Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Conservation Comment: Conservation in the bathroom

Whanganui Midweek
16 Jan, 2022 04:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Ethique products come in a bar, rather than a plastic bottle, reducing non-biodegradable waste. Photo / Airini Beautrais

Ethique products come in a bar, rather than a plastic bottle, reducing non-biodegradable waste. Photo / Airini Beautrais


Some of the first conservation messages I received as a young child from my parents were about the bathroom.

Don't leave the tap running while you're cleaning your teeth. Don't fill the bath all the way up to the top. Use the half-flush for wees. Have a short shower. Turn the shower off while you're shampooing and conditioning your hair. The latter seems like a no-brainer, especially if you have an overhead shower.

During the hot summer months when rainfall is lower and water supplies are under pressure, everyone doing their bit in the bathroom seems like a good idea. The 'if it's yellow let it mellow' rule has never applied in my home, but I have come across this in Australian households where water was more scarce.

What are some other things we can do in the bathroom to help reduce pressure on the planet?

Biodegradable products are easy to sub in. For example, bamboo toothbrushes, wooden nail brushes, bamboo cotton buds, and eco-floss. When buying cosmetics, we can choose those in recyclable or biodegradable packaging. Some products come in a bar rather than a bottle, such as Ethique products, reducing plastic waste.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Some people like to make their own cleaning products using household ingredients like baking soda, white vinegar and citrus. A facecloth or other washable makeup remover is a lot better than disposable wipes.

As beautician and blogger Caroline Hirons says, only using disposable makeup wipes and never washing your face is like only using toilet paper and never washing your a**.

Disposable plastic bum wipes have wreaked havoc in many plumbing systems. I know people who make and use cloth 'wee-wipes'. I am not personally that hardcore, but I did use reusable nappies and wipes on my babies. For people who menstruate, reusable products such as cups and cloth pads or liners can save waste and money.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

When thinking about conservation, it's important to also consider our health. A lot of environmentalists are hoarders, not wanting to throw things out until every scrap is used up.

There are some products one should never hoard. One is mascara – this should be replaced every three months. Anything that comes into contact with eyes and may contain microorganisms is not worth the risk. Similarly, never reuse contact lens solutions, change your case regularly, and don't overwear contact lenses. Lip products generally last 12 months, as do a lot of skin creams.

If you have a lipstick in your cupboard from the 1990s, it is way past time to say goodbye. Many cosmetic and skincare products have a logo on the back showing an open tub, with the shelf life on it, eg 12M.

Natural cosmetics may be a preferred option for conservationist types; however, bear in mind that a lack of preservatives means they will go off much faster. If you want to avoid cosmetic waste, only buy as much as you will use – purchase a smaller tube or tub.

Consider what products you actually need – this will be different for different people. Just one absolute non-negotiable – sunscreen!

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

RSA 'alive and well' despite premises closure

11 Jul 06:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

‘Everyone went silent’: Whanganui Youth MP speaks in Parliament

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Major Joanna Margaret Paul exhibition opens

11 Jul 05:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

RSA 'alive and well' despite premises closure

RSA 'alive and well' despite premises closure

11 Jul 06:00 PM

Former members are 'more than welcome' to return, RSA Welfare Trust president says.

‘Everyone went silent’: Whanganui Youth MP speaks in Parliament

‘Everyone went silent’: Whanganui Youth MP speaks in Parliament

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Major Joanna Margaret Paul exhibition opens

Major Joanna Margaret Paul exhibition opens

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Shelley Loader: How we can all get a share of the apples

Shelley Loader: How we can all get a share of the apples

11 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP