You may or may not know, but in addition to my writing work I am also an instructor at Western Technical College. At the college I support different general studies courses, helping students with their essays and written reports - putting my writing guru skills to use in the form of creating pre-writing graphic organizers, giving feedback on drafts in progress and offering up self-editing checklists.

One of the essays I helped students write, edit and submit this past semester focused on finding the positives in our current pandemic stricken lives. The lead instructor and I read about all sorts of interesting silver linings. Students wrote about having time to improve personal habits including healthy eating, exercise regimins and better sleep schedules. They also wrote about improving their personal relationships because they spent less time running around like a chicken with their head cut off and more time at home with their parents, spouses and children. They wrote about the benefits the slower pace of life had on their mental health and their ability to use additional free time to reconnect with nature. I enjoyed reading all of these essays, but the ones I found most intersting were the ones that shared the positive effects the COVID-19 virus has had on the state of our planet’s environment.

Here are a few facts I’ve pulled from my students’ papers to prove my point.

EIA.gov states that 2020 has been the lowest year for energy consumed since 1989.
“People in the northern Indian state of Punjab are reacting with awe at the sight of the Himalayan mountain range, which is now visible from more than 100 miles away due to the reduction in air pollution caused by the country's coronavirus lockdown” (CNN.com/travel).
"People in Chinese cities, usually plagued by harmful air pollution, are breathing far cleaner air.Boat-free canals in Venice, Italy, are clear enough to see fish. And for the quarter of the globalpopulation now living under a Corona Virus lockdown, a lack of cars and planes has made theworld quieter and birdsong more apparent" (Adam Vaughn, NewScientist.com).

At the end of these thought-provoking essays focused on the renewed hope for Mother Nature, the writer inevitably asked the same question: When the pandemic ends, and we all go back to normal, will we choose to sustain the goodness this planetary respite has provided, or will we forge full steam ahead and waste a golden opportunity?

I have personally been on a journey of good planetary stewardship for the past few years. I’ve written about reusable straws, rain barrels and bamboo toilet paper in the past and occasionally share eco-friendly products on my social media pages. I am also a queen-recycler. Today I want to give shout-outs to some of the household products I have found that are allowing me to make sustainable (and maintainable) change. If you are open to the idea of making changes that benefit the environment, I’d love for you to give some of these products a try.

Grove Collaborative Laundry Soap

By using Grove Collaborative’s laundry soap system, I can avoid repeatedly purchasing large plastic containers of detergent (whose main ingredient is water!). Just think. Instead of dragging home a big bulky jug of laundry detergent and then recycling it afterward, you could empty the foil bag (shipped directly to your house!) into your reusable container. Yes, recycling is good, but it is an expensive process. Imagine getting what you need (delivered to your doorstep!) in a concentrated form, from a company who uses responsible packaging and whose product results in minimal waste! Brilliant!

Recyclable Trash Bags

It always seems weird to me that before we send our trash to the curb (or landfill) we wrap our garbage in something that takes 100 years to decompose. If we wanted to give it half a chance of breaking down and turning back into soil, we wouldn’t put this impenatrable shell around it, right?!?! I haven’t tried these compostable trash bags yet, but I can sing the praises of these consumer recycled plastic bags, which in my opinion are the next best thing. Grove Collaborative says, “our bags are durable, easy-to-use, and eco-friendly. They are made in partnership with WasteZero, a Certified B Corporation that collects single-use plastic and turns it into strong, durable trash bags. Their mission is to cut American trash in half.” I for one am fully on board.

Reusable Ziplock Bags

These reusable bags made with food-safe plastic are the perfect replacement for those old one-and-done ziplocks. I use these bags to store half eaten fruit, snacks on the go and anything else that needs to be tucked away until later use. You can use these bags for items in your freezer, fridge and/or the pantry. BONUS - these little babies are dishwasher approved! I started small by just purhcasing one set, but now each time I place my order to Grove Collaborative, I add another set. Hopefully in a few months I’ll have completely replaced my need for Ziplock bags with these reusable and environmentally friendly options.

Glass Cleaner Bottle with Cleaning Concentrate

The first item I ever fell in love with from Grove Collaborative was their glass spray bottle and all purpose cleaner concentrate! (My counters have never been cleaner or more germ-free!) In addition to the bottle in my kitchen, I now have these bottles in each bathroom as well, actually two!! One bottle has counter spray and the other a shower spray. The cleaning concentrate line up also includes: glass cleaner, floor cleaner and tub/tile cleaner. I’m so pleased that instead of recycling half a dozen cleaning bottles every few months, I can refill my glass bottles and ditch a teeny tiny bottle instead. The concentrates come in a variety of scents and you can purcahse different color silicon sleeves for the bottles to help you remember what’s inside (or to match the color scheme of the room).

Reusable Face Wipes

I’ve saved this item for last because it’s my favorite! About a year ago I switched to bamboo cloth face wipes. Instead of removing makeup with with a disposable cotton swab, I now wipe away the day’s oil and residue on my face with one of these bamboo pads instead. I still catch myself walking towards the garbage can after my last swipe, but quickly pivot to put it in the laundry bag. It’s a daily reminder that I am cutting down on creating trash. Two face wipes a day times 365 days a year… this small change really adds up… and saves me money too! My one time purchase of $12.99 definitely beats a repeat purchase every month!

So there you have it. If you are looking for a few ways to reduce your negative impact on our environment, consider making a few eco-friendly changes to your household products. Sure, it might not seem like a big deal, but if my household no longer throws away 20 plastic straws a week (1,040 a year!) (we make/drink a lot of smoothies!) or a dozen detergent jugs, or lord knows how many ziplock bags… it all adds up. And then if you are no longer throwing away those items or forcing them to be expensively recycled and remade… and maybe you convince your neighbor or mom or auntie or co-worker… all these little things CAN and WILL add up to make a substantial difference.

And if you need one more nudge to give this company and these sustainable products a try, please know that Grove Collaborative uses a portion of it’s profits to plant trees. They have a goal to plant a million by 2022 and are already half way to their goal. Instead of adding to the problem (just a little at a time…) why not be apart of the solution?

P.S. Maybe do a little soul searching of you own and see if you can’t find a positive effect of these tumultuous times. I’d love to hear what you come up with!

P.P.S. I am a Grove Collaborative affiliate. If you choose to buy these items, I will receive a small commission, but know that even if I didn’t, I would still whole heartedly recommend them. I have been using these products in my home for a couple of years. To prove my good intentions, here are a few prodcuts that I have tried and did not love. I would not recommend buying:

Biobags (did not zip properly)
Seedlings Paper Towel (too thin and rips easily)

To read all of my environment focused blog posts, click here.

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