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The Best Sustainable Swaps I’ve Made After 10 Years of Low-Waste Living
These are the sustainable swaps that have made the biggest difference in my household after ten years of low-waste living, from reusable coffee cups and plastic-free food storage to alternatives to paper towels, cling wrap, and single-use period products.
When I first started living a low-waste lifestyle almost ten years ago, the throwaway mentality was firmly entrenched. I lived the single-use life and didn’t give a second thought to all the packaging I was throwing away.
Every bowl of food covered in plastic cling wrap was discarded moments later. My daily caffeine hit came housed in a single-use cup. I would happily accept a plastic bag at the grocery store only to throw it in the bin as soon as I got home.
I had a bunch of old hand-me-down Tupperware containers I used for lunches and leftovers. But that was the extent of my eco-consciousness. Which, if I’m honest, was more about convenience than caring for the planet.
Sometime around 2014, I experienced a gradual awakening, and small habits started to form around replacing single-use with reusables. The first thing I did was order reusable coffee cups and water bottles from Biome – the only planet-friendly store back then.
We started composting. We began taking reusable bags to the grocery store. I finally ditched the cling wrap and invested in some wax wraps. All these small sustainable swaps, one at a time, that snowballed to become the lifestyle we live now.
Perfect zero-waste living doesn’t actually exist
I still create waste and often use single-use products. But I am far more conscious of the waste I’m creating and try to opt for reusables where I can.
The fact is, every product we buy – disposable or reusable – leaves a mark on the world.
No matter how it was made or how many times it’s designed to be used. Living a low-waste lifestyle doesn’t mean we won’t produce waste.
Living a low-waste lifestyle means using what we already have and taking a moment to consider whether we really need something before buying it. And when we do need something, purchasing with intention. Identifying the areas of our lives where we could invest in a reusable versus the disposable option, and keep using them for many years to come.
The Best Sustainable Swaps I’ve Made After 10 Years of Low-Waste Living
If you’re ready to make some sustainable swaps, this is a good place to begin. I’m sharing my best investments from ten years of trying and testing all sorts of reusables.
Reusable paper towel alternatives
Paper towels are undeniably convenient. But considering Australians generate around 13,000 tonnes of paper towel waste every year, that’s a lot of trees being cut down to clean up a spill.
Instead, I now have a pile of reusable dishcloths and tea towels on hand. Once they’re used, chuck them in the wash, ready to be used again.
- Planet Revive Unpaper Towels are made in Toowoomba from 100% cotton flannelette, clip together so they roll onto a standard paper towel holder, and are fully compostable at end of life.
- Apiwraps Unpaper Towels are Australian-made from organic cotton, and the subscription option sends you a new pack monthly for around $9, which is a good way to build up your collection without a big upfront cost.
- For something more minimal, a set of plain cotton dishcloths from any linen store does the same job.
- I also like this handy cotton unpaper towel roll to keep on the kitchen bench.
I promise reusable dishcloths will work better than paper towels, and the trees will thank you.
Plastic cling wrap alternatives
A staple in most kitchens, cling wrap may save your sandwich but it’s also an environmental nightmare. Being thin and flimsy, it’s really difficult to recycle and often contaminates recycling streams and clogs machines. Australians use an estimated 150 million metres of cling wrap every year, most of which goes straight to landfill.
Fortunately, there are so many fantastic alternatives to plastic cling wrap.
- Beeswax wraps are one of the most versatile options. They mould around food using the warmth of your hands, come in a range of sizes, and last up to a year with proper care. Bee Wrappy is Australian-made from organic beeswax and also makes a vegan option using candelilla wax. Apiwraps use Australian beeswax with artwork from local artists. HoneyBee Wrap are also Australian-made and compostable at end of life. down to create a little pocket or pouch for snacks. Beeswax is traditional wax used, but there are also vegan-friendly options available.
- Silicone pouches are your zip lock bag replacement. They seal airtight, are heat safe, and dishwasher friendly. Good for liquids and anything beeswax wraps can’t handle.
- A plate over a bowl costs nothing and works just as well for leftovers in the fridge.
- If you do need to use cling wrap for any reason, opt for a home compostable wrap. Some brands I recommend are Great Wrap and Compostic.
Reusable oil spray bottles
Oil spray cans aren’t plastic, but they are single-use and headed for landfill. I bought a refillable glass spray bottle and haven’t looked back. The key is buying something decent quality so it lasts. There are some great options here.
One tip:
Glass is worth the investment over plastic here, since you’re filling it with oil regularly and the last thing you want is that sitting in plastic between uses.
Compostable dish brushes
Plastic dish brushes take up to 400 years to break down in landfill. I’ve swapped mine for an eco dish brush made with biodegradable beech wood and sisal or palm bristles. When you’re done, the head goes straight into the compost.
Ever Eco’s dish brush has a bamboo handle and sisal bristles, with a replaceable head so you only swap the part that wears out rather than the whole thing. Seed & Sprout’s dish brush set comes with two replacement heads and is available from their site or Biome. Go for Zero make a bamboo and agave fibre brush with a replaceable head, also compostable. If you’re already buying your eco cleaning products from Biome, they stock several options including the EcoCoconut brush made from coconut husk fibres.
The replaceable head design is the one to look for, because it means you only replace the bristles when they wear out, not the whole handle.
If you’re looking for eco-friendly cleaning products, these are my favourite tried and tested brands.
Reusable water bottles
One of the easiest sustainable swaps I made was ditching single-use water bottles for a reusable one to fill on the go. I’ve had my Frank Green for four years and it’s still going strong with one lid replacement three years in. Recent customer reviews flag quality control issues with some newer batches, particularly around lid mould and coating chipping, so it’s worth reading current reviews before buying.
Whatever you choose, the most important thing is that you actually use it.
Reusable coffee alternatives
I get it. I was once a devoted Nespresso lover. That quick caffeine hit with a simple press of a button was convenient. But even though the pods are technically recyclable, it’s still a resource we can do without. I made the switch to a French press years ago, and both my wallet and the environment are better for it.
If you’re not ready to give up the convenience entirely, Huskee makes reusable stainless steel pods compatible with Nespresso machines, and they’re made from coffee husk waste. For a full step away from pods, a stovetop moka pot, Aeropress, or filter setup all make excellent coffee with zero ongoing waste.
Loose leaf tea and reusable strainers
Most conventional tea bags contain up to 25% polypropylene to seal the bag, which means every brew releases microplastics into your cup. I now buy bulk loose-leaf tea and use a simple stainless steel strainer. A Kinto or ceramic teapot with an inbuilt strainer is the nicest way to do it for multiple cups. For on-the-go, a stainless steel infuser sits in your mug and does the same job. Biome and Go For Zero both stock good options, and most bulk food stores sell loose-leaf tea so you can refill the same tin each time.
Reusable period products
Menstrual products are a very personal choice. In Australia, the average menstruating person uses between 10,000 and 12,000 disposable period products in their lifetime, most of which go straight to landfill. There are now genuinely good reusable options.
I’ve used Modibodi for eight years, and they’re so much more comfortable and easier than disposables. They’re Australian-designed, come in different absorbency levels from super light to overnight, and a CHOICE trial rated the seam-free full brief among the best performers across all brands tested. They’re an investment upfront, but over time you’ll save money.
Other options:
- Inoya, a Brisbane brand founded by a registered nurse, makes GOTS-certified organic cotton pads and medical-grade silicone cups if you’d rather start there. Menstrual cups are the other option worth knowing about.
- Hello Cup is a New Zealand brand that makes hypoallergenic, medical-grade cups in multiple sizes. As with all of these, it takes a cycle or two to get comfortable with them, but most people don’t go back.
Read our full guide to reusable period brands here.
Reusable makeup remover rounds
After a long day the most convenient way to remove makeup is a face wipe, but that single-use wipe sits in landfill long after you’ve thrown it away. The swap is simple: a set of reusable cotton or bamboo rounds and a face cloth.
Frequently asked questions about sustainable swaps
What are the easiest sustainable swaps to make at home?
Start in the kitchen, because that’s where most of us create the most daily waste without really noticing. A reusable coffee cup, a water bottle, beeswax wraps instead of cling wrap. None of these require a lifestyle overhaul, and once they become habit you barely think about them.
Is low-waste living expensive?
The upfront cost is real. A good reusable coffee cup costs more than a roll of paper cups. But most reusables pay for themselves within a few months, and the longer you keep them, the better the value. Starting with one swap you’ll actually use beats buying an entire zero-waste starter kit that sits in a drawer.
What should I swap first?
Whatever you throw away most often. If you buy a takeaway coffee every day, start there. If you go through a roll of paper towels a week, dishcloths will make the biggest dent. The swap you’ll stick to is always the right one.
Do reusables really make a difference?
One reusable coffee cup is a small thing. Seven billion of them is not. When enough people make these swaps, we collectively reduce the volume of single-use products being made, which means fewer resources extracted, less waste generated, and less ending up in landfill. But individuals can only do so much. The companies producing single-use packaging at a massive scale have spent decades framing waste as a consumer responsibility, because it takes the pressure off them. The real change starts with corporate accountability and government policy, and those change when enough people demand it.
How do I get the rest of my household on board?
The easiest way is to just start, and not make it a big announcement. Swap out the paper towels for dishcloths and most people won’t notice until they realise they prefer them. Replace the cling wrap and put the beeswax wraps where the cling wrap used to live. Small frictionless changes tend to stick better than asking everyone to consciously commit to something new.
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