sustainable + zero waste swaps that are NOT worth it

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"Do your best & advocate for the rest"
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[catbeara]

I think a big thing to remember is if you don't use that item already, why would you need a sustainable replacement? You're not replacing anything. I use reusable cotton pads to clean my face all the time, because before I used disposable ones all the time. If you don't need that product, then to you a sustainable version will just be a pointless purchase.

[emilybusby]

Just a note- the phrase “pale in comparison” actually means that the product is not as good as another. To say it “pales in comparison” is to say it’s junk or subpar.
The term you’re looking for would probably be more akin to “stands up to, ” meaning it holds its own in the game- it’s as good as the competition or at least good enough to put up a good fight. ☺️

[Kiterpuss]

I love your candid approach to eco consumerism. There simply isn't a universal list of low/no waste things that every single person needs and it's the weirdest flavour of greenwashing to market a product as if everyone needs it.

Everyone should just keep their receipts from their grocery trips and look at what they keep repurchasing. If you buy something more than once a month, look into a eco-friendly alternative for that thing. Take it step by step as you're able. It's that simple.

[ErinGoBragh]

My family was going through a roll of paper towels every two days. So I did buy two dozen premade reusable paper towels and a wall mount bag dispenser/holder. I just wash them and stuff them in the top of the dispenser and pull them from the hole at the bottom. Nobody has time to reroll them on the cardboard tube. Having them be wall mounted on the cabinet next to the sink means they are visible so my family actually uses them. Do what works for you!

[ashleighxlovesxyou]

PSA: sometimes Marshall’s / HomeGoods / TJMaxx carries Stasher bags at a huge discount.
If you don’t have care about what color they are, you can often find the snack size for ~$5 and the sandwich size for ~$8

[Jojo-qmcs]

There's actually a name for those consumers who's favourite products are always discontinued! they're called bad-omen consumers and they tend to be those who have very different tastes from the majority, so products they like most other people won't.- Also I love reusable period pads! I never had ANY leaks with them, when I used to have leaks from single use ones all the time

[alexmcginness]

I actually LOVE makeup remover pads. I use it for my toner and it seriously had made a huge difference in reducing my waste in that area of my life.

[megancrawford]

Shelbi, I love all your tips! But I need to tell you: for something to pale in comparison means it’s not as good as. Like X pales in comparison to Y means that Y is way better. Because then X looks washed out or *pale* compared to the glory of Y. You’re so articulate, and I want to make sure that you’re still understood!

[elisabetarvidsson]

As a Swedish person who has used (swedish) dishcloths my entire life I must say I do prefer them way over fabric rags. They absorb so much more water, and to make them last longer you can boil it with some baking soda and the germs will die. But sure, they won't last forever, but I think I would have a hard time stop using them 😬

[beautibrew]

I use cotton swabs for makeup cleanups. specifically for me, I can almost never apply mascara without getting transfer onto my lids because of my eye shape, so I use a swab basically every time I do my makeup to clean up the mascara transfer. Sometimes I'll also use them to fix eyeliner wings but that's less often. I've tried the reusable swabs and I've never found one that actually works to clean up makeup mistakes so I still use regular cotton ones, but I do buy from a plastic free brand.

[baileyfortney]

Love my period pads. I’ve never been a tampon girl, so the period cup was a no go for me. I couldn’t take it out once and got so scared lol. I swear by my period pads, but I get they aren’t for everyone!

[gracemarshall]

My big swap purchase I didn't need was reusable straws. I only extremely rarely used straws anyway, but fell for the marketing and bought some... Which remain extremely rarely used. My tip is to actually think about your lifestyle and what you use before buying something new!

[ljzi]

Just here to to say I saw your video “things not I’m buying in 2023” and you mentioned clothing, this is something I never thought of (crazy I know) I looked at my overflowing closet donated a bunch of it and realized I still had enough clothing to cover any event. So seriously thank you for opening my eyes I have not bought a single new item of clothing and it feels amazing!

[nellien]

I love my Swedish Dish Clothes! They've totally replaced paper towels for me, since they're much more absorbent than rags and can be thrown in the dishwasher I use them more. And when they start to go, I just stick 'em in the compost.

[NotYourTeddyBear]

I use reusable cotton swabs to clean my ear piercings! Especially the one I have has a sort of pointed end that lets me get into nooks and make sure my piercing is clean while not depositing fuzz :)

[ElizabethCar]

My mom sews her own produce bags and she uses muslin cloth. They're really nice and we even put flour in them among other things

[RioRav]

I use Swedish dishcloths because I'm Finnish and so that's the tradition here lol, and yes they are compostable. I like them because they actually soak up spills which for me is the downside of cloth rags, that they usually don't soak up things all that well or quickly.

How I make them last longer is I use the nicer looking top side for water and less dirty items and the bottom for staining spills so it doesn't start to look bad too quickly. They should be wrung as dry as you can and let them dry airily so they don't get musty. If they do get stained or a little funky you can use some vinegar or/and boiling water to revive them.

Once I really need a new one in the kitchen the rag moves onto a dirtier area like in use on my balcony to clean up furniture or into my bathroom to clean up the shower or toilet, or to clean my shoes. Only after that do I move them into my compost bin. I actually use them in the bottom of the compost bin to suck up any bin juices from my coffee grounds and teabags and such. Then they get composted with the rest of the compost and they help keep my compost bin from not smelling too bad in-between emptying.

[lexigonzalez]

My cat has really small ear canals which causes wax buildup. We were going through so many qtips, which we did compost at least, but the silicone swab has been a life saver for her. It was approved by her vet as well.

[elenakalliste]

I completely disagree about the reusable cotton swabs. I use them to clean (not inside the dangerous way, but around the crevices of) my ear and they’re fantastic for that! I hate the feeling of any left over moisture and they do a great job of eliminating that and they are insanely easy to clean and dry and store. I would also assume the knobby one is great for cleaning earphones, etc. they’re also great to use to clean up very tiny mistakes with nail polish or makeup. And the last swab ones are very affordable for how much waste they eliminate.

[jimblejams]

hi shelby! just wanted to point out bcos i noticed you suddenly used the phrase a lot in this video (and bcos i thought you’d prefer to know for future reference!) that to “pale in comparison” means to be less good in comparison, not more. so i think you may have been accidentally using the phrase inversely. just an fyi 🥺