Natural aloe vera
Go Green: Organic aloe
- Badger Aloe Vera Gel – Made with 96% pure organic aloe, GMO-free, Fair Trade Certified, vegan, cruelty free, packaged in a 50% PCR tube, made with solar power. Available at Amazon / Whole Foods
- All Good Soothing Aloe Gel – Vegan, botanical ingredients, Leaping Bunny certified. Available at Grove / EarthHero
- Beauty by Earth Aloe Vera Gel – 98% organic aloe vera. The company is Leaping Bunny certified and Plastic Neutral. Available at Grove / Amazon / Target
- Fat and the Moon Aloe Lotion – a great plastic-free option for burns and dry, sensitive, or itchy skin. Concocted with organic aloe and only 4 other ingredients housed in a glass jar. Available at EarthHero.
Click here for sustainable sunscreen and other non-toxic skincare options.
Bandages
Go Green: Plastic-free bandages
Try Nutricare PATCH bandages and sports tape made from bamboo. They are a Certified B Corp and all their products and packaging are compostable.
Natural bug repellent
Go Green: DEET-free
- Murphy’s Naturals Lemon Eucalyptus Oil Mosquito & Tick Repellent Spray – Only contains 2 ingredients: Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (30%) and Deionized Water and Corn Ethanol (70%). This Certified B Corp is family-owned and products are manufactured in North Carolina. In addition to this spray, they sell a repellent balm and numerous other natural repellent products. Available at Grove / Amazon
- Badger Anti-Bug Balm – Free of DEET with 95% organic ingredients, including lemongrass, citronella, and cedarwood. A great plastic-free product in a tin. Badger’s Bug Spray is another great option with the same ingredients in a non-aerosol aluminum spray bottle. Available at ZWS / Amazon / Target / Grove
- Meow Meow Tweet Lemongrass Geranium Insect Repellant – Numerous organic oils mixed in sugar cane alcohol come in a metal spray bottle. Available at EarthHero
- US Organic Anti Bug Spray – Comprised of 9 natural, certified organic ingredients, DEET and alcohol free, Leaping Bunny certified. Packaged in an aluminum spray bottle.
For itchy bites, try Fat and the Moon’s Bite & Burn Spray, made with yarrow, witch hazel extract, and lavender and tea tree essential oils. Murphy’s Natural Bite Relief Soothing Balm or Stick is another good choice.
Contact Lenses
Go Green: Recycle contact lenses & packaging
Any brand of contact lens, along with the blister packaging, can be recycled through Terracycle at participating store locations.
Cotton Swabs
Go Green: Skip swabs with plastic sticks
Do not buy swabs with plastic sticks. Purchase 100% cotton swabs with paperboard sticks, such as Q-Tips. You can also buy swabs with bamboo sticks, such as BOONBOO Cotton Swabs. This company is a certified B Corp, Climate Neutral, and 1% For the Planet member. Also available on Amazon.
Swabs made from 100% cotton or bamboo are compostable.
Try out a reusable swab such as Last Object’s LastSwab. I decided to give it a try, and it is not as gross as it may seem and is surprisingly very easy to clean. The one thing I will say is I wish the texture was a little softer. Although it adequately cleans ear wax, it is not absorbent and doesn’t help dry out water in the ear canal, which for me is a big reason I like to use them after a shower. They do make a swab specifically for beauty that looks softer, so if you use swabs for makeup touchups that would also be worth a try. Also available at Grove / Zero Waste Store.
Dentures
Since dentures are fitted to each individual, dentures are not something that can be passed on. The internet is full of ideas, such as donating them to a school, artist, or dental office, but quite frankly, I think this might be a hard sell.
Can dentures be recycled?
The only place in the world (at least that I can find) that recycles old dentures is the Japan Denture Recycling Association. They donate proceeds from selling the precious metals to UNICEF.
Eyeglasses
Go Green: Donate old glasses
Donate used glasses to your local Lions Club, which has drop-off boxes at Walmart vision centers. Costco optical centers also have a donation box. Opticals such as LensCrafters and Pearle vision also collect donations; check with your local optical.
Eyeglasses recycling
If you have a pair of broken frames, they most likely will have to end up in the trash. Metal frames could go to a scrap metal recycler. Plastic lenses must be thrown away; glass lenses should be able to be recycled wherever glass is accepted.
Face Mask Recycling
Disposable face masks can be recycled; the trick is finding where to take them.
Vida has a free recycling program for their customers.
Terracycle will recycle face masks and other PPE in their Zero Waste Box, but these are not cheap.
Sustainable Feminine Hygiene
In her lifetime, the average menstruating woman disposes of approximately 10,000 feminine products, which is around 300 pounds worth.
Click here for eco-friendly period products.
Eco-friendly hand sanitizer
Go Green: Skip wasteful sanitizer wipes; go plastic-free
Sanitizer wipes are not made from plant-based material. Instead, they are usually composed of polyester or polypropylene, both fossil fuel-based, non-biodegradable plastics.
| Ingredients in Hand Sanitizer | Avoid | Why Avoid | Best Alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | Methanol (wood alcohol) | Serious health risks | Ethanol/Ethyl Alcohol |
| Emollients (Moisturizers) | Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol | Not biodegradable | Vegetable Glycerin, Aloe Vera, Jojoba Oil |
| Stabilizers/Thickeners | Polyacrylates, Carbomer, EDTA | Petroleum-based, Non-biodegradable | Xantham gum, Cellulose derivatives, Guar gum, Lethicin |
| Synthetic Color | FD&C or D&C | Unnecessary, may irritate skin, non-biodegradable | Dye-free |
| Synthetic Fragrance | Fragrance (Parfum) | May contain unknown/harmful ingredients, such as phthalates | Natural essential oils |
| Water |
The CDC recommends consumers use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% ethanol.
Plastic-free Hand Sanitizers
- Package Free Hand Sanitizer – 80% Ethanol, hydrogen peroxide, purified water, vegetable glycerin (made without palm oil). Packaged in a glass bottle.
- Earthy Edith’s Grand Hand Sanitizer – 100% plant-based made with organic, non-GMO cane alcohol paired with jojoba oil, glycerin, and essential oils. Packaged in a glass bottle with refills available for purchase. Also available at Zero Waste Store.
Natural hand soap
Go Green: Skip antibacterial soaps; buy soap refills
Refrain from using antibacterial soaps. There is no evidence that they are more effective at spreading germs than regular soap and water, and may even contribute to creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Additionally, these soaps usually contain triclosan, which should be avoided in any product as it can has numerous adverse health effects.
If you don’t already have refillable soap dispensers, replace all single-use pump bottles with them and start buying soap refills. There are many options for you to easily go plastic-free here.
If you prefer foaming hand soap, try soap tablets in plastic free packaging from a variety of brands like Blueland, Dropps, or Meliora. With these, you simply drop the tablet into the soap dispenser and add water.
I personally don’t like foaming soap, and luckily there are great liquid options that come in aluminum bottles.
- My favorite is Grove Hydrating Hand Soap. They’re sudsy, made with clean ingredients, and have a variety of delicious fragrances available that are made from essential oils and plant extracts. There is a free & clear option, too. On top of that, the price is reasonable: $5.49 for a 13oz refill ($0.42/oz).
- Hand in Hand – only 2 of their scents currently come in a larger refill option. Available at Whole Foods / Grove
- Cleancult now offers hand soap in aluminum bottles, and the refills are a steal at $8.99 for 32oz ($0.28/oz). Available on Amazon.
- Plaine Products Hand Wash – I do love their products, but the hand wash is quite pricey, $20 for 16oz. Available at ZWS / EarthHero
Hearing aids
Where to donate hearing aids
Donate to local organizations or the Hearing Aid Project.
Medical Supplies
Where to donate unused medical supplies
Donate unneeded medical supplies to a local organization or clinics that serve indigent populations. If there are none in your area, you may try to send items to one of these organizations:
Medications
Natural herbs and supplements
There are a few companies that I really like for their mission, packaging, and high quality sustainable ingredients.
- Gaia Herbs is a Certified B Corp that grows its plants on its Regenerative Organic Certified farm in North Carolina using responsible farming techniques that do not include pesticides or other chemicals. Anything not grown on the farm is sourced from others who share the same high environmental and fair trade social standards. Products do not contain synthetic colors or sweeteners and are USDA Organic and non-GMO and are not processed with harmful solvents–only water and ethanol, which is recycled in a closed-loop system. Supplements are produced on-site and tested in the company’s ISO-certified laboratory. And on top of it all, herbs and supplements are packaged in glass.
- Where to buy: Gaia Herbs / Grove / Whole Foods / Amazon
- Traditional Medicinals uses primarily USDA Organic and fair trade ingredients in its vegan teas and lozenges, free from added artificial or natural flavors, or allergens like dairy, fish, shellfish, meat, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, wheat, corn, or soy in any of our tea products. They undergo rigorous testing quality of the ingredients along with tests for heavy metals and microbial contaminants. Tea bags are fully compostable, composed of sustainably harvested non-GMO and non-bleached abaca fiber with a non-GMO cotton string attached to an FSC-certified paper tag. Wrappers are being transitioned to BPI-certified industrially compostable packaging.
- Where to buy: Traditional Medicinals / Target / Whole Foods / Amazon
- Beekeeper Naturals products contain all-natural ingredients and are centered around their star element: propolis, a combination of tree and plant resin created by bees to protect the hive. It contains hundreds of beneficial compounds and helps boost the immune system, which is the main focus of the company’s supplements. This Certified B Corp maintains its own bees, never overharvesting, in addition to sourcing bee products from around the world. Hives and remedies are checked for the presence of pesticides.
- Where to buy: Beekeeper Naturals / Target / Whole Foods / Amazon
Where to donate unused medications
Check whether your state has a repository program that accepts unused medications for donation. If you are unable to locate one, try donating medications to SIRUM for a $10 shipping fee. Medications must be unopened in sealed packaging and at least five months from expiration. They do not accept narcotics or meds requiring refrigeration.
How to dispose of medications
You should not throw expired or unused medications in the trash or down the sink or toilet because they can contaminate drinking water. To get rid of unwanted or unused medications, the FDA recommends local disposal options.
Check for periodic take back events in your community, or find one of the many locations that offer fixed drop-off collections. These include many pharmacies, such as Walgreens or CVS, other controlled substance drop off locations.
If you are nowhere near any drop off locations, follow these instructions for safe disposal.
Medication packaging
Blister packs
Not recyclable; throw in trash.
Pill bottles reuse ideas
- Organize vegetable seeds
- Drill a hole in the bottom and use as a planter
- Keep spices fresh
- Storage for small items like beads, buttons, safety pins, bobby pins, ear buds, or jewelry
If you’re willing to do the work, Matthew 25 Ministries collects empty, clean pill bottles free of labels or glue residue to send along with other medical supplies to disaster victims in the U.S. and worldwide.
Recycle pill bottles
- Most OTC medication bottles are made of #1 PETE or #2 HDPE plastic, which are recyclable everywhere.
- Orange prescription pill bottles are made from #5 PP, also widely accepted for recycling.
Neti pot
Go Green: Non-plastic Neti pot
If you’re a fan of the neti pot, try out this PAAVANI Ayurveda ceramic neti pot. I wish I would have found this before I replaced my leaky plastic one. Also available at EarthHero.
Pedometers & heart monitors
Recycle pedometers and heart monitors at Best Buy.
Sex Toys
Scarlet Girl is a blog that discusses eco-friendly sex toys and will take old and broken (and clean) toys to recycle.
Syringes
Where to donate unused syringes
As with other medical supplies, donate unopened syringes to a local organization, clinics that serve indigent populations, or syringe exchange programs. If there are none in your area, you may try to send items to organizations like Globus Relief, Project C.U.R.E., Medical Teams International, or Medshare. You can also look for someone who may need syringes, such as insulin syringes, on your local Buy Nothing group.
How to dispose of syringes/sharps
Dispose of used syringes responsibly to prevent needle sticks to others. Use a sharps container, or in a pinch use an empty heavy duty plastic container, such as a laundry detergent bottle. Read more disposal guidelines from the FDA.