How to Reduce Household Waste

Who We Are

• The Cleveland Heights Green Team mission is to reduce and to better manage local impact on our environment through advocacy, stewardship, and education.
• Co-Founders: Catalina Wagers, Natalie Elwell, and Alex Sitarik
• Established on June 1^st of 2021
• Accomplishments: Eco-Fair 2021, collection drives (campaign signs, holiday string lights, Medwish medical supplies for the Ukraine), recycling and waste reduction events, chats about environmental issues with mayoral and council candidates, green space clean-ups, Plastic-Free July, Earth Month events

What We Hope You Take Away Today

• We live in a “throw away” society built for modern conveniences, but it’s easier to be green than you think!
• We don’t claim to be experts and we most certainly aren’t perfectly zero waste. But we are here to share some tips and tricks we’ve learn in our own journeys to minimize our footprint
• Today’s talk will specifically focus on tangible household waste reduction: primarily, single use products for personal hygiene and cleaning products

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Why Reducing Our Plastic Consumption Matters

• Plastic is derived from fossil fuels and contains endocrine disrupting chemicals that are a threat to human health.
• linked to reproductive problems, hormonal imbalances, cancer, etc.
• Worldwide, over 300 million tons of plastic is produced every single year, half of which are single-use plastics.
• Plastics do not decompose but instead break down into microplastics, which pose a huge risk to wildlife and are extremely difficult to clean up.

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The Climate Impact of Single Use Plastics | Environmental Center | University of Colorado Boulder

Why Reducing Our Plastic Consumption Matters

• Plastic generates greenhouse gases both during its creation and after it is sent to landfill
• Plastic is also difficult to recycle because:
• Plastic is downgraded in quality every time it is recycled
• There are many different types of plastic, making recycling difficult to standardize and streamline
• It is often cheaper for manufacturers to purchase virgin plastic

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The Climate Impact of Single Use Plastics | Environmental Center | University of Colorado Boulder

Why Reducing Our Paper Consumption Matters

• The environmental effects of paper production include:
• Deforestation (55% of the global paper supply comes from newly cut trees)
• Energy use
• Water use (nearly 3 gallons of water per sheet of paper)
• Methane gas production when sent to landfill (12% of all municipal solid waste is paper)
• Americans use an astounding amount of paper! In the USA, Japan, and Europe, an average person uses between 450 and 550 pounds of paper every year. In India the figure is 11 pounds, and in some countries, it is as low as 2 pounds.

Environmental Impact of Paper (theworldcounts.com)

Paper and Paperboard: Material-Specific Data | US EPA

Personal Care and Hygiene Products

Menstrual Care

• Tampons and pads are extremely expensive and add up to a lot of waste over your lifetime
• Menstrual cups are safe and sanitary
• Many different types of washable pads and period underwear are on the market today

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Tissues and Makeup Wipes

• Take advice from your grandpa and switch to handkerchiefs instead of tissues

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• Disposable makeup wipes can be replaced with washable ones

In the Shower

Skincare

• Try to find brands that offer glass bottles

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• Jars and spray bottles also have lots of upcycle potential (DIY products, travel containers, drawer organization, etc.)

Q-Tips

• Q-tips with a paper handle are fully compostable
• Reusable Q-tips are also available

Dental Care

• Several fully compostable and plastic-free floss brands are on the market

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• Plastic-free toothpaste and mouthwash options are also available

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Deodorant

• Lots of plastic-free, aluminum-free brands on the market. Both recyclable and refillable options
• Home remedies such as witch hazel
• If you’re feeling brave, try going completely without it ☺

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Curbside Recycling Typical Personal Care Products

The only plastic personal care products that go in your curbside recycling are bottles and jugs:

YES: NNO:

Diapers

• Most babies will go through about 5,000 to 6,000 diapers before they are potty trained. And since disposable diapers don’t biodegrade, about 3.3 million tons will end up in landfills in any given year.
• Better options include
• Cloth diapers with disposable liners
• Making your own wipes
• Trying an eco-friendlier brand

Toilet Paper

• Consider investing in a bidet!
• Pictured here: Tushy Brand (no special plumbing required)
• Washable drying cloths can be used indefinitely
• For TP, try to find 100% recycled paper or bamboo (brand recommendation: Who Gives a Crap)

Special Recycling Programs for Personal Care Products

• Nordstrom BeautyCycle
• Drop-off at Beachwood Nordstrom
• Wands for Wildlife
• Mail-in OR
• Drop off at Little Spark Refill Shop
• Razor blade TerraCycle program
• Mail in OR
• Drop off at Little Spark Refill Shop

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• Contact lens and blister pack TerraCycle program
• Drop off at Pearle Vision Legacy Village OR
• Drop off at Little Spark Refill Shop
• Dental waste recycling program
• Mail in OR
• Drop off at Little Spark Refill Shop
• Plastic Pill Bottles
• Mail to Matthew 25: Ministries OR
• Drop off at Little Spark Refill Shop

Cleaning Products

Cleaning Sprays

• Many cleaning concentrates and tablets are available
• Picture here are Blueland tablets (glass, multi-surface, bathroom)
• Baking soda, vinegar, lemons, and salt also work wonders

Cleaning Scrubs

• Sprinkle baking soda and spray on vinegar to cut tough soap scum
• We recommend Bon Ami for toilet bowl cleaning (scrubby, sudsy, inexpensive, comes in paper tube)

Floor Cleaner

• Innovate! Drill a hole in your Swiffer wet jet and placed a cork in it so it can be refilled
• They also make intentionally refillable wet mops!
• Floor cleaner from local refill shop
• Washable Swiffer pads instead of disposable

Napkins

• Consider replacing paper napkins with cloth ones
• You can use “cloth napkins” or really any scraps of fabric or towels work

“Un” Paper Towels

• Replace your traditional roll of paper towels with “un” paper towels
• Even if you still have paper towels for extra messy spills, you would be surprised how much less you will use them if you keep them under the sink out of sight and keep cloth towels easily accessible

Disinfecting Wipes

• Repurpose a Lysol container

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• Refilled with cut up t-shirt squares and DIY cleaning solution (warm water, soap, rubbing alcohol, essential oils)

Dishwashing

• Liquid dish and hand soap from refill shops
• Powder and tablet forms also available
• Compostable scrub brush
• Washable/compostable sponge
• Washable/compostable dishcloth
• Blueland dishwasher tablets

Laundry

• Power laundry detergent from refill shops
• Other plastic-free options include laundry powder in cardboard tub, laundry strips, laundry pods
• Blueland Oxi Booster
• Meliora stain stick (truly MAGIC)
• Wool dryer balls and foil ball to help with static cling

Local Sources for Products

• Refill Goodness
• Store front in Lakewood
• Frequently attends events and pop-ups throughout the city
• Offers local delivery
• Little Spark Refill Shop
• Rocky River and Chagrin Falls locations
• Offers local delivery
• Buy Nothing
• Join your local Buy Nothing group and ask or give pretty much anything!

Think Green – Be Green

• What is one small change you can make tomorrow? Try that thing for a few weeks until it becomes habit. Repeat!
• “Just say no” to things you don’t need
• Try to use what you already have – this is always more sustainable and less expensive than buying a fancy new eco product.
• If buying new, try to avoid greenwashing and make sure it is durable, effective, and has clear end of life instructions (compost, recycle, etc.).

Thank You!

• We need people like you who care to join us
• We are judgement free – our modern society is not built for being perfectly zero waste and sustainable. We are all just trying to do the best we can
• Visit chgreenteam.org
• Sign up for our mailing list on the website to receive our newsletters
• Follow us on Facebook and Instagram

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• Stay tuned for future library chats on energy use reduction, food waste/kitchen waste, fast fashion, and more!