Reuse & Reduce: How to go Zero Waste!

By Alex N, Customer Service Specialist

Bees Wrap reusable food wrapping

Bees Wrap reusable food wrapping

As some people may know, I am new to the Cambridge Naturals family. One of the ideals that I was/am really excited about was the commitment to environmental conscientiousness. For my recent product staff pick, I wrote about the importance of reusable straws such as the U-KONSERVE stainless steel straws which are great for creating less trash in the landfill, along our roads and in our oceans. A quick google search showed that “Americans use 500 million drinking straws every day. To understand just how many straws 500 million really is, this would fill over 125 school buses with straws every day. That's 46,400 school buses every year!”

We have several other reusable straws available, as well as many options for staying hydrated throughout your day, including Klean Kanteen, Soma, Welly Bottle, and Hydroflask. Any of these are wonderful choices in order to cut down on the 50 billion plastic bottles used last year just here in America. Yet these are not the only options that are carried in terms of sustainable wares here at Cambridge Naturals.

So many fun reusable straw options!

So many fun reusable straw options!

If metal isn’t your style then try out the bamboo straws from the company, Bambu. This is a wonderful choice due to the unique antibacterial quality due to an antimicrobial bio-agent called “bamboo kun” which is found naturally in this sustainable plant. It is this that supposedly makes bamboo a naturally antibacterial, anti-fungal and odor resistant material making it a great option for use when drinking and eating.

Hydration is not the only area in which we can all waste less and show more love to our planet. Plastic forks, knives and spoons may be convenient, but they’re wreaking havoc on our oceans. Every year, 300 million tons of plastic materials come into circulation be it in the form of plastic packaging, utensils, containers and bags. About 40 billion individual plastic utensils are produced each year, and with such low rates of reuse and recycling, most of them end up in our landfills, beaches and oceans.

The reusable Bamboo utensils from To-Go Ware with their convenient fork, knife, spoon and chopsticks set is another great way to reduce the impact we have on the environment. This is especially important as most people have three meals a day and use plastic utensils one time. The great thing about To-Go Ware’s utensils are that they also come in a convenient holder which is made from one up-cycled reincarnated water bottle a piece in order to carry them where and whenever you want a nosh. Thus saving more plastic from the dump and convenient for the person on the go.

dans le sac reusable storage bags

dans le sac reusable storage bags

When eating on the go utensils aren’t the only way plastic sneaks into our lives, it can be a challenge to find the right reusable container and of course the corresponding lids that often get misplaced or warped. For folks who can relate to this struggle I recommend the W&P Design Porter lunch bowl with its silicon strap either in BPA free plastic or Ceramic. Both are microwavable and dishwasher safe. If you are looking for a more snack-able storage option there is Kid Basix’s safe-snacker stainless steel container with attached lid or Full Circle’s reusable snack and sandwich bags. For the leftovers in our lives there are Bees Wraps, an alternative to plastic wrap for sustainable reusable food storage and 100% recycled parchment paper and aluminum foil.

W&P Porter Lunch bowl (in ceramic and BPA free plastic options)

W&P Porter Lunch bowl (in ceramic and BPA free plastic options)

Cambridge Naturals doesn’t just make it easier to be more sustainable during times of consumption, you can also find some great bathroom necessities. Such as NatureZway super absorbent bamboo bath tissue, Widu’s wood combs and brushes, handmade natural fiber toothbrushes from Source as well as Preserve’s toothbrushes and razors made from recycled yogurt cups. While we all make waste it is also important to consider what and where we are depositing it. For those times there is Full Circle Compostable waste bags and BioBag’s sturdy Tall Kitchen Food Scrap bags as alternatives to plastic garbage bags that are difficult to break down in the environment.

Reducing waste seems like such a large task to take on by ourselves because of all the containers and single use items that are in our lives everyday. Reusing containers and bags have a huge impact, as you leave our store you can also do your part to reduce waste by bringing your own reusable bags. If you don’t have these already handy make sure you check out our selection from Baggu, ChicoBag, VejiBags, and Dans Le Sac for zero waste on the go bags.

Remember all these small steps can add up and have a lasting impact on both your personal sphere and a healthier environmental impact for all!