The war on plastic continues…This week in the bathroom we moved to bamboo toothbrushes from Save Some Green. Disposable plastic toothbrushes was one of my biggest irritations on the plastic front. Anyway, I chose bamboo bristles and so far have been very impressed. I previously experimented with “The Environmental Toothbrush” and found the bristles fell out quite quickly and the brush had to be replaced after a month. We’ve only been using these brushes for a week so it’s too soon to comment on their longevity but so far we give it a thumbs up! When they’re done they can go straight in the compost bin! And perhaps my most exciting discovery of the week……our toothbrush holders. 
With everyone’s toothbrushes being identical we needed something to label them and we also found wooden toothbrushes went slightly manky if they didn’t have chance to dry out. This is genius and ticks all the boxes – even the box about recycling plastic clothes pegs!!
To reduce the amount of little plastic bottles in the cupboard I’m also experimenting with natural deodorants. I’ve previously tried baking soda and liked it OK but I did struggle with the best way to apply it without covering the bathroom in a layer of dust (There’s enough dust in our house without adding more!) This week I’ve been using….. a lemon! It’s no Right Guard but if applied a few times during the day it does leave you feeling fresh. Although, it is winter in Northern Ireland so it’s not having to do much work!! The purchase of lemons was multi-functional (I LOVE multifunctional!) . I intend to make my own furniture polish this week and I like the simplicity of this recipe from The Blender Girl.
For the last year or so we’ve been using these cool little bamboo soap bags in the shower. My husband uses this Hemp hair and body shampoo bar for all his cleansing needs but I found washing my hair with soap left a residue. I use Faith In Nature shampoo instead but it does come in a plastic bottle so I might have to rethink it. However, I do like the soap-in-a-bag method for daily showering purposes. Don’t get me wrong I have a few bottles of “normal” shower gel and foam bath in the cupboard for a special occasion!
Sanitary wise I’ve enjoyed these reusable panty liners which I got from Earthwise Girls about a year ago. They wash well and are really convenient. With two kids the washing machine is on most days anyway and I just throw these in a normal wash. It significantly cuts down on bathroom waste – plastic or otherwise. I haven’t been brave enough to forego tampons but I find Natracare a good compromise. Maybe someday I’ll go re-usable!
Now I’ve got the ball rolling with plastic, next up I’m going to examine the ethics behind my shopping purchases. I’m hoping Ethical Consumer will point me in the right direction! Check out next weeks blog to see how I get on.
Wee Green Folk 