer than wipes. Making your own solution for soaking washcloths is simple: a little castile soap, tea tree essential oil, water, and coconut oil. If you're not the dipping type, even simpler: use oil-limestone liniment .
Photo: BB&me
Nursing pads
If you are breastfeeding, compresses are a must. But instead of buying disposable pads, why not try washable ones? The savings are substantial and what's more, they make wonderful facial cleansing pads. I used mine for my two children, they kept their shape, softness and absorbency. I love the Omaïki ones.
Feminine hygiene
The menstrual cup needs no introduction anymore, I believe. I've been using it for four years; I don't have to tell you how many boxes of tampons were saved in the process, and there's no going back. It's much easier to use: you only think about it in the morning and evening. There are also washable sanitary napkins for everyone!
Photo: Omaiki
Washable Diapers & Training Pants
Modern cloth diapers mostly have snaps or Velcro. So it's just as simple as a disposable diaper and it only involves an extra load every 3 days or so, as well as 15 minutes of folding. Their purchase is often subsidized and the figures speak for themselves: before being clean, a child will use an average of 5,000 to 7,000 disposable diapers , while 20 washable diapers can be used by several children! Once again, there is something for everyone, and for all budgets. I am personally sold to Omaïki , both for diapers and training pants.
Balls of wool for drying and soap nuts
- Instead of putting fabric softener, you can put wool balls in your dryer to get the same result and save 4 to 40% of the drying time on your load. You save on electricity in addition to not using sheets that would end up in the trash afterwards. I like these , but all models have a long shelf life. Also, the Éco&Éco company sells sustainable, biodegradable and reusable soap nuts!
Go to the library
Buying books is good, but renting them is even better! The consumption of trees is reduced, without forgetting the fact that we can “test” books before buying them (I am thinking here of children's literature where it happens to buy a book that our child will not like). It's a habit to take, and it becomes a great moment of discovery, alone or with the children.
Wooden and fabric toys
Biodegradable, durable, and easily repairable, wood and fabric are perfect for children's toys , in addition to being pleasant to touch and handle. Also, since they have a fairly long lifespan, they sell well and are easily passed down from generation to generation.
Photo: Jules my bubble fish
What about the price: why pay more?
It must be said that the purchase of reusable and durable items often means a higher price than less durable merchandise. This is easily explained: without wanting to generalize, disposables are sometimes produced in factories and in larger quantities; the reusable and durable often comes from small businesses. However, sustainability must be taken into account: the money saved by the purchase of a durable product compensates for the cost generated by the recurring purchase of disposable products.
Paying for quality while encouraging our economy is fantastic, don't you think?
Cover: The eco fabric.
Revision: Marie-Eve C.
Leave a comment
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.