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Tag: eco-friendly

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7 Tips on How to Become a Sustainable Traveler

Becoming a sustainable and more eco conscious traveler is easy. As many countries relax their travel entry restrictions due to the declining rate of COVID cases, many of us are starting to plan international travel with family and bring more normalcy to our lifestyle.

 

Parallel to this growing pent-up demand for travel, awareness about climate change continues to heighten. The most recent Global Climate Summit, COP 26, which was held in Glasgow Scotland in 2021 reminded us of the urgency of climate change and the impact of global warming. 

 

With this in the forefront of many people’s minds, some of us can’t help to think about how important it is for us to do our part in contributing to reducing our carbon footprint. This extends to how we travel. Many businesses in the travel industry are continuing to transition towards more sustainable services from airlines to hotels. They are working to do their part to promote an eco-friendly way of doing business. 

 

In the meantime, consumers can do their part by being aware of the choices they make when traveling. Here are 10 tips on how to become a more sustainable traveler. 

 

1. Choose a transportation mode that has less carbon emissions

In 2019 (pre-pandemic), we produced about 915 million tonnes of CO2 worldwide through flights. Aviation is responsible for 12% of the total carbon emissions from all transport sources while automobiles account for about 74%. When planning your next travel adventure, you might want to review how your chosen mode of transportation will impact the environment.

 

While a low carbon emission vacation like rowing a canoe or riding a bike may not be the most ideal or practical mode of transportation, consider the overall impact of all your planned vacations for the year and perhaps make some adjustments with this in mind.

 

2. Bring Your Own Reusable Toiletry Containers or Bottles

 

An easy way to be more sustainable in your travel is to replace any plastic products you already use as part of your travel kit, like containers and toiletries, with eco-friendly ones made of glass or bamboo. When traveling, bring your own reusable, refillable containers for your liquids like shampoo, conditioner, lotions and shower gel. If the hotel offers bulk liquid hair products, just refill your containers with them.

 

If you find plastic toiletry kits offered at the hotels you are staying in, don’t use them or take them. Using and taking them contributes to the plastic pollution problem because they end up in the landfill. If you use the liquid partially, they will get discarded by housekeeping. So, resist using these even though they are free to take.

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3. Choose a hotel or accommodation who are part of the Green Key program

If you want to support hotels and resorts that practice sustainability, consider looking up which hotels are part of the Green Key program. 

 

This sustainability program certifies hotels and resorts as being green. In order to be certified, hotels must adhere to the sustainable policies like being more efficient with energy use, reducing waste and saving water. 

 

Over 1500 hotels in 15 different countries ranging from 3 – 5 star level participate. Some well known brands like the Fairmount Group, Holiday Inn, Marriott, Radisson, Coast Hotels and The Sheraton are members. These hotels are certified and audited each year to ensure they are following sustainable guidelines set by the Green Key Program. 

 

4. Replace your personal care products with biodegradable ones

From toothbrush to dental floss and toothbrush travel case, replace your plastics with eco friendly bamboo material. Bamboo is an eco-friendly, 100% biodegradable and renewable product that is compostable. They are also BPA free, anti-bacterial and lightweight so they are non toxic, safer and fit easily in your carry on. 

traveler sustainable travel

 

5. Don’t Accept Single Use Plastic Products

You may be given non biodegradable styrofoam or plastic containers for things like coffee cups, stir sticks, straws, cutlery and food containers. Although you can’t change what the hotel or restaurants choose to use, you can decide to find alternatives. Consuming or using these products makes you a contributor to the plastic waste problem so don’t use them. 

 

Here are some options you can choose to take:

  • Bring your own reusable flatware (stainless steel or bamboo)
  • Ask for biodegradable flatware, cups or cutlery if they are a green hotel
  • Ask for stainless steel flatware or dinnerware that they use at the restaurant if you are doing in-room dining
  • Eat at the restaurant and only order what you can consume so as to minimize the need to use containers to take back to your room

traveler sustainable travel

 

6. Be Conscious of Your Water and Energy Use

Showering once a day may be a necessity but using a new towel for each shower is not. You may find signs at your hotel about being conscious of water use and reducing the housekeeping changes to a minimum. This includes minimizing the number of times housekeeping replenishes items you use in your room including laundering towels. Frequent changes of bed sheets and towels requires water use that isn’t necessary. To truly practice sustainability, keep these changes to a minimum. 

 

If you are leaving the room, turn off all the lights and reduce the amount of energy being used including any electronics plugged in and left on while you are away. During the day, use natural light as much as possible and don’t turn on the lights if it’s not needed. These are just simple things to keep in mind that help the hotels remain sustainable.

 

7. Recycle your trash

Many of the hotels have two types of bins in their hotel rooms – garbage and recycle. Whatever can be recycled like recyclable containers, paper products and cartons should be separated and placed into the blue bins so it can be handled properly by those who have to sort through the trash. At the very least, this helps us minimize the amount of trash that ends up in the landfills. 

 

These are some of the simple things to do when you are traveling to help reduce your carbon footprint. Finding alternatives to taking an airplane for global travel may not be practical but at the very least, you can find other ways to curb your use of plastics, to save energy and water use and to recycle whenever you can. 

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Become a Sustainable Traveler by purchasing this Personal Care Essentials Box.

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5 Good Reasons to Replace Plastic Cooking Utensils

Most of us don’t think twice about the kitchen tools we use to cook our food. Because cooking utensils are so accessible and available in many stores, sometimes we choose based on affordability because there is very little that differentiates one set from another. They all typically have the same tools in the tool kit. 

For me, as long as I have a spatula for my eggs, a whisk for stirring pancakes, a ladle for my soup, spaghetti server to drain out my pasta and a spoon to stir solid food, then I often don’t care what the tools are made of – that is until I started seeing pieces of plastic in my food.

For most of us, we make buying choices based on affordability and safety with respect to how they are used with our pots and pans. Would they scratch the surface and damage the pan? Would the cooking utensils burn at high temperatures if left in the cooking pot? Is it hard to clean after use? Do they absorb bacteria? All very good things to consider when buying a set of cooking utensils. 

However, there is something even more important we need to consider when choosing cooking utensils – the raw material it is made of.  Remember, these are the tools that will touch your food which, in turn, you will ingest. So, we shouldn’t overlook the potential health risks posed by the cooking tools  we use.

 

The Dangers of Plastic Cooking Utensils

Plastic cooking utensils are the cheapest types in the market. We unknowingly purchase them because many of us are unaware of the dangers they pose to our health and our environment. Most of the plastic utensils we use are made with polystyrene and when heated, release toxic chemicals that produce all types of health issues and illnesses for humans. In addition, there are a host of other issues posed by plastic products that extend beyond our bodies and into our external environment that affect future generations. Here are the top five reasons why we should eliminate plastic use in our cooking.

 

Reason #1: Plastic Utensils Melt with Persistent Contact with Hot Pots or Pans

Despite the fact that plastic utensils made of polystyrene melts at a high temperature of 100 – 120 degrees celsius or 212 – 248 degrees fahrenheit, they do chip, crack and get brittle with frequent hot pan contact. So, even though you make your best effort not to leave your plastic utensil in constant contact with the hot pan, the frequent short touchpoints on the hot surface will still cause pieces to melt.

 

When they chip and fray, pieces of plastic will end up in your food and will, no doubt, end up in your stomach. Within months of buying a dollar store cooking plastic spatula, you will find that, after repeated use, the tips  begin to melt, fade and fray. Eventually, you will need to replace them.

 

Reason #2: Plastic Utensils have a Shorter Life Span of Usability

As a safety precaution, it’s better to dispose of an overused, chipped plastic cooking tool than to allow them to  contaminate your food  with toxic materials. When you first purchased your cheap plastic cooking set,  you may have saved money in the short term. But, in the long run, you will have to replace them more quickly because using them for an extended period of time will expose you to dangerous doses of plastic material. 

 

In comparison to other types of cooking tools, like stainless steel or bamboo, plastic utensils have a shorter life span. They may last as long as a year if not used frequently, but frequent usage will definitely shorten its lifespan.

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Reason #3: Eating Plastic causes Serious Illnesses

When heated, plastic releases harmful toxic byproducts called oligomers which are formed during plastic production. For years, scientists have warned about the dangers and risks of consistent exposure to plastic products in our kitchens.

 

When plastic pieces are ingested through the food we eat, high doses of these over time can cause serious illnesses including liver and  thyroid diseases, infertility and cancer. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), an independent group of advisors to the German government,  claims that  ingesting as little as 90 micrograms of plastic material from cooking utensils can pose serious health risks like those mentioned above.

 

Black plastic utensils are especially dangerous because not only are they made from computer and electronic parts or e waste that often contain flame retardants like bromine and other heavy metals like lead, cadmium and mercury that affect the nervous and immune system, kidneys, liver and lungs.

 

Reason #4: Plastics can’t be Recycled

Plastic utensils, especially the black ones, are not recyclable because of their color. During the recycling process, the infrared technology that is used to sort plastic can not detect the black color. So, many of the black plastic products are diverted to the landfills, incinerators or end up in our waterways. 

 

Reason #5: Made in China Plastic contain Carcinogens

Plastic additives are necessary in the production of plastic products because these chemicals help produce the right properties that make plastic flexible, durable, water repellent and heat resistant – almost ideal for their cooking purpose.

 

Plastic additives like phthalates are used to make the product more flexible but unfortunately, phthalates are endocrine disruptors that have been linked to causing asthma, developmental disabilities, obesity and breast cancer. To make plastic utensils heat resistant and more durable,  brominated flame retardants are used as additives.

 

Up to 4,000 various plastic additives, such as chlorine, PVC, chromium and antimony can be added during the manufacturing process. One of the main chemicals used in forming plastic is benzene, a known carcinogen. Long term exposure to high levels of benzene can cause leukemia and other cancers. With all these potential hazards is it really worth saving a few bucks to risk your health? 

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What are your options? 

With the high potential for health problems and environmental hazards, we need to replace our plastic man made products with better, more natural alternatives. Bamboo utensils are great alternatives to plastic. They are eco-friendly, organic and healthier for humans. Bamboo is a renewable resource, a carbon sink and 100% biodegradable. Because of its natural, durable and resilient properties, it requires no harmful chemical additives. It may not be the most flexible or versatile tool in the kitchen drawer, but it is still very practical and useful.

 

Unlike stainless steel, bamboo is gentle on the surface of your non-stick pans and will not scratch them. Bamboo is also a low conductor of heat which means you won’t burn your hand if you leave it in your pot while cooking.. Another advantage that bamboo has over stainless steel is its more affordable price.

 

Like stainless steel utensils though, bamboo is durable, hygienic and easy to clean. Bamboo utensils can last a very long time and when you are ready to dispose of them, they will naturally decompose in a matter of months. When choosing your next set of cooking tools, consider buying a bamboo set for your personal health and the environment.

EcoLuxe Products, Sustainable, Sustainability, Chanelle Dupre, dental floss, plastic, non biodegradable, bamboo

The Wrong Dental Floss can Make You Sick

Dental floss, it keeps our teeth clean and many of us use it on a daily basis, sometimes more than twice a day. But did you know that depending on the brand you use, it could be toxic to your health? 

There are two issues with the typical dental floss in the market that is causing harm to us and our environment. First, the plastic container the floss sits in is tossed in the garbage and likely ends up in our landfill. Second, the actual floss, depending on the brand, is made with a toxic chemical called PFAS, while other brands offer nylon floss, which is a form of plastic.

PFAS is a Toxic Chemical in Your Dental Floss

A study conducted by Silent Spring Institute, a non-profit organization focused on women’s health and the environment, found that women who used the Oral-B Glide dental floss showed signs of having elevated levels of PFAS chemicals (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in their blood. 

PFAS are used in various products such as fast food packaging, non-stick pans, waterproof clothing – things we use and consume from daily. For those women who participated in this study, a particular type of PFAS called PFHxS (perfluorohexanesulfonic acid) was discovered in their blood sample. Elevated levels of this toxin can lead to greater risk with kidney and testicular cancer, higher cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, lower birth weights of newborns, thyroid disease, and fertility problems.

PFASs are found in many products so dental flossing alone would likely not be the sole contributor to these elevated levels of toxins in their body. However, the study conducted in January 2019, identified a common thread (pardon the pun) linking back to a specific type and material of dental floss used by a segment of the group participants.

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Teflon as an Ingredient in Dental Floss

Many dentists are aware of the toxic chemicals used in dental floss and the risk associated with prolonged and excessive exposure to it but very few dentists, will offer alternative, eco friendly and healthier substitutes. They leave this research and discovery up to you. They will just tell you to floss often to maintain good gum health and fresh breath.

Teflon is a brand name used for a group of man-made chemicals, the most common of which is polytetraflouroentylene (PTFE) – the chemical name for PFAS. Some dental floss contain PTFE (or PFAS) or otherwise, Teflon. Its non-stick characteristic makes it an ideal ingredient for waxed dental floss. However, it has been linked to hormone imbalance, cancer, autoimmune disease, Alzheimer’s and neurotoxicity. 

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Petroleum and Nylon Used in Dental Floss

We all know that petroleum is a fossil fuel that harms the environment. What many of us don’t know is that petroleum is used to produce nylon, a synthetic fibre that dental floss is made of. Nylon is a plastic which, when disposed of into the environment, does not naturally decompose. It is non biodegradable and ends up in our ecosystem for hundreds of years.

You may think that small pieces of nylon floss are harmless, but because it is made of mixed materials (most of which is man-made) and it is too small to go through the regular recycling process, it slips into our landfills. Imagine the impact we are having by disposing of dental floss everyday. 

The health effects of petroleum in our bodies are also cause for concern. Petroleum is known to be an endocrine disruptor. These are chemicals known to affect our developmental and reproductive health and may cause immunity issues. Even at low doses endocrine-disrupting chemicals can cause biological and developmental issues.

Whether your floss is made of nylon or polyester, they are both petroleum derived and create negative effects on the environment and ultimately our health. With 22% of personal care products containing petroleum based substances, replacing our dental floss (which we use everyday) with more eco friendly, organic alternatives like silk or bamboo vegan floss with candelilla coating is the right choice.

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The Bamboo Dental Floss 

With its tensil strength fibers and its organic characteristic, bamboo made dental floss is the perfect alternative to the man-made synthetic versions. It’s not only healthier for you, but when disposed of, they decompose within 60 – 90 days. With naturally occurring products, like bamboo, you are eliminating your exposure to the harmful and toxic chemicals found in man-made materials.

In addition to reducing or eliminating the synthetic floss in our everyday ritual, you may also want to consider using a refillable and reusable stainless steel or glass container instead of the plastic container. Rather than throwing away the container that holds your floss, get a glass or stainless steel container that you can use for many months. 

Other alternative floss packaging available include craft boxes (again, biodegradable and eco friendly) which you can refill and dispose of guilt-free. This combination of products – bamboo or silk floss and reusable and refillable container, is better for your body and the environment. 

Making the Right Choices Despite the Retail Options

You may wonder why retailers offer such limited non eco friendly choices in the market when it comes to dental products like toothbrushes and dental flosses. We can only conclude that profit and cost are key factors in their product assortment decisions. After all, they have to run a business and they will stock items that generate the best profits. 

But as consumers, we can be proactive in making more educated choices that will lead to better health and to a more livable planet for future generations.

 

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EcoLuxe Products, Sustainable, Sustainability, Chanelle Dupre, Plastic waste, Eco-friendly, recycle, packaging, biodegradable

The Movement Towards Zero Plastic Waste

Plastics pose one of the greatest threats to our environment. The chemicals used to produce plastics and the chemicals released are both harmful and have long term effects on humans, the environment and wildlife. Thousands of sea animals, birds and other marine mammals are killed each year after ingesting or getting entangled in plastic waste that we dispose of.

According to Sea Circular, an organization that inspires market-based solutions to solve marine pollution, more than 700 species of marine animals were discovered with traces of plastics in their digestive tracts. 

How Plastics End Up in Our Bodies

It’s a fact that microplastics (1 – 5mm plastic diameter) and nanoplastics (200 nm in diameter) have been found in animals we eat. Microplastics enter an animal through its gills, nose or mouth and ultimately, they end up in our food and our bodies. 

An estimated 4 – 12 million tons of plastics are disposed of in our oceans annually and 94.4% of tap water samples taken in North America were found to contain plastic fibers – the highest in the world. It seems to correlate with our excessive consumerism and our use of plastics in our everyday life.

It is predicted that by 2050 there will be more plastics in the ocean than fish. With that dark outlook, it’s definitely time to recognize the issues and make the right choices.

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Canada’s Commitment to Zero Plastic Waste

Canada has moved towards a ban on single-use plastics particularly those that have alternative substitutes. The country has a commitment to have zero plastic waste by 2030. Every year, Canadians dispose of about 3 million tonnes of plastic waste and only 9% gets recycled.

It’s been reported that Canadians use 15 billion plastic bags annually and close to 57 million plastic straws daily with up to 1% of all plastic waste re-entering the environment. It may not sound like a lot, but if we consider the millions of tonnes of plastic waste and the fact that plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose, we should have heaps of concerns about the growth of our landfills. 

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The Alternative Choice to Save the Animals and the Planet

There are alternatives to the plastic version of our household products. Though some may not be perfect substitutes, they are acceptable. Remember, back in the olden days, people did not have the luxuries we have now and yet they managed to survive. Perhaps we need to dial back our greed for more consumption and start reusing, replacing or just go without.

Regulations and new policies will force us to change our habits whether we like it or not. Canada’s ban on single-use plastic has been introduced with a graduated approach. The ban identifies 6 product categories that meet the following criteria: 1) the product is not being effectively recycled and traces of the product have been found in the environment and 2) there are alternatives or substitutes available. 

These products are the first to be phased out. Many businesses and municipalities have followed suit. 

The Alternative Choice to Save the Animals and the Planet There are alternatives to the plastic version of our household products. Though some may not be perfect substitutes, they are acceptable. Remember, back in the olden days, people did not have the luxuries we have now and yet they managed to survive. Perhaps we need to dial back our greed for more consumption and start reusing, replacing or just go without. Regulations and new policies will force us to change our habits whether we like it or not. Canada’s ban on single-use plastic has been introduced with a graduated approach. The ban identifies 6 product categories that meet the following criteria: 1) the product is not being effectively recycled and traces of the product have been found in the environment and 2) there are alternatives or substitutes available. These products are the first to be phased out. Many businesses and municipalities have followed suit.

Bamboo as a Good Alternative for Packaging

As a biodegradable, eco-friendly alternative, bamboo is an ideal solution for many plastic products in the market. To make the biggest and most immediate positive impact on the environment, we prioritize the substitution of packaging materials for more eco-friendly ones.

Restaurants and the hospitality industry are huge contributors in disposing of non-biodegradable plastics. As food delivery services and online ordering become the new norm, the use of packaging has increased exponentially and our landfills are piling up.

Containers, boxes and take away materials do not need to be made of plastic or styrofoam. Other biodegradable, organic materials can be effective replacements of all forms, sizes and types of food packaging and can accommodate keeping food hot or cold for at least one hour. If your food is taking over an hour to deliver, you probably shouldn’t be ordering from that restaurant anyway so think about the choices you are making.

In the same way, disposable plastic stir sticks, straws and cutlery can be functionally replaced with bamboo products. Use bamboo stir sticks instead of plastic ones. Use paper or reusable stainless steel straws and choose biodegradable cutlery instead of plastic ones. 

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Your Actions Contribute to Keeping Climate Change at Bay

Aside from the impact plastics have had on animals and people, they also contribute significantly to climate change. Greenhouse gases are released at every stage of the plastic life cycle: starting from the extraction of fossil fuel and its transport to the facility for production, then onto the plastic manufacturing of it, then to managing plastic waste after its use, and finally, the end-of-life disposal of non recyclable microplastics back into the environment. 

Although we still have a long way to go to reach zero plastic waste, we can start now by consciously making the right choices to use eco-friendly products over plastic ones. 

Learn more about the types of products you can substitute in your home.

 

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EcoLuxe Products, Sustainable, dental, bamboo dental floss, Sustainability, Chanelle Dupre

1 Significant Ecofriendly Impact Dental Industries Can Make Now

The dental industry needs to be aware of the environmental impact they have with distributing plastic vs eco-friendly dental kits.

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Consumer Attitudes have Harmful Impact on the Environment

The health of our planet is changing because of human behaviour. The human race is now facing new risks of food security, extreme weather conditions and new types of diseases that we can’t fight – like the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).