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6 Sustainable Tips for Outdoor Camping Ecoluxe
6 Sustainable Tips for Outdoor Camping That Make a Positive Impact

6 Sustainable Tips for Outdoor Camping That Make a Positive Impact

Sustainability , , , , , , , , , 0
27Aug

Camping is a favorite pastime activity for many families and friends. We are fortunate to live in a country and continent where we have free access to managed parks and campgrounds that offer clean, basic amenities that make camping our experience more enjoyable. Camping is an opportunity to connect with nature, unwind and create lasting summer time memories with your loved ones. However, as a beneficiary to the beauty that nature has to offer, we must be mindful of the effect and impact that our actions and behavior will have on the environment. Here are 6 quick but practical tips on sustainable camping

1. Select a designated campsite: By choosing a designated and established campsite, you prevent disturbing wildlife and an ecosystem of a new area. Some campers are driven by the excitement of pitching a tent in the untouched wilderness but doing so will impact wildlife habitat, destroy vegetation and cause soil erosion; not to mention, it can likely put you in danger if there are unfriendly creatures like bears, coyotes and snakes that live in that environment.

Find parks in the region you want to visit and sign up for camping sites. Public parks tend to have lower camping fees but are very competitive to secure because they are offered on a first come, first serve basis. 

2. Pack Light and Minimize Waste: Remember that bears are attracted to trash. Pack light and minimize the waste you produce. Plan your meals well to minimize food waste and bring reusable or compostable containers for packing leftovers. 

Consider bringing reusable and refillable products like bamboo utensils, cloth napkins, refillable thermos or bottles and washable dinnerware to reduce overall waste footprint. Avoid single use plastics and excess packaging that harm the environment. Remember to carry out what you brought in.

6 Sustainable Tips for Outdoor Camping

3. Minimize Campfire impact: With more frequent wildfires destroying our forests, many public parks have banned the use of open fire for cooking. It may have been part of your camping tradition, but forest fires whether due to climate change or not has forced us to modify our behavior. Now, more than ever, we must be good citizens and abide by the restrictions imposed to prevent fire hazard.

Use only camp stoves for cooking instead of building a fire to cook. Use propane or butane powered BBQ grills and cook stoves instead of charcoal based grills with hot embers that can burn for hours and potentially cause a fire if airborne. 

4. Use Sustainable Camping Gear: Invest in sustainable, durable camping gear made of eco-friendly materials. Tents, sleeping bags and camping furniture made of recycled materials is a choice in the right direction. To learn more about sustainable textiles and brands that offer ecofriendly outdoor products for camping, click here. 

Consider solar powered lighting and cookers that leverage renewable energy resources rather than using batteries or petroleum based propane or butane for cooking or lighting.

5. Choose Non-plastic Personal Care Products: Plastics are everywhere and it is likely in your toiletry bag. Plastic toothbrushes, nylon floss, plastic combs and containers. Though durable, cheap and conveniently available in many stores, plastics are non-biodegradable and harmful to the environment.

Replace your plastic based personal care essentials with eco friendly ones made of bamboo such as toothbrushes, combs and personal care containers that leave no negative impact on the environment. If you haven’t already made the switch consider it now and don’t throw away plastics while on the campground.

6 Sustainable Tips for Outdoor Camping Ecoluxe

]6. Use Water Efficiently: Rather than bringing case loads of bottled water that will only leave plastic waste, consider using a portable water filtration system that will allow you to purify water as you need it.

Here are some suggestions for conserving water: 

  • take shorter showers in the evening after the end of day
  • use a dish tub to soak dishes before rinsing off
  • don’t flush your toilet unnecessarily
  • use a hand sanitizer instead of washing your hands with water each time.
  • bring enough clothes to reduce the need to wash 

Sustainable camping takes conscious effort and responsible decision making. As we indulge in the joy of camping, we need to remember our role as custodians of the environment. We are fortunate to have access to public parks and campgrounds that give us the opportunity to connect with nature and create cherished memories with our loved ones but we need to be mindful of our impact. These six practical tips for sustainable camping carves a path towards more responsible exploration. By selecting established sites, minimizing waste, adhering to fire regulations, embracing eco-friendly gear made of sustainable materials, choosing non-plastic biodegradable personal care products, and conserving water, we pave the way for outdoor experiences that honor and protect the natural world preserving its beauty for future generations.

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6 Simple Ways to Make Business Travel More EcoFriendly

6 Simple Ways to Make Business Travel More EcoFriendly

Hotels & Resorts, Sustainability , , , , , , , , , , , 0
13Apr

With business travel back in full swing, many of us are on the road or in airplanes travelling to our in-person meetings, conferences or trade shows. With our tight travel schedules, we are constantly on the move and as a consequence, we are buying and disposing of things out of convenience and consuming inefficiently.

Although we can’t control every aspect of our travel activity, we can modify our behaviour and make choices that support a more eco-friendly way. For example, choosing rideshare, selecting green certified accommodations, or using biodegradable travel products while travelling can still contribute to the environmental cause. Here are 6 ways to make business travel more sustainable.

 

Choose a Green Certified Hotel

Choosing a green certified hotel is ideal but may not always be practical for your unique travel situation. But if it makes sense for your travel plans, consider booking a green certified hotel.  

The hospitality industry, particularly hotels, are one of the biggest contributors to waste and energy consumption. According to a 2018 report by Green Lodging News, the average hotel guest generates approximately 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram) of waste per night, and about 30% of that waste is made up of plastic. The international hotel industry uses 150 million tons of single-use plastic every year with less than 10% of plastics recycled correctly. 

In recent years, there’s been a growing number of hotel chains enrolling in eco-certification programs to show their commitment to sustainability. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council sets the standard for sustainable travel and tourism and acts as the international accreditation body for these sustainability certification programs. Three of the most recognized green certification programs in North America include Green Globe, EarthCheck, and Green Key with many more listed on the US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) website.

Hotels that participate in green certification programs are accountable to maintaining a sustainable operation which includes the reduction of waste, resource consumption and the use of environmentally friendly products. Well-known hotel brands participating in eco certification programs include the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Hotels, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, InterContinental Hotels (IHG), Starwood Hotels which include the Marriott and Sheraton brands to name a few. Making a commitment to choose green certified accommodations is a step in the right direction.

 

Bring your Own Toiletries

We love the little gifts we get in the bathroom especially when we forget to bring our own toiletries but the each year, 980 tonnes of travel sized plastic containers are dumped in landfills. Plastic toiletry bottles are a huge contributor to hotel solid waste. Many hotels have started to replace these small bottle toiletries with refillable glass bottles affixed to the shower wall that contain shampoo, conditioner, and shower gels. 

ecofriendly business travel green sustainable toiletries

The Marriott chain, for example, has eliminated the tiny disposable plastic toiletries from its 1,000 properties in North America which translates to saving the landfill from 500 million small bottles or 1.7 million pounds of plastic. 

Travel responsibly by bringing your own reusable small glass bottles and refill them with your own liquids instead of relying on hotels to provide these to you.

 

Reuse and Reduce Energy and Water Consumption

When travelling, some of us like to take advantage of the convenience that housekeeping offers. Replenishing our rooms with new linens and bath towels whenever we want, getting a towel for every part of your body and taking a special towel for different activities like fitness and swimming. Some of us are guilty of over consumption and unnecessary water and energy waste.

Water scarcity is a global concern and is a sustainability issue. The tourism and travel industry, specifically hotels and their guests, contribute to the water scarcity problem. According to Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, a hotel can use an average of 1,500 liters of water per room per day. In some regions, where there is water scarcity, mismanaged water consumption exacerbates the issue. Many green certified hotels are now tackling this problem with stricter regulations and policies.

Frequent visits by housekeeping to change bed sheets and replace soiled towels leads to more laundry which translates to more water and energy consumption. While on business travel, reusing towels as much as possible, or bringing your own towels will help reduce the need for laundry services during your stay. 

 

Dine-In to Reduce Disposable Plastic Waste

When you are on-the-road running a tight schedule full of meetings, it is hard to resist ordering take-out or delivery from fast food restaurants. It’s convenient, affordable and fits your schedule. But unfortunately, your take-out order uses a food container that is made of some material that will end up in the landfill and will take years to decompose. While many states have banned the distribution of plastic-based food containers and cutlery, many dining establishments continue to pollute the environment with non-biodegradable products and their choices are simply out of our control.

 

ecofriendly business travel green sustainable toiletries restaurant dine-in

Restaurants and food service businesses spend about $24 billion on disposable products each year and throw away nearly 9 million tons of disposable food ware and packaging. According to National Geographic, the restaurant industry generates about 78% of all disposable food packaging waste in the US and uses more than 36 billion disposable utensils each year. 

Five states have banned the purchase and distribution of foam and polystyrene restaurant products which include Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Vermont. Many restaurants have started to replace plastic cutlery, straws and stir sticks with organic materials made of bamboo and other wood products. 

With these laws left at the state and municipal level, there is inconsistency across the country and a lack of consolidated effort to reduce plastic pollution. However, as an individual, you can still make a positive impact and minimize plastic waste by choosing to dine-in and use reusable versus disposable tableware products provided by the restaurant. It may not always be practical to use your own glass food containers to package leftovers nor to bring silverware for the road, choosing to dine-in is a way to reduce food packaging waste and reduce the overall demand for materials that are harmful to our environment.

 

Share a Ride

Travelling with colleagues or solo travelling on a schedule with multiple destinations poses a sustainability challenge. The cost of ground transportation on our environment is enormous and again, the ideal scenario options may not be practical for your business travel but can be manageable if planned ahead.  

According to the EPA, transportation accounts for about 27% of total greenhouse gas emissions with short haul flights and local ground transportation as a solo driver being the biggest contributors to this statistic. While ride-hail programs like uber, lyft and grab don’t reduce carbon emissions when used by a single rider, an electrified car-pooled ride that is shared between two or more people, does reduce carbon emissions dramatically.

A driver with an electric vehicle transporting one person to a destination cuts emissions by about 50% while a car-pooled electric vehicle trip cuts emissions by nearly 70% compared to a private vehicle trip using a non-electric vehicle. Though we can’t always choose the type of vehicle we get when using a ride hailing app, we can try to coordinate ground transportation with colleagues to minimize the frequency and distance of travel thereby reducing our carbon footprint. 

Wherever possible, choose charter transportation, locate your hotel near your meetings, select taxi fleets with electric or hybrid vehicles or choose companies that implement navigation systems that offer the best fuel and time efficiency.  

 

Virtual Meetings as the Most Viable Option

We have seen how the use of technology to replace in-person meetings and conferences to virtual ones has positively impacted the environment. The savings generated in terms of time, money and resources moving from in-person to an online platform is a blessing for many businesses.

Based on a Cornell University-led study, the transition to virtual conferencing can reduce the carbon footprint by 94% and energy use by 90%. Producing conferences require the planning of food and hotel services, printing of signage and marketing materials, transporting supplies through various modes of transportation and the consumption of energy and other natural resources before, during and after the event. According to this study, each individual attendee produces up to 6,600 pounds of carbon dioxide because of their participation. If in-person events with more than 50 participants are expected to grow at a rate of 11.2% over the next decade with no other alternate delivery options, our environment will be greatly impacted. Though in-person meetings are necessary for building relationships, choose the virtual option whenever possible and fly only if necessary.

 

Your Sustainable Business Travel Commitment

Travel is a costly but necessary activity for business operations. If your company doesn’t have a sustainable travel policy, it might be a good time to reassess your travel program. From accommodations, to dining to transportation, consider the many areas and activities of business travel that affect our environment and find ways to implement sustainable practices. 

Even if you, alone, cannot influence or change your company’s current travel policies, you can still make choices that support the preservation of our environment.

 

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ecofriendly office supplies
5 Ways to Operate a More Sustainable Office at Home

5 Ways to Operate a More Sustainable Office at Home

Sustainability, Home, Recycle , , , , , , , 0
05Apr

Since the pandemic, many of us have experienced a change in our workplace environment. Commercial spaces emptied and the downtown core saw an outflow of employees moving their work from office to home. Our workplace environment has changed and so has our mode of business operations.

With less commuting, less overall business activities and to some degree, reduced consumption, we realized that this new normal improved our environment, specifically our air quality. Less carbon emissions from the commuting public and less manufacturing activities cleared the air (as they say). Working from home has now taken root and many employers are now accepting this as part of the new corporate reality.

With many of us now permanently working at home while others are working within a hybrid model, how do we maintain the eco progress we have made during the pandemic and ensure that we continue down this greener path?

One answer is to adopt more sustainable ways to operate your office and business. At home, you have full control of your environment from heating, electricity, waste management to purchasing office supplies. Here are five simply tips on how to maintain a more sustainable workplace at home:

1. Minimize the Printing

There are many ways you can help to save a tree. Remember that wood is not as sustainable as bamboo and requires approximately 50 years of maturity before being harvested into pulp and paper. Reducing the need to print will help slow down the deforestation (which impacts a host of other biodiversity issues). Here are ideas on how to adopt this quickly:
Choose email as a way to receive mail rather than physical documents

  • When printing, double side your print jobs to reduce the number of pages and ink required
  • Digitize everything. If you have paper copies, scan them using a printer / scanner or take a photo of it to create PDF documents and then recycle the paper
  • Instead of printing and distributing presentations, choose to screen share at the meeting or send a link prior to the meeting to prepare attendees for your meeting discussions

2. Cut down on Electricity Use

When not in use, turn things off. Sometimes we don’t realize that office equipment like printers, devices and other computers are using up electricity while idle. There are many ways you can conserve energy at your home office:

  • Use the same computer (desktop or laptop) for working and listening to music if possible in order to cut down on the number of devices you are using
  • Turn off printers, monitors, devices and other equipment when not in use
  • If you have a lot of natural light in your home office, consider positioning your desk near the window to reduce the amount of lights you need
  • Replace light bulbs with energy efficient LEDs
  • Wear warmer clothes to reduce the amount of heat required or turn off your heater during warmer weather

ecofriendly office supplies3. Recycle and Reuse Office Supplies

We buy a lot of office supplies that we throw away after a single use. While there are some items you can’t reuse like notepads with writing, there are many that you can recycle and reuse.

  • Binders are reusable and practical. They are expandable, durable, multi-purpose and versatile and a perfect replacement for single use notepads
  • Page Flags can be reused. They may not be as sticky as the first time you use them, but they still do the job when reused a second time.
  • Rulers and scissors can be reused. If you have a dull scissor, sharpen them instead of throwing them away
  • Reuse paper as scrap. Before throwing away a single sided piece of paper, use it for scribbling, sketching, doodling or note taking
  • Paper clips and rubber bands can be reused many times over
  • Replace single use plastic pens with refillable mechanical pencils.
  • Reuse printer cartridges by refilling ink jet or recycle the old ones appropriately

4. Buy Eco Friendly Supplies

Another option to creating a sustainable office is to buy eco-friendly supplies made of bamboo. A majority of office supplies are made from man made materials like plastic which are non biodegradable. Consider replacing these plastic supplies with bamboo made products. Bamboo is 100% biodegradable, eco friendly and far more renewable than wood. Here are some supplies that can be replaced with bamboo:

  • Pens and pencils
  • Pen and pencil holders
  • Drawer organizers
  • Device caddies
  • Rulers and straight edge sets
  • Pencil sharpeners

ecofriendly office supplies5. Choose Sustainable Kitchen Products

Working at home means having more frequent access to the comforts of our kitchen. This might mean more cups of coffee or eating snacks more often throughout the day. There are many opportunities to improve our habits in the kitchen. Here are ideas on how to adopt a more eco friendly practice:

  • If you’re using k-cups consider using instant coffee or filtered drip coffee to reduce waste
  • Make coffee at home instead of buying them from the coffee and then disposing cups that only add to landfills
  • Consider using paper bags for your garbage instead of plastic garbage bags.
  • Reduce the use of disposable food containers by making food at home instead of ordering out often
  • Use stainless steel or eco friendly bamboo utensils instead of plastic take out utensils

Working at home gives one a lot of flexibility and the ability to create a good work-life balance. For the most part, working remotely allows you to have the freedom to choose office supplies that are the most eco-friendly, control your energy use and configure your office in a way that optimizes your space for improved productivity.

bamboo climate change sustainable
Most Frequently Asked Questions about Bamboo 

Most Frequently Asked Questions about Bamboo 

Sustainability , , , , 0
15Feb

So many are curious about bamboo and its benefits to our environment. So as part 2 of our knowledge base about this incredible plant, we answer some of the most common questions many still have. 

 

If you’ve read Everything You Need to Know about Bamboo and other blog articles, you probably already know that there are over 1,000 species of bamboo in the world and thousands of applications and uses. It is the most versatile plant in the world and definitely worth learning about. 

 

How Does Bamboo Spread ?

There are two types of bamboo roots – clumping and running bamboo. Clumping bamboos have a pachymorph rhizome system whose buds underground grow upwards instead of outwards making it more controllable as it spouts directly up from the ground. Running bamboo has a leptomorph rhizome system which grows laterally underground pushing through the soil with new rhizomes growing perpendicularly to its parent rhizome.. The running bamboo can spread as far as 20 feet underground from its original parent rhizome and can spread as much as 3 to 5 feet per year.

bamboo climate change sustainable

Why Does Bamboo Grow So Fast? 

Certain species of bamboo, like the moso bamboo, can grow as fast as 0.00003 km/ hr or 1.5 inches per hour. Several studies have found that plant hormones including gibberellin, indole acetic acid and zeatin may play a role in promoting the fast growth rate of bamboo shoots.

Gibberellin (GA) is one of the plant hormones that regulate a wide range of processes involved in plant growth. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is an auxin produced by terrestrial plants, like bamboo, which influences development through a variety of cellular mechanisms, such as cell elongation. Zeatin promotes growth of lateral buds.

How Does Bamboo Grow?

Bamboo grows in marginal land with little to no pesticides required. Bamboo stores sugars in its underground rhizomes (root system) and as it grows, it produces fine root hairs and buds that develop into new rhizomes. Each culm breaks through the soil surface as its final mature diameter (its stalk’s diameter does not widen as it grows). The culms (stem) grow to its full height between 30 – 60 days and its branches and leaves fold out from the culm in the next 30 – 60 days.

Because bamboo has high tolerance to various environments, bamboo is a good candidate for afforestation, carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation. 

 

Is Bamboo a Grass?

Yes, bamboo (subfamily Bambusoideae) is a grass. It is a subfamily of treelike grasses called Poaceae. Bamboo has more than 115 genera and approximately 1400 species.

bamboo climate change sustainable

How Tall Does Bamboo Grow?

Some species of bamboo can grow as high as 30 meters or 100 feet high and 10 – 12 inches in diameter.

 

How Long Does It Take Bamboo to Grow?

Bamboo takes about three years to get established. Once established the new shoots that emerge in the Spring (they will still only grow for 60 days) will continue to get bigger and more numerous from year to year as the colony grows towards maturity.

 

What Do the Rings on the Bamboo Mean?

The bamboo rings are called nodes. Each culm (stem) is segmented by these nodes or joints. 

bamboo climate change sustainable

Cam Bamboo Act as a Fire Retardant?

Because it contains large amounts of silicate acid, bamboo is abnormally flame resistant and could curb forest fires. Making clumping bamboo a part of a tropical reforestation effort could be beneficial to reducing future instances of wildfires.

 

Can Bamboo Prevent Soil Erosion?

Because bamboo is a grass, it has a very shallow root system. Most of its rhizomes live on the top 6 inches of the soil while the rest can spread as deep as 14 inches. Because the roots are so densely clumped, they help to deter soil erosion which reduces soil fertility and contributes to flooding and landslides.

bamboo climate change sustainable

How Does Bamboo Help with Climate Change?

Bamboos helps to mitigate the effects of climate change by: 

  • Absorbing and storing carbon during its fast growth and frequent harvesting process which happens more often than trees, bamboo can store and absorb more carbon 
  • Protecting forests by mitigating the spread of wildfires with its unique fire retardant characteristics
  • Protecting watersheds by reducing soil erosion that produces sediments that block waterways making areas more susceptible to flooding
  • Insulating environments against extreme weather because of its flexibility and resilience in surviving natural disasters including typhoons and hurricanes
  • Providing low-cost, green housing option that produces lower carbon emissions
  • Providing cleaner biofuels that reduce our reliance on fossil fuel extraction and production

 

Does Bamboo Produce More or Less Carbon than Trees?

When plants decompose, they release carbon dioxide. When bamboo is actively managed (harvested), farmers will harvest the mature bamboo culms before they decay, so the total amount of carbon stored by the ecosystem increases as new culms emerge faster than they decay resulting in more carbon sequestered in subsequent years. Harvesting bamboo culms doesn’t kill the plant and the extensive rhizome (root system) continues to store the carbon below ground even after the bamboo is harvested.

 

As long as bamboo forests or farms are actively harvested and remain productive, more carbon is sequestered than produced from decaying culms.

 

On the other hand, when trees are clear cut, there is a huge loss of carbon arising from the decomposing organic matter and because it would take 13 years before the replanted tree begins to absorb more carbon than its releasing from the decomposition, the net effect is a net loss of carbon when trees are harvested.

 

Why Does Bamboo Release More Oxygen than Trees?

Because of bamboo’s fast growth and replenishment rate (it is the fastest growing plant in the world), it experiences photosynthesis more often than other types of plants. Photosynthesis is the process that transforms light energy into oxygen and glucose.

 

Within the plant cell, the water (H2O) is oxidized (losing electrons) and transforms into oxygen  while the carbon dioxide (CO2) is reduced (gains electrons) and transforms into glucose or sugar that the plant stores for its future use for growth.

 

Some bamboo species, like Thamnocalamus and Sasa Fargesia, need little sunlight but still perform the same photosynthesis process. Because of bamboo’s fast growth rate and its ability to thrive even in partial sunlight or shade, a grove of bamboo can produce 35% more oxygen than trees of the same area.

 

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Are Bamboo Cotton Swabs Any Better than Q-Tips?

Are Bamboo Cotton Swabs Any Better than Q-Tips?

Sustainability, Personal Care , , , , , , , , 0
10Nov

Cotton Swabs, or as we know them, Q-tips (which is actually a brand), are commonly found in many bathrooms. They are used regularly as part of our personal hygiene routine. Many of us think that they are completely harmless for us and the environment. But, the truth is depending on what type you are using, they can actually be quite harmful to both humans and our planet. 

 

The Origin of the Q-Tips

Q-Tips were invented in 1923 by Leo Gerstenzang, a Polish American inventor after observing his wife use cotton on a toothpick to clean her ears. He manufactured these Q-tips® as part of his baby care accessory line and the product was originally called Q-tips® Baby Gays. In 1926, he dropped the word Baby Gays and just marketed this line as “Q-Tips”.

 

The “Q” stands for quality while the “tips” describes the cotton swabs at the end of each wooden stick. Originally, all Q-tips® were made of wood until around 1958 when the company acquired Paper Stick Ltd of England, a manufacturer of paper sticks for confectionery goods. The bonded paper and paperboard Q-tips® stem was then introduced as an alternative to the wooden sticks.

 

In 1998, Q-tips® antimicrobial cotton swabs were launched. The q-tips were dipped in boric acid in the factory during the manufacturing process so they can be promoted as “personal hygiene” products. Boric acid provided the antiviral and anti-fungal properties. 

bamboo, cotton swabs, q-tips, biodegradable, ecofriendlyDo Cotton Swabs do More Harm than Good?

As far as health is concerned, many people believe that cotton swabs actually do more harm than good. Some say that the cotton pushes the ear wax even further into your ear canal and can possibly damage sensitive tissues. If improperly used, the cotton swab can actually compress the wax even more and cause damage to the sensitive ear organs. If you are using cotton swabs or Q-tips® for other purposes, like cleaning tight crevices, they are extremely helpful and harmless. They are a simple invention with multiple practical uses. 

 

For the environment, cotton swabs made of paper or bamboo are generally safe and harmless when disposed of. Paper and bamboo are both 100% biodegradable and compostable. They typically decompose within months. 

 

Are Cotton Swabs Recyclable? 

Cotton swabs are not recyclable. They are too small and lightweight to be sorted through the normal recycling process and may end up causing more environmental harm because they will pollute the waterways.

 

Regardless of whether they are made of bamboo sticks or paperboard, unfortunately, they will all end up in the landfill. So the best option we have is to buy and reuse ones that are 100% biodegradable made of natural cotton and bamboo or paperboard sticks in order to minimize the environmental impact. If either the cotton tip is made of synthetic or the stick is made of plastic, then the whole piece is not considered eco-friendly and will take years to decompose.

bamboo, cotton swabs, q-tips, biodegradable, ecofriendly

Why Switch to Bamboo Cotton Swabs?

So many may be wondering what’s the benefit of buying bamboo stick cotton swabs instead of the paperbonded applicator. The key benefit is that when using bamboo, there is no chemical, like adhesive, used to bond and stiffen the paper into a stick. Therefore, composting the bamboo variation is easier and faster. 

 

Bamboo is far more renewable than wood. It regrows to maturity within 5 years whereas wood will take 50 years. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant and can be found throughout the world. With very little agricultural input requirements, like pesticides, to grow, they are hardy, low maintenance plants considered to be one of the most eco friendly resources.

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Plastic Toothbrushes Contribute to Climate Change

Plastic Toothbrushes Contribute to Climate Change

Dentists , , , , , , , , , 3
29Aug

When we buy a plastic toothbrush, we don’t often think about what they’re made of or how they are disposed of. From the various selections available at the stores, we pick out what we need without any thought as to how our choices can impact our environment.

 

Retail stores give us a large selection of toothbrushes with various handle designs, colors, sizes and styles at affordable price ranges. But what you may not have noticed is that the selections are all made of plastic. Three and a half billion (with a “B”) toothbrushes are sold every year worldwide and millions of plastic toothbrushes are disposed of every year. 

 

Many of us are unaware that our limited choices corner us into buying from the selection of plastic toothbrushes that contribute to the plastic pollution that is causing climate change. This is serious stuff. 

plastic toothbrush, dental, ecofriendly, chanelle dupre

Plastic Toothbrushes Contribute to Climate Change

According to Statistics Canada, just over one-third (37.5%) of Canadians brush their teeth at least twice a day and floss at least once a day. The average person buys a new toothbrush every 3 – 4 months. This amounts to millions of plastic toothbrushes disposed of every year. But why is plastic used for toothbrushes and do we know its impact? 

 

Plastics are durable, versatile and cheap and for this reason, they are widely used in many household products such as toothbrushes, floss casing and dental picks. Unfortunately, plastic is hazardous to our planet from the beginning to the end of its lifecycle. Nearly every piece of plastic begins as a fossil fuel, and greenhouse gases are emitted at each stage of its life: 1) fossil fuel extraction and transport, 2) plastic refining and manufacture, 3) managing plastic waste, and 4) its ongoing impact in our oceans, waterways, and landscape

 

We are treading on dangerous territory if we continue to consume at the rate we are going. Even if growth slows after 2030, plastic production and incineration could emit 2.8 gigatons of CO2 per year by 2050 and accumulate in the atmosphere over time. Projected growth in plastic production and incineration will consume more than ten percent of the earth’s remaining carbon budget and this needs to change.

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Changing our Lifestyle and Choices

A transition toward a “zero waste” lifestyle which involves the conservation of resources from responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of materials without incineration or landfilling – is the best path to reduce emissions and slow down the pace towards climate change.

 

Knowing what impact plastic products have on our environment and its implications on our health now and in the future, we need to consciously make the right decisions. In our everyday life, we need to look at the various plastic products that we use and start replacing them with eco-friendly alternatives. It may seem like your impact will be small just by replacing your plastic use for biodegradable products, but your contribution will influence others to make changes in their choices as well.  

 

plastic toothbrush, dental, ecofriendly, chanelle dupre

Practical Implementation of Zero Waste Living

Our path to a zero waste lifestyle means being eco conscious. Here are rules to consider when trying to live a zero waste life:

  1. Refuse – do not buy plastic products
  2. Reduce – get into the habit of not buying things you don’t need
  3. Reuse – repurpose used products or buy products you are reuse versus dispose
  4. Recycle – separate your waste so it can be disposed efficiently including composting organics

You can start by choosing biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes instead of plastic ones. You can also offer the gift of biodegradable products to people on your gift list so they can be introduced to a new way of life that will be better for future generations.

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EcoLuxe Products, Sustainable, Sustainability, dental, bamboo toothbrush, Chanelle Dupre
How the Unassuming Toothbrush is Killing our Planet

How the Unassuming Toothbrush is Killing our Planet

Dentists , , , , , , , , , 2
20Jun

Millions of people have plastic toothbrushes. We’ve been using them since we were kids. We were taught at home and in school that maintaining a healthy dental hygiene is important. It’s a daily routine that we do everyday. For some of us more than once a day! 

Good oral health is important in preventing serious diseases that could affect our cardiovascular or digestive system. In keeping up with our healthy dental practice though, we should be brushing at least two times per day. With higher frequency and usage of dental products, we tend to cycle through more – buying, using and disposing of our plastic toothbrush. 

Soon, we will create landfills of non-biodegradable toothbrushes that will take years, maybe even centuries, to decompose. We forget to consider the impact we have on the environment when we dispose of plastic dental products. 

The Origins of the Toothbrush

The concept of a toothbrush has been around since 3000 BC. In ancient times, they used chew sticks much like dogs do now to keep their teeth clean. But the first mass produced toothbrush invention in the world was in England in 1780 by William Addis. Then a century later, an American, named H.N. Wadsworth patented the toothbrush in 1857. 

In 1938, the toothbrush was mass produced and sold commercially in the US. It became an essential household product and daily ritual for many families in the industrialized nations. Its introduction into our daily lives was influenced by military personnel coming home from the war effort and trained to maintain good dental hygiene and oral health. 

Since then, dentistry became an important branch of medicine and the dental industry grew to generate billions of dollars in dental product sales.

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The Non-biodegradable Nature of the Toothbrush

While we mass produce the toothbrush, we mass dispose of them as well and for centuries, they have been sitting in landfills or other places on the planet to decompose. 

For the past few decades, toothbrushes have been commercially mass produced using plastic and synthetic materials. The handles are formed using molds with plastic poured into them. The most common plastics used are polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene. In some cities, Polypropylene, known as PP5, can be recycled. While in other cities, PP5 is not currently accepted for recycling. Its tough, lightweight and heat resistant properties make it ideal for use as a handle for toothbrushes. 

Polyethylene, on the other hand, has 3 different types of recycling classification – recycle number 1, 2 and 4.  Polyethylene number 1 or PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) and number 2 or HDPE (high density polyethylene) can be recycled and are widely accepted by recycling companies. However, polyethylene number 4 or LDPE (low density polyethylene) is not widely acceptable for recycling and is the most commonly used materials for the toothbrush handle.

Handle Design

The four broad classes of toothbrush handles are straight, contra-angle, non-slip grip and flexible. These designs offer diversity to meet the various preferences, shapes and sizes of both hands and mouth. 

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Are Bristles Biodegradable?

The bristle is also another part of the toothbrush that has evolved over the years and has been introduced in the marketplace with variations in material and design. Some prefer soft bristles for more sensitive gums, while others prefer harder bristles to get rid of plaque more easily. 

Bristle pattern can also play a part in providing more effective cleaning of your teeth. Common varieties include wavy, crisscross, tapered and circular. The head of the toothbrush where the bristles sit come in various shapes – round, square or even diamond to help provide better reach inside the mouth.

In the past, bristles were made of boar hair but because it has been known to retain bacteria, it is not commonly used for toothbrushes that are mass produced for public use. Instead, nylon, with its antibacterial properties, is the preferred material and considered the most effective in cleaning away plaque and build up.

Unfortunately, nylon bristles are not biodegradable. They are synthetic materials made of carbon-based chemicals like coal and petroleum. The creation of nylon itself is not a sustainable practice. It requires a lot of water and energy to cool the plastic fibers. The water absorbs pollutants from the fibers and then released into the environment again through whatever water supply is for dumping waste. 

During the manufacturing process, nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas is emitted into the atmosphere contributing to the carbon pollution that is linked to global warming and climate change.

 

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The Alternative

Plastics and synthetic nylon used to produce toothbrushes offer the durability, flexible design possibilities and antibacterial properties that are essential considerations for an effective dental product. But unfortunately, the materials are not only non eco-friendly but also the manufacturing process doesn’t apply sustainable practices.

So why do we use plastic based toothbrushes that contain non-biodegradable materials that can’t be broken down to other reusable materials? 

Well, manufacturers produce products that fulfill consumer needs and they design them in such a way as to fulfill the regulatory requirements to meet safety and health standards. 

If we were to make an impact on preserving our planet, we need to do it one toothbrush at a time and choose a more eco-friendly alternative made of bamboo and plant-based bristles. Although not yet widely sold in stores, you can find them online and buy them for yourself or as a gift.

If you’re a business and you want to consider distributing or selling bamboo toothbrush made of biodegradable material, fill out the form.

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