Top 5 Green Products For Sustainability You NEED Today!
Have you seen that video clip of a sea turtle with a plastic straw stuck up its nose? You have to admit that somewhere along the way, something went wrong.
If you've been shopping lately, you’ll notice just how much plastic you’re surrounded by. Whether it be the item itself or the wrapping that it comes packed in, plastic has ingrained itself in our lives.
Sure, we may tell ourselves that we don’t actually buy many of these products and those that we do buy, have hugely contributed to our comfort levels. However, did you know that many of these products leave a large carbon footprint in their wake? This harms the oceans and pollutes the very air that we breathe.
Perhaps at this point you’re thinking to yourself - “But I already bought that metal straw thing that was so popular sometime back. I am eco-friendly lah”.
Well, sorry to break it to you, but you can do even more. One metal straw when you’re probably still driving a petrol-powered car, or even using the air-conditioning for most of the day and night, and probably still throwing your trash in the bins instead of going through it and sorting out the recyclables to send them all for recycling.
The truth is, we all can do even more to contribute to sustainable living. The best part is that living sustainably does not require the purchase of pricey things. It is quite the opposite, actually, and very possible to do on a budget.
Here are 5 eco-friendly items that you need to be using today!
Straws
Let’s just get this one out of the way. We started this article by giving you the example of a sea turtle with a plastic straw stuck up its nose. If you haven’t seen that clip yet, do us all a favour and buy yourself an alternative eco-friendly straw of your own that you can reuse, along with a brush so that you can keep the straw clean. Then, go onto YouTube and search for “Sea Turtle With Straw Up Its Nostril”. There’s also a more gruesome video of a plastic fork stuck up a sea turtle’s nose…this brings us to the next item on our list.
Say that you are worried about that metallic taste, here’s a natural straw made from.
Eating Utensils
Many meal delivery apps now allow you to opt-out of receiving plastic, single-use utensils. That's all nice and well when we're stuck at home for the foreseeable future, but what about when things return to normal?
How about getting yourself some reusable cutlery instead? With all that environmental stewardship going on, the food won't be the only thing that leaves a wonderful taste in your mouth. There are some very cute travel chopsticks with cases that you can get for a reasonable price and there are also a lot of other utensil options if you’re not just looking for chopsticks like this plant-based bamboo utensil made by KNORK.
Grocery Bags
Have you heard of the Bag for Life campaign in the United Kingdom? Yes, you could say - "What's the big deal? This is Singapore, not England". However, even in Singapore, there are alternatives to plastic baggies.
So, instead of using plastic bags on your next solitary trip to the supermarket, fill up some eco-friendly grocery bags instead. These alternative bags can be found at the checkout aisles.
Also, if you can’t find one of those, we are all familiar with the iconic IKEA woven bags by now, right? Those blue Swedish things made in China are so strong that we’re surprised nobody thought of using them as bulletproof vests.
Of course, that was a joke and you should never use one of those bags as a bulletproof vest…at least use two of them!
All jokes aside, we weren’t kidding about their sturdy nature. One of our writers has used one of those bags for years now and he says it is still as functional as the day he bought it. Just as a bonus to using your bag, you won’t be charged when you’re out grocery shopping and you need a bag from checking out at the cashiers.
Imagine how much you can save in the long run just from one bag…and we’re not just talking about the financial savings, we’re also imagining how much plastic can be saved over the years.
Photo Credit: Ecoegg
Laundry Egg
Yes, such a thing exists. If you want to avoid the use of harsh chemicals contained in laundry detergent, use a laundry egg instead. This laundry washing method cleans clothes well and lasts for hundreds of washes by utilising two types of natural mineral pellets encased in a recyclable egg.
Photo Credit: Frey
If you can’t get your hands on one of these eggy-looking bad boys, don’t worry, there are alternatives to it like this completely innovative and green way to do the laundry by using detergent sheets.
Reusable Takeaway Sippy Cups
Because all of our favourite food and beverage establishments are always crowded, we're all about takeout. As a result, you should arm yourself with the king of reusable products: the BYO coffee cup! Whichever brand you choose, and there are many out there, one thing is certain - you'll still receive your cup of joe, but with the extra gratification of knowing that one fewer plastic lid will end up in the trash.
Many cafes will also give you a modest discount if you bring your cup. Win-win for everyone! What's our favourite? Well, anything that we can use to conserve the environment and contain our morning coffee! Yes, we are all dependent on coffee here at Shopcada.
You can get one of your own from Tangs, Lazada, and a variety of other vendors, but we prefer to back kickstarters because, here at Shopcada, we are a platform that’s all about making those ecommerce business dreams a reality!
Singapore will soon announce a Green Plan to address climate change and promote sustainability, which will be a top policy goal for the government. Thus, it is a good idea if you sell eco-friendly products in Singapore.
Closing Words
There you have it, folks. Those are some of the best items you can start having today on your journey to a greener future.
Coincidentally, those items are also small, easy to package, and can be shipped quite easily. Maybe you should consider looking into trading those products and being the catalyst for eco-friendly change in your community today!
More articles please read Product Strategy: Your 100% Guide With Examples And Best Practices!
