Making the switch to sustainable products can be better for the planet, as well as your wallet. Photo / Getty Images
Making the switch to sustainable products can be better for the planet, as well as your wallet. Photo / Getty Images
When replacing a conventional product in your home or life, consider swapping a standard item with something that’s a bit more environmentally friendly. From perfume to pegs and reusable period products, some of these can even save you money in the long run.
I feel a real urge to buy less in 2024, and the more people I’ve spoken to this year, the more I sense there’s something in the collective consciousness encouraging others to do the same.
While for me, this applies mostly to my wardrobe, I’m aiming to extend this to other areas of my life; less beauty product wastage, more conscious purchasing choices such as buying second-hand where possible, and re-stocking household supplies only when they’ve run out to avoid overflowing cupboards.
According to figures released by Statistics New Zealand on February 1 this year, in the September 2023 quarter, greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand increased by 3 per cent. The largest increase in emissions came from electricity, gas, water and waste services, up 39.9 per cent, and emissions from transport, postal and warehousing were also up 3.7 per cent.
On a positive note, the figures showed emissions attributed to households fell 5.2 per cent in the same quarter, which points towards the fact the choices we make as individuals can have a profound impact on driving positive change.
Trying to navigate a world amid climate change can seem daunting, but changing the way we consume in our everyday lives is a good place to start. As I look to opt for more eco-friendly alternatives for my household, I have discovered a number of products that not only align with my values, but outshine their conventional counterparts in terms of efficacy and sustainability.
Here are a few of my favourites - but please remember to always finish what you have already before buying more.
Reusable period products
Costing around $40, a period cup will last for more than 40 periods, bringing the cost of menstruation down to $1 a cycle. Photo / Oi Organic Initiative
The typical menstruator uses 11,000 to 15,000 pads and tampons in their lifetime, according to menstrual product company Oi Organic Initiative. By switching to a period cup, which costs around $40, you’re covered with the one product for approximately five years, bringing the price of menstruation down, as well as the number of single-use items ending up in landfill.
New Zealand company Hello Period estimates they have diverted more than 500 million products from landfill since they launched their first period cup in December 2017. They now have a full range of cups, period underwear and reusable pads.
While the switch from traditional period products may feel unsettling, it’s honestly a game-changer. A period cup can be worn for eight to 12 hour, and across the whole spectrum of reusable products, there really is something for every age, shape, size and cervix!
Dirt Fabric Spray works best on stubborn odours and helps minimise your household output by helping extend time between wash cycles. Photo / Dirt
Traditional fabric freshener sprays tend to mask odour, rather than remove it, but Melbourne-based and Kiwi co-founded company Dirt has recently launched to market with a fabric spray that contains probiotic odour technology that is activated once sprayed on to a textile surface. Claiming to work for as long as four weeks, it’s ideal for all fabric surfaces including footwear, curtains and bedding.
The best thing about this product is the 100 per cent natural, subtle scent, which unlike artificial fragrances is not at all overpowering and is also safe for use on children’s clothing. Even if using this prevents you from one extra washing cycle, it’s a positive move for your power and water bill.
Metal clothes pegs have myriad uses, from hanging clothes to resealing packets, and even as a cable tidy. Photo / Caliwoods
I can’t tell you the number of plastic clothes pegs I have snapped while trying to hang sheets on the line, so discovering metal pegs has made hanging out the washing far more enjoyable, and eco-friendly. They’re extremely hardy and secure, smooth so they won’t snag delicate fabrics and they’re rust-free, so it doesn’t matter if you leave them on the line in the rain.
The Caliwoods Stainless Pegs come in packs of 18 with a 10-year replacement guarantee, but you can find metal pegs everywhere these days, from the supermarket to refillery stores and plenty of online stores, allowing you to shop according to your budget.
The uses for Ethique’s Stain Remover Bar are endless, from washing makeup brushes, delicate clothing, shoes and even dishes while travelling. Photo / Ethique
To this day, there isn’t a single stain I haven’t been able to remove with Ethique’s Flash! Bar, and for that reason, it is a staple in my laundry. The solid laundry bar takes up practically no space, comes in compostable packaging and the bar itself is zero-waste, making it a sustainable addition to your household. Use it for hand-washing delicates such as silk and wool, removing food stains on clothing and carpet, or take it away with you when travelling.
If you are sensitive to some laundry products, this is an option to consider, as it contains biodegradable ingredients, pure essential oils and white kaolin clay to remove oils and dirt from fabrics. What’s more, one bar will last you months, especially if you’re only using it as a spot remover.
Wellington-based perfume brand Abel is changing the way we see natural fragrances with their complex and sustainable offering. Photo / Abel
Abel was the first natural perfume brand I came across that not only competed with traditional fragrances, but actually did it better. Forget the outdated notion that natural perfumes are just essential oil blends with no complexity, Abel’s fragrances are as complex and nuanced as they come, and the brand works with some of the best noses in the world to create its scents. They even have a fragrance guide online to help you compare their scents with some of your old favourites, when you’re ready to make the switch.
Every product is made with the planet in mind from vegan, cruelty-free ingredients, plant dyes and inks and compostable paper for packaging. Each ingredient in every perfume began life as a naturally living organism, with fragrances made entirely of essential oils, extracts, plant-derived scent molecules and natural biotech ingredients. 100 per cent of Abel’s New Zealand orders are shipped carbon-neutral, too.
