Shugar Soapwork Review - 3.5/5

I discovered this brand when I purchased a bar of soap at the Dollar Tree! I needed a bar of soap for the shower and the first thing that caught my eye about this brand was that the box was not wrapped in plastic. Upon checking the back of the box, I decided that this would be a good quick buy that seemed to match up to the lifestyle I’m trying to follow. Upon further inspection, my quick buy seems to have been an excellent pick for buying a sustainable product on a budget. Here’s more about the brand, Shugar Soapwork:

1. Cruelty Free - 1 pt. This brand is cruelty free! However, I have not found anything stating whether or not they search specifically for cruelty free suppliers.
2. Sustainability - 0.5 pt. The soaps are packaged very simply, in a recyclable cardboard box with nothing else. I only gave them half a point for this category because although they can be recycled, they do not indicate whether or not the box is made of recycled materials. They do state on their website that where possible, they use recycled materials within their company but do not elaborate.
3. Ingredients - 1 pt. This brand is vegan! The ingredients they put in their soaps do not include artificial colors, animal products, preservatives or chemicals or petrochemicals and are sustainably sourced. They do utilize palm oil, however they only used RSPO certified palm oil from sustainably grown sources, meaning they have little to no impact on the environment.
4. Sources - 0.5 pt. Where they purchase their ingredients is not detailed on the website. I’ve awarded half a point because they make it a point to clearly state that the palm oil they use is certified sustainable. They also state that they operate during off-peak hours to lighten the load on the grid system, so they are doing things to make sure not only are their products kind to the environment, but their daily operations are too.
5. Ethics - 0.5 pt. Technically, going by what I originally stated would be the requirement for the ethics portion of company reviews, Shugar Soapwork shouldn’t receive any points for this, as they are not overtly involved in the sustainable community. However, they do donate to a variety of charities working to improve the livelihood of others, including charities for victims of domestic violence, those who are homeless, veterans, and many others.

Notable negatives - Shugar Soapworks does not offer a lot of traceable information on their website. There is also no way to order these through the company website. If you want to purchase these online, you must go through the Dollar Tree website.

Notable positives - These soaps are sold in the Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and the 99 Cent Stores! This is by far the cheapest sustainable product I have found. There’s also a variety of scents available so there should be one for everyone, meaning you can easily switch to this brand.

Source

Company Reviewing and Ranking

In the interest of making it as easy as possible for others to find the products that work best for them and align with a sustainable lifestyle, I’ll be reviewing and ranking companies based on the following categories:

1. Cruelty Free - are the products tested on animals?
2. Sustainability - are the products packaged sustainably?
3. Ingredients - are the ingredients natural?
4. Sources - are the sources responsible?
5. Ethics - does the company endorse sustainability/environmentally friendly attitudes outside of their own company?

I will rank companies based on these five categories. Companies will get either a full point or half a point and have a ranking out of five. They might receive a special mention or an extra point if they check off a requirement that is not on the above list. I’ll still do individual product reviews, but these will be to help point you in the right direction to companies and products you can love guilt free.

#6 - Into the Kitchen

At first, my primary focus on changing was in the bathroom with my hygiene routine. I’m still working on that, but since I’ve become accustomed to trying different things and keeping track of it all, I’ve expanded my reach into the kitchen as well. I don’t remember the last time I purchased a bottle of water, as I started using reusable ones a while back, long before I started this blog. However, since I started in on this journey, I’ve also cut out everything else that’s in a plastic bottle. I can’t tell you how badly I’d like a Gatorade some days!! But those are bottle-only so the last time I tasted one was months ago when I snuck some of my brother’s that he left on the kitchen table. If I feel like a Sprite, I’ll get it in a can and while I guzzle Arizona Green Teas from time to time I’ve had it out of a bottle twice max in the past ten years. I also recently bought metal straws because (confession time) I am a weak human being and absolutely love boba tea so when I get it I have it with a straw because I take it on the go and can’t really open the lid and eat the boba with a spoon if I’m trying to walk around or get work done with it. But now I have a reusable one big enough to fit the boba so those days are over. I also have to see if they’re willing to put it in my cup instead of in the single-use plastic ones. If not, it pains me to no end to say this but I’ll have to cut out boba. I’ve also cut out a lot of things that come individually wrapped. There are some days I’m dying for a cookies n cream granola bar for breakfast but they’re so wasteful and regardless of how badly I want berries, I refuse to buy them at the store because of the neat little plastic containers they come in. It might not be a big difference, but I’ve also stopped eating candy that comes wrapped individually. I’ve switched to the boxed candy you can buy for a dollar, and only the kind that does not come in a plastic bag or with the box wrapped in plastic but I know I’ll have to stop even that soon enough. I still buy corn dogs, which I don’t like doing because they come in a big ol cardboard box with a thin plastic bag inside but it really helps me ensure I actually have something to eat because there are some days where I have nothing in the house and just can’t afford to go to the store to purchase something. It’s mostly a matter of finding a balance between what I want to eat, what I can afford, and what’s easiest on the environment.

Bamboo: Your New Love

Let’s take a moment and talk about how wonderful bamboo is! There are over 1500 types of bamboo that can be found on every almost continent. It can be used in endless ways, including in medicine, architecture, house hold objects, and food! It is extremely low maintenance to grow (so low it generally doesn’t even require fertilizer) and in the right conditions, can grow three feet (0.91 meters) or more in one day and reach maturity within five years. It also releases 30% more oxygen than other plants - that goes without saying it also absorbs more carbon dioxide than other plants. Despite being a plant, bamboo is stronger than steel and can even hold up better than concrete. Unlike concrete, bamboo is naturally antibacterial, meaning items made of bamboo can naturally prevent or kill 70% more bacteria than an object made out of another material. These aren’t even all the amazing things bamboo does! Check out the source for more about what else bamboo does. Of course, on top of all this, bamboo looks fantastic in any home and its compostability means that you don’t have to feel guilty about wanting to buy a new item.

Electricity, Electricity

My siblings and I grew up with our mom telling us we needed to turn lights off to ‘save electricity.’ The primary reason behind this was to reduce our electric bill every month. But did you know that by saving electricity, you also save other resources, such as water? By reducing the amount of electricity you use, you also reduce your use of the resources required to create it. Here are some ways you can reduce your electricity use, carbon footprint, and your monthly bill!

• Turn lights off when you’re not using them. Don’t leave lights on in another room because you’re ‘coming right back.’ It takes almost no effort to flip a switch so you might as well turn it off as you leave the room.
• Unplug things when they are not in use. Even though your charger isn’t charging your phone, it’s still connected to the current, and is basically sending electricity nowhere. This raises your bill and your carbon footprint. (I had a lot of trouble starting this habit, but that was because the outlet I used most often was in a really inconvenient place. Once I found a better placed outlet, I plugged my items into a power strip and now I just unplug the power strip before I leave the room.
• Buy energy-saving lightbulbs and invest in power-saving appliances, if you can.
• Dry your clothes on a line, rather than using a dryer.
• Don’t leave your electronics plugged in all night. If you have the time, charge your phone/tablet/device before you go to bed and then unplug it. Leaving these items plugged in all night is bad for the battery anyways (it reduces the life of the battery much faster than unplugging it once it’s fully charged).
• Open your windows and change your thermostat. If the weather’s nice, ditch the AC! If not, then raise your thermostat by two degrees in the summer and lower it by two degrees in the winter from what you normally use it at. Your AC will turn on less often and won’t have to work for as long.

I switched to a bamboo toothbrush a couple months ago, once my regular plastic Colgate toothbrush was at the end of its life. I discovered bamboo toothbrushes from Instagram ads and I’m glad I did. Before I started this journey, there were things that I didn’t like using and didn’t like throwing away but toothbrushes were never something I thought twice about, since it’s a hygienic item. However, they are made of plastics which don’t decompose for hundreds or thousands of years, depending on the surrounding conditions. Here are the details on them:

• Form: These toothbrushes are made of bamboo and nylon bristles. The bamboo, when composted properly, can decompose in 6 months. Unfortunately, the bristles are not biodegradable. They should be removed before composting the handle. The brushes are also fairly straight as opposed to other plastic ones that tend to curve for a more comfortable grip.
• Price: On Amazon, it is $12 for a pack of 4. This is $4 more than the toothbrushes I normally get. It’s not a big difference though, considering one pack lasts a single person an entire year. It is a little frustrating because I have not been able to find these in a store, only available to order online.
• Fragrance: Not applicable, it’s a toothbrush!
• Packaging: This brand packages the four toothbrushes in individual boxes, inside a larger box. The boxes are made from recycled material and are themselves recyclable. They also do not feature a plastic window, while some other brands do.
• Use: Before switching, I used curved toothbrushes so this was a little weird to switch to but I was accustomed to it within just a few days. It wasn’t uncomfortable, just different. Other people have written reviews saying their brushes had bristles fall out. I purchased a four pack and gave one to each person in my family and the only issue anyone has had was a single bristle (not a clump of them) on my mom’s brush fell out, but she also brushes pretty intensely. I haven’t noticed a difference in my dental hygiene since switching.

I will say it’s a little disappointing to know that the bristles on this are not biodegradable, but through my research I’ve found that so far the only biodegradable alternative are bristles made from pig or boar hair, which I don’t think I could get on board with. I’m going to try and come up with a use for the bristles but I don’t think I’ll have any good ideas for a while. It is nice to be reminded twice a day that I’m making a difference, even by something as simple as changing my tooth brushing implement.

Greenwash: misleading information presented by an organization to appear more environmentally responsible than they actually are

Although you may not look for these terms as much as the others, these are still important to understand which is which. Knowing the difference will allow you to buy from companies that meet your ethical standards with ease.

Clean vs.Nontoxic vs. Organic

Cleanrefers to ingredients that are not harmful to your health.

Nontoxicrefers to ingredients that are not harmful to your health or the environment.

Organicrefers to products that are produced with all natural ingredients, without synthetic chemicals that may have been deemed safe.

Ethical vs. Fair Trade vs. Artisan

Ethicaldescribes appropriate working conditions and employees that are paid fairly for their work by multinational companies.

Fair trade describes the movement ensuring producers abroad receive fair compensation for their work and products.

Artisandescribes products that are handmade, with minimal automation by skilled workers in developing countries.

**It is important to note that although a product can claim to be any of the above, these are not binding terms. The best thing to do is to look for products that are certified by a third party.

There are so many terms that show up on green product labels, you might assume that they all mean pretty much the same thing. However, this would be incorrect. Each term indicates something different about the product you’re buying. Here’s the differentiations between the most common ones you might look for:

Green vs. Eco-friendly vs. Sustainable

Greenapplies to anything that benefits the environment in some way.

Eco-friendly applies to products that don’t harm the planet.

Sustainableis much more specific. It applies to products that do not use a lot of resources (including water, energy, and whatever the product is actually made of) during production and do not create a lot of pollution after disposal.

Cruelty Free vs. Vegetarian vs. Vegan

Cruelty Free means that the ingredients or products have not been tested on animals.

Vegetarian means that a product does not contain animal products but it may contain animal byproducts, such as milk, honey, and other ingredients.

Vegan means that the product does not contain any animal products or byproducts.

**It is important to note that although a product can claim to be any of the above, these are not binding terms. The best thing to do is to look for products that are certified by a third party.

Not trying to scare you, but I think it would be good to know:

• Plastic takes up to 1,000 years to degrade in a landfill.
  
• Recycling plastic takes 88% less energy than making plastic from raw materials.
  
• Enough plastic is thrown away each year to circle the Earth four times.
  
• Americans throw away 35 billion plastic bottles every year.
  
• Only about 25% of the plastic produced in the U.S. is recycled.
  
• If we recycled the other 75% we could save 1 billion gallons of oil and 44 million cubic yards of landfill space annually.
  
• Using aluminum or glass containers is always preferable over plastic.
  
• A plastic bottle of drinking water contains on average 4 cents worth of water.

Source

So many things nowadays come in packages when they don’t have to, like spices, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. A lot of organic stores like Sprouts and Trader Joe’s offer some of these items in bulk, though they usually provide plastic bags for you to use when shopping there. A good way to reduce the amount of packing you have to throw away without limiting what you can eat is buying in bulk. You can go to these shops and bring your own reusable, resealable bags to use and then bring them back again when you need to purchase more. You could also bring the containers you store them in, but depending what you are using that might just be too heavy. If your local grocery stores don’t offer a lot in bulk and you are unsure where else you can go to purchase things in bulk, check out these websites below:

Litterless - allows you to search by state

Zero Waste Nerd - has a list of bulk stores organized by state

Bamboo Cotton Swab Review

In one of my personal posts a while back, I wrote that I had given up buying cotton swabs because of the large plastic container they come in. While that was what I intended to do, I just couldn’t do it. My ears need a cleaning deeper than the corner of my towels can give! But I wasn’t about to cave and just buy a plastic pack of them. I ended up finding these, the case of which is cardboard, which I was super excited about. Once I got them though, I realized I wouldn’t be purchasing them again. Check out why:

• Form: So these are cotton buds connected by bamboo instead of plastic or cardboard. They come in five different colors and also in different shapes. The ones I purchased were pink and shaped kind of in three sections. The cotton is packed on a little lighter than the common Q-Tips brand.
• Price: I paid about $6 total for a 200 count pack, which is 3x more than I would normally pay for a pack of 500.
• Fragrance: These have no fragrance.
• Packaging: The whole reason I decided on these was for the packaging. They are described as being wrapped in cardboard. And that’s true, the cute brown container they come in is cardboard, but (and this is my fault for overlooking this in the pictures) the circle on top is not simply a hole, its a plastic window. Furthermore, when this arrived in the mail, it was wrapped in a layer of thin foam as well as a large plastic bag. I purchased mine off eBay, which I assume is straight from the source because it was from a seller based in Shiang Hai, and the characters are Mandarin. I know that it is possible to find these on Etsy as well (at a higher price), but I will not be trying those because IF they don’t come with all the extra wrapping, what’s likely happening is that the Etsy sellers are purchasing these in bulk, foam and plastic wrapped, then discarding that wrapping before shipping them off to make their customers feel as if their purchase was low waste.
• Use: I like these just as much as the Q-tips brand cotton swabs. They work great for cleaning ears or removing small bits of makeup. Since the cotton is wrapped lighter, it is a little harder on the skin but it’s not uncomfortable.

I was really disappointed with these as soon as I opened the package. The extra packaging essentially cancelled out the fact that these use bamboo and cardboard. I’ve been using these sparingly, just once in a while when I’m really in need so to stretch the time before I’m on the hunt for another kind to try. Although really, I should ditch cotton swabs altogether because cotton is not exactly an environmentally friendly plant. But that’s for another post.

Soo fake nails are definitely not #zerowaste but my roommate (who is not on a waste reducing journey) bought some and the extras that don’t fit her do fit me. So instead of going straight to the trash unused, they’re on me and now I’m wondering what the best way to dispose of them is. they’re made of ABS plastic with polyacrylic acid and ethylhexyl acrylate adhesive. I feel like they’re probably too small to just take to the recycling center.. Any suggestions?

Eco WEDDINGS

Here are some ideas:

- Give tree as a present. Just kidding. But really potted succulents make great surprise gifts that also spreads photosynthesis. 

- Be modern and use e-invites. Or get some recycled paper, it has a nice feeling to it.

- Don’t use disposable ware. Think compostable.

If you have any more inspiration strikes, comment. I would love to read them. 

also check my eco-wedding decor: etsy shop

https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/SustainiLab

Help reduce produce waste by buying individual bananas at the store! Most single ones get overlooked in favor of bunches so buying the singles and doubles will get them off the rack before they start going bad and get tossed. Plus you can pick the ones without a sticker!

Avocado Co-Wash Bar Review

So a little while back I purchased the Avocado Co-Wash Conditioner Bar from Lush. When I was finally rid of all of my bottled conditioner, I was super excited to try it, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. But don’t let that discourage you from trying this bar! Here are the details on it:

• Form:I read somewhere that since this is a co-wash it is 80%  conditioner and 20% shampoo so this bar had a little bit of lather, but not much (after all, what conditioner lathers?). Bonus: this is a co-wash so you don’t technically need to use shampoo any longer which saves you money. It looks exactly like the above picture and is sliced like a piece of cake. The green is a little soft if you press on it, and gets softer when wet while the red, as far as I could tell, is wax which doesn’t melt away unless you spend ages rubbing it between your hands. This is probably to help it hold up better in the shower. This bar is made primarily of natural ingredients, although it does contain some ‘safe synthetics’ including sulfates and fragrance. The full list of ingredients can be found on the product page of Lush, and you can click on any ingredient you’re not familiar with to learn more about what it is and why they use it.
• Price vs Amount: I paid $11 for 0.16 pounds which is basically a palm sized piece on the smaller side. If your hair is half as thick as mine, I wouldn’t imagine you having any problems using it for a good while.
• Fragrance:This smells exactly like Pez. Personally, I absolutely loved it because I came to terms long ago that anything I used for my hair would smell like coconuts. The smell was very strong, my sister could smell it from downstairs while I was showering upstairs and I could still catch the smell on my hair two days later.
• Packaging: When I purchased this, it came wrapped in 100% recyclable/biodegradable paper with a paper price sticker.
• Use: At first, I tried using this to aid in brushing through my hair like I normally do with conditioner but I didn’t feel like it was working the best it could, so I switched to brushing my hair without it and letting it soak on my hair while I finished the rest of my shower. This worked better so I continued like this for about a week. At that point, however, I couldn’t deny that my hair wasn’t getting as much moisture as it needs so I used the whole remaining half of the bar all at once to see if maybe I just wasn’t using enough. It was better than when I was using reasonable portions but it still didn’t hydrate my hair like I was hoping

Overall, if you’re looking for a conditioner bar and don’t mind strong smells I would definitely recommend giving this one a try. My review may not sound all that favorable for how well it actually worked but keep in mind that my hair needs a LOT of moisture. It’s super thick with 3C/4A type curls. When I wear it down, it’s pretty much an afro. I’ve always gone for things formulated specifically for curly hair because anything else, even if it contains coconut (like the Herbal Essences Hello Hydration duo) it just doesn’t do it for my hair. I could tell the bar was trying, so if my hair wasn’t so thick, I think it would’ve worked amazingly. Other girls I’ve talked to that have tried this absolutely love it, and their hair is still thick and wavy. If you want to try this, head into Lush and ask for a sample! They’re usually pretty open about letting customers try products before purchasing them. If you do decide to go ahead and purchase this but don’t like it, Lush is also generally pretty forgiving and will let you return it to them, even used.

Treat the planet as nice as your partner (or yourself!) this valentines

Nut Milk

I wrote this whole post then hit the escape button on accident so this may be of lower quality than before sorry :(

Cows are responsible for a disproportionate amount of methane and CO2 gasses that contribute to global warming. These being the facts, it is no wonder that more and more of the environmentally conscious are embracing veganism as well. One change you can easily make is the milk you drink! Some of the most common alternatives to traditional cow’s milk are almond, oat, cashew, and rice milks. While these don’t contain as much protein as cow’s milk, they are generally lower in calorie count and better for your overall health. This is particularly true because cows nowadays are often injected with hormones and steroids, which we ingest through the milk. By switching away from cow’s milk, you can avoid this (and keep them out of your childrens’ systems!!). You can also make your own substitution milks, so that it will contain the most basic ingredients, be almost entirely zero waste, and from what I’ve found, it can even be cheaper than what you might purchase in the store. I’ve been drinking almond milk for four months now and I love it! I’ll use my roommate’s regular milk on occasion but I’ve always had trouble drinking cow’s milk straight and now it’s even more true, because I love the taste of almond milk and the cow’s milk now to my palette has a bit of an animal-y taste to it, the same way that goat’s cheese does.

Know Your Labels - Vegan

Although you may not be vegan, you should consider using vegan products. They are natural and tend not to contain harmful chemicals and synthetics that can harm you or the environment or utilize an abundance of resources to create!

Depending on where you are, the labels on your products might look different. The three above logos are the most common ones used to confirm that the items you are buying are certified vegan. The above logos are identifiers of certified, third party organizations that companies have asked to verify their products. Any other logo that certifies a product as vegan may be false, planted by the company with the intent of deceiving consumers. Here’s what you should know about them:

Vegan Action (top left): Requires companies to provide signed statements by the manufacturer with documents proving they are vegan. This organization does not test or monitor products, meaning this is based on the company and manufacturer’s honesty.

Vegan Society (top right): Companies provide signed statements by the manufacturer with documents to prove they are vegan. This organization also does not require testing or monitoring, so this is also based on the honesty of the company and manufacturer being certified.

PETA (bottom): This label certifies that a product is both cruelty free and vegan. To be certified, companies complete a short questionnaire and provide a statement of assurance. Once again, no testing or monitoring is performed, so these companies are certified based on their honesty.

(Source)

Brush with Bamboo Review

This is the second brand of bamboo toothbrush I have used and although I am used to the straight back that is standard for bamboo toothbrushes, something about the way the bristles are placed on this one made it slightly uncomfortable in my mouth. 

• Form: This toothbrushes is made of bamboo and nylon bristles. The bamboo can be composted but unfortunately, the bristles are not biodegradable. They should be removed before composting the handle. As you can see, this backside of the handle is straight, rather than curved like many plastic toothbrushes. 
• Price: I purchased one of these individually, for $5. You can buy 4 for $20 on their website. This is $12 more than what I would normally pay for a pack of 4 plastic toothbrushes.
• Fragrance: Not applicable, it’s a toothbrush!
• Packaging: When I ordered this, I did not see a picture of how it came, so I was pretty unhappy to find that it came with plastic wrapping in the window of the box. The box itself is recycled material and there is no extra packaging inside the box.
• Use: After adjusting to this brush, I realized why I was not as fond of this one as the first one I tried. Personally, i thought the brush part just felt too big in my mouth. It did eventually stop bothering me but it took a little longer to adjust to than it did to the straight back of these kinds of toothbrushes.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad toothbrush. The fact that the brush felt a little larger to me isn’t a deal breaker, but I did find it a little more expensive than the first I tried and the fact that it has a plastic window in the box means that I won’t be purchasing it again. 

Staying Aware

I don’t know how you found this blog, but my guess is that since you found it you’re interested in sustainable living on some level. Regardless of where you are in your journey, and especially if you haven’t started or you’re not sure if you want to, I’d like you to take a moment and look around you. Open your bathroom cabinets, your kitchen cabinets, just look around your bedroom and think about what you see. If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say in your bathroom you have toothpaste, a toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, body soap, a razor, shaving cream, hand soap, perfume, lotion, contact solution, face wash, sunscreen, hair gel, mouthwash, and makeup remover. Some of you will have more products than these and some of you will have less, but I’d say these are the common items most people will have. Most of these come in plastic containers. In the kitchen, I’m sure you have containers of juice, milk, condiments, fruit and vegetables in plastic bags, saran wrapped meats and granola bars nicely wrapped up. These things are also all in plastic, whether bulky or thin. That’s just two of the rooms in your house. Now, don’t think I’m trying to make you feel bad. Consuming things is in our nature and marketing has long targeted us to make us believe we need more things than we do. I simply would like you to be aware of how much you have in your house, how much of it will be around long after you are gone. If you can remember that once in a while, making sustainable changes should be that much easier.