We’re a wasteful bunch.
Our society is so accustomed to chucking certain items when we’re done with them, we never stop to think if there’s another option. But many reusable versions of disposable products exist.
By rejecting our culture’s throwaway mentality, we can use less of the earth’s resources and more importantly, save money.
Consider these durable alternatives to products we carelessly throw out every single day.
Photo by Lover of Life Designs
Baby Wipes: Since baby wipes weren’t invented until the 1970s, I wonder what my grandmother used to clean my mom’s bottom when she was an infant. A damp washrag maybe? Nah. Too simple.
Reusable baby wipes are often made of a soft, sturdy material such as fleece.
Mix up a batch of baby wipe solution, pour it in a spray bottle, and take it with you when you’re on the go. Store cloth wipes in a convenient location. When you’re ready to use one, dampen it with your gentle, homemade cleanser.
Coffee Filters: Permanent coffee filters are surprisingly affordable. At the time of this writing, you could buy one from Amazon for roughly the same price as a hundred paper filters.
Many single use filters are laden with harmful toxins, so going with a more sustainable option is probably a wise move either way.
Dryer Sheets: Here’s an idea; don’t use dryer sheets. I haven’t used one in months. Would you believe that I also don’t use fabric softener? For me, both are unnecessary as I don’t have a problem with static cling.
However, if your clothes are practically glued together when you pull them out of the dryer, you may not want to skip this product altogether. Still, you can easily make your own dryer sheets with wash cloths and fabric softener.
Drinking Straws: The only time I use drinking straws is when I’m faced with putting my lips on a suspicious looking glass at a restaurant or consuming a thick liquid concoction like a smoothie.
But if you enjoy sipping your drinks through a narrow tube, you can opt for glass or stainless steel straws.
Feminine Hygiene Products: With the exception of getting pregnant or taking a special hormonal contraceptive, there’s not much you can do to stop your period. Therefore, it’s not practical for women of child bearing age to simply go without.
Photo by MamaMade
Instead of disposable tampons or sanitary napkins, you could try the DivaCup which can stay in for up to twelve hours. I’ve heard great things about this product, and it receives stellar reviews on Amazon.com.
One day, when I’m no longer grossed out by the handling of bodily fluids, I’m gonna get one.
Like paper coffee filters, apparently, tampons are crawling with dangerous chemicals. So hopefully my squeamishness goes away soon.
Sandwich Bags:According to Reuseit.com, families spend about $85 annually on disposable, polybags.
I’m most excited about reusable sandwich bags because they’re so freaking cute. Forget the money.
You’re probably not going to pay your kids’ tuition with the savings. But maybe the difference you pocket will cover a semester’s worth of books.
Tea Bags: Honestly, I don’t know how much money you save, if any, by opting for loose tea leaves over the bagged variety. But one thing I do know is that loose fresh, tea leaves taste better. Then again, that’s probably because if I buy loose tea leaves, they’re of premium quality.
You can order a reusable tea ball from Amazon or Reuseit.com for less than five bucks. Or if you have an oriental market nearby, you can pick one up from there. Either way, you reduce waste from extraneous packaging.
At the outset, reusable items are usually more expensive than their disposable counterparts. So calculate whether the eventual savings warrant the initial investment.
Shawanda Greene is a free thinking, frugal gal whose only vices are boxed wine, lip balm and money grubbing. You can find more of Shawanda's musings at 
Good ideas here, thanks!
There are about a dozen different brands of menstrual cups; Diva is just one of the options. They have different length-to-width ratios, and different textures (soft vs. firm), and different size assortments. Every woman can find the one that best suits her. There is a forum on livejournal that answers every question and problem you might have. It is open, you don’t have to have a livejournal account to read it.
Love the tea ball idea, I’m going to grab one the next time I’m in Chinatown.
I love the baby wipes idea. Those things are so dang expensive. I use wet paper towels in a pinch, but that’s not good on the wallet or the environment, either. I haven’t been using dryer sheets since the last time we ran out. I do love my fabric softener, though…
I definitely have to check out the “tea ball” you mentioned. I didn’t even know such a thing existed! Sounds really cool.
Even if you don’t like the idea of a diva cup, you can always use washable pads. PErsonally, I use a mix of lunapads (unlike some other washable pads, these ones you can just change the absorbant liner throughout the day plus they are CUTE!) for light days and diva cup for heavy days (plus, no risk for TSS! You can leave those suckers in for a day or more on a light day – in case you forget about it – and you don’t need to worry about a thing!). The reusable pantyliners are a great way to get used to it, if you would normally use disposable ones anyways.
As for sandwich bags, I tried them (envirosac) but I didn’t like it. I found that the fabric was easily stained and it didn’t hold my bread very well (I eat rye bread over standard “Wonder bread” shaped bread. I worked summers outside, so it was good to have it turn into a placemat, but they really didn’t clean up very easily and as soon as I tried washing the plastic-y part with soap and water, it just made the outer fabric worse.
I just use re-usable containers now, and while I do find them more bulky than the sandwich bags were, they do offer more multi-purpose use and can be washed without staining.
Get a diva cup this instant! It was honestly one of the most life changing things for me.
Don’t be discouraged by minor leakage in the beginning. It feels so much better than a bloated tampon. I have been using it for two years now. Also if the diva brand is uncomfortable, other companies make smaller versions in other countries. Like meluna, lunette, the keeper, etc
Diva Cup is great, but I prefer another brand called The Keeper. It is a little stiffer and easier to create a good seal. With any menstrual cup there is a learning curve. It took me a few months to get it right and I still switch to organic cotton tampons on my heaviest day. But There is no greater freedom than putting one in and going all day without the horrible drying of a tampon. Highly recommend!
Seeing people use wipes for everything makes me cringe because of the poor environment. I’m with you – reusable wipes are so much better. Plus, using disposable wipes on your baby .. there is so much chemical in those things!