Deodorant’s environmental impact & eco-friendly options

Deodorant is for many of us the most important hygiene product. Some people even bring one in their purse just in case they need it. And… can we blame them? They just want to feel confident and fresh all day long and there is nothing wrong with that. Oh wait, there might be a problem!

Deodorants are a substance used to overcome body odour (caused by the combination of sweat and bacteria). Usually, deodorants are available in supermarkets in two forms: spray and roll-on. A conventional deodorant like those contains triclosan, parabens, aerosol and many other chemicals that are dangerous to your body as well as to the environment.

Ingredients’ analysis

Triclosan is a powerful anti-bacterial agent. You might have heard this name in other articles and that is because it’s a beauty industry well known chemical. Triclosan cannot be filtered out during waste water treatment therefor most of it ends up in the rivers, seas, etc. Since triclosan is toxic to algae and there are a lot of marine animals depending on it as a food source, it represents a serious threat.

Parabens are chemical substances that help to stop fungus, bacteria and other microbes from growing in our products. Among the many studies that were conducted to connect this substance to human health problems, a scientific study reported that parabens are also linked to ecological harm since they have been detected in surface waters, sediments and in the bodies of marine species.

Spray deodorants contain aerosol which has been claimed to contain chlorofluorocarbon. Chlorofluorocarbon is known to be a big threat to the Ozone Layer. However, and since the Montreal Protocol –  an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion – chlorofluorocarbons have been replaced for less harming substances. Still, there is no assurance that every cosmetic industry follows this protocol while producing deodorants.

Packaging

Conventional deodorant containers are generally made of plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene that are recyclable. However, many of these containers contain more than one type of plastic, making them mixed-material items that can’t be recycled all in one piece. In addition, deodorant spray cans contain propellants which are petrochemical based.

Advices + eco-friendly options

Read the labels: before purchasing make sure to check the ingredients list even if it’s labelled as “natural”. Always prefer the fragrance-free and parabens-free options.

Look at the packaging: is it made of recycled materials? Will you be able to recycle it afterwards? Is it package free? Always prefer solid deodorants with little to no packaging like the ones sold in Lush, Ben&Anna and We Love the Planet.

References:

Bloch, M. (2009, July 4). Deodorant, antiperspirant and the environment. Retrieved from https://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/Deodorant-and-the-environment.html on September 12^th, 2020.

Pandey, M. (2014, February 15). 10 Reasons why deodorants are bad for the environment. Retrieved from http://naturalquestproducts.com/articles/top-10-reasons-why-deodorants-are-bad-for-environment/ on September 12^th, 2020.

Stoiber, T. (2019, April 9). What are parabens, and why don’t they belong in cosmetics. Retrieved from https://www.ewg.org/californiacosmetics/parabens on September 12^th, 2020.

Recyclebank Website (2016, March 22). Can I recycle deodorant containers? Retrieved from https://livegreen.recyclebank.com/column/because-you-asked/can-i-recycle-deodorant-containers on September 12^th, 2020.

Why and how to use a shampoo bar + my experience!

A few weeks ago, I brought you an article talking about the environmental impact of liquid bottled shampoo. I explained many of the reasons why people needed to stop using those (find more here) and opt for more eco-friendly ones. Today, I’m here to present you one of those eco-friendly alternatives, the shampoo bar!

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Advantages

Environmentally	Shampoo bars do not test on animals, are made of natural and/or sustainable ingredients, are easier to transport and sold in minimalist cardboard boxes or wrapper-free. In this note, we can say that shampoo bars have a minimal impact on the environment: do not put at danger species or their habitats; and barely contribute to the release of Green-House Gas emissions and consequently to Climate Change.
Natural Ingredients	Shampoo bars are often made of natural ingredients, many of which have special properties. For example, calming essential oils like lavender, rose, chamomile and soothing ingredients like oat milk and honey are ideal for appeasing upset scalps.
Size	Shampoo bars may fit in the palm of our hand, but they surely have a lot to offer. A 65g shampoo bar can last up to 80 washes.
Monetary	A shampoo bar can cost between 8-13 euros and last up to 80 washes. If you wash your hair 3 times a week, this means it will last up to 6 months. Your normal size shampoo bottle (250 ml) costs around 3-5 euros and, under the same circumstances, will only last up to 2 months.
Travel Friendly	Shampoo bars often fit in the palm of our hand. If you are travelling or in need of space, this will be the perfect solution!

Choosing the right shampoo bar

It’s really difficult to recommend a specific shampoo bar since each person has his/her own type and colour of hair. However, I found out a “How to choose the right shampoo bar” guide from Lush that I thought was really interesting. Even if you are not convinced by the brand itself (try these instead: Pegada Verde, Mind the Trash, Vegan Care or local markets) you can learn which ingredients are better for your type of hair!

How to use shampoo bars

Start by rinse the shampoo bar and then rub it between hands or directly onto hair. Massage into your hair and scalp and, when you’re happy, rinse it through water once again.

Post-usage

After using the shampoo bar, you should keep it away from water. Don’t let your shampoo or conditioner bar sit in a puddle of water. There are special soap dishes but if can’t or don’t want to spend money on one of those I have the perfect solution 😊

My experience:

I decided to switch from liquid bottled shampoo to shampoo bar a few months ago. I started to research about the subject and the more I read, the more I wanted to make the change! I was aware that the hair products I was buying had a significant impact in the environment and that I could easily avoid that. Because I still had liquid bottled shampoo and conditioner at home, I decided to finish those first and, meanwhile, I started to search for shampoo bar brands/shops and reading reviews.

As any other person I have bad hair days but other than that I don’t have many complaints, it’s neither straight nor curly. Maybe, because of that, before making the switch I didn’t worry too much about the hair products I bought. On the other hand, one thing that bothered me was how quickly the shampoo ended, it felt like I was always running to the store to buy more (imagine the waste).

When I started to do my research, I found out that most of, if not all, the shampoo bars are made from natural ingredients, last longer (more washes) than a conventional liquid shampoo and were more practical too. The one thing I was worried about was the time I was going to waste in the whole process of washing my hair, store the products, etc…

I have been using my shampoo bar for over a month now and I’m super happy with the result. It took me a week or so to adapt to the new format but since then I kind of do it automatically. I assure you I don’t spend more time or money than before. That said, I am confident I will continue to use shampoo bar and hope you do too! If you already made the switch, tell us all about it in the comment’s section!

References:

Lush Handmade Cosmetics Website. How to use Shampoo Bars and Solid Conditioner. Retrieved from https://www.lushusa.com/stories/article_how-to-use-shampoo-bars-conditioners.html on August 3^rd, 2020.

Lush Handmade Cosmetics Website. How to choose your shampoo bar. Retrieved from: https://www.lushusa.com/stories/article_how-to-choose-shampoo-bar.html on August 3^rd, 2020.

McKenzie, H. (2019, January 12). Shampoo Bar FAQ – Bar Basics. Retrieved from: https://unwrappedlife.com/blogs/blog/shampoo-bar-faq-bar-basics on August 3^rd, 2020.

Why should people stop buying liquid bottled shampoo?

Washing our hair is something everyone does 2-3 times a week. It is almost like a routine and we don’t even notice anymore the products we use and the impact they might have in the environment. Liquid bottled shampoo goes through a long process until reaching the supermarket shelf. Let’s quickly go through it!

• Animal Testing

Garnie, L’Oréal, Pantene and Tresemmé… Do you own any hair products from any of these brands? I bet you do, who doesn’t really? These are the ones whose products we see in the supermarket. Unfortunately, they represent 4 brands (between many) that test on animals. It isn’t ethically correct or acceptable to make animals suffer.

• Production

I dare you to read the back label of your shampoo. You probably don’t recognise half of the ingredients there and that’s because liquid shampoo is most of the times made from chemical compounds, chemicals that are known to contribute to water contamination and linked to adverse health effects to these ecosystems as well as to our own health!

Additionally, in many of these shampoos we find substances derived from palm oil. As we know, the production of palm oil is causing deforestation and destroying the habitat of already endangered species like the Orangutan.

• Plastic Packaging

To be produced, plastic requires the use of non-renewable fossil fuels that, as we know, contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Studies show that, when compared to shampoo bars (which are generally sold in minimalist cardboard boxes or wrapper-free), liquid shampoo requires nearly 20 times more energy for packaging alone.

• Transportation

We can’t calculate the exact amount of carbon emissions associated with the shipment of this kind of hair products. What we know is that it requires fossil fuels for the transportation and that these contribute (and a lot!) to the release of green house gas emissions and consequently to the decrease of air quality and climate change.

Additionally, liquid shampoo is said to be heavier than a shampoo bar due to the increased water content which means they are much less efficient to ship and therefore the carbon footprint associated with their transport is a lot larger.

• Post-usage

One of the major environmental risks involving liquid shampoo is the release of chemicals into the water supply through the drain. These chemicals find their way into the sea, endangering aquatic species.

But it doesn’t stop there, shampoo’s plastic bottles are not biodegradable. Because some of these packages are not properly recycled, they end up in the ocean, where they degrade into smaller pieces. Marine life often mistakes these plastic fragments for food and ingests them. Since they can’t digest the plastic, the small pieces lodge in their intestines, causing blockage and eventual death. Even if they are in fact properly recycled, many recycling centres still lack capability and lead to more waste in landfills

What can we do?

In conclusion, the plastic will forever remain in the environment and put the wildlife at risk. What can we do to help? Read labels and do research about the shampoo and brand before buying it. Although they’re few, there are still some liquid shampoos that are less harmful for the environment and that would be a great start. But better than that would be changing to shampoo bars (subject for another article, stay tuned)!

References:

News Medical Life Science Website (2007, December 10). Shampoo damaging the environment. Retrieved from https://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/12/10/33274.aspx on July 25, 2020.

WWF-UK Website (2020, January 17). 8 Things To Know About Palm Oil. Retrieved from: https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/8-things-know-about-palm-oil on July 25, 2020.

Whiting, T. (2019, June 15). Should You Swap to Soap Bars to Reduce Your Environmental Impact? Retrieved from: https://medium.com/@tabitha.whiting/should-you-swap-to-soap-bars-to-reduce-your-environmental-impact-d9b4e5f77209 on July 25, 2020

Hugh (2019, March 24). Environmental Impact of Plastic Bottles & Bottled Water (Facts). Retrieved from https://get-green-now.com/environmental-impact-plastic-bottled-water/ on July 25, 2020.

Folk, E. (2018, December 13). Common Beauty industry Environmental Issues. Retrieved from: https://conservationfolks.com/common-beauty-industry-environmental-issues/ on July 25, 2020.

Menstrual Cup

A variety of biodegradable, reusable, eco-friendly, and organic period products are available to women right now, and today I’m presenting to you the menstrual cup. I’m sure you have already heard about it, keep reading to know more!

Menstrual cups are bell-shaped-silicone devices that fit in the vaginal canal and collect the blood flow.

Advantages

Reusable	Regarding the environmental aspect, silicone is derived from silica, a type of sand, that, as degrades, slowly goes back to its original state. It doesn’t decompose but it’s recyclable, which is a start! Additionally, a menstrual cup has a lifetime of up to 10 years.
Cheaper	A menstrual cup costs between 30-40€ and can last up to ten years. Considering that women use 11 to 30 tampons per menstrual cycle, at a price of 0.15€/unit, and menstruate 12 times a year, this means that during the lifetime of a single menstrual cup, they would expend 200-540€ on tampons!
Safer	Menstrual cups are made of medical grade silicon and since they collect blood rather than absorb it (unlike tampons), the cup allows the membranes of the vaginal wall to continue their essential cleansing and protective functions, leaving the pH and bacterial levels balanced which means that the chances to contract any vaginal infections, diseases or itching are lower.
Travel-friendly	Menstrual cups have a larger capacity than even the largest tampon or pad. You can safely leave a cup in for 12 hours or more, depending on how heavy your flow is that day.
No leakage No odour	Moreover, a menstrual cup is contained completely inside of the person, no blood is ever exposed to the air and hence, there is no odour.

Who can wear a menstrual cup?

The menstrual cup is adaptable, so it doesn’t really matter whether you’ve just started your period, or you’ve been menstruating for years.

Disclaimer: we advise you to discuss with your gynaecologist or health care professional  first. It may not be the best option for people who have or are going through certain medical conditions such as vaginal infections.

Where can I buy a menstrual cup?

Nowadays there are several brands dedicated to greener period products. The most known ones are: Floweret, MoonCup, Intimina, OrganiCup and DivaCup. You might also find them in pharmacies .

How to I choose the right menstrual cup?

The size of the menstrual cup is related to your childbearing history and your age (as these can affect pelvic floor tone) and not to the menstrual flow! It is usually divided in two: 30 and over or has given birth vaginally; under 30 and has not given birth vaginally.

Disclaimer: It doesn’t matter if you have been menstruating for years or not, if it is your first time, you will always need a few attempts to get the position right, to feel comfortable with it in, and to know when to take it out (just like when you started to use tampons/pads).

How do I clean it?

If you’re using the menstrual cup for the first time/ after you’ve finished your period, you should either: boil it immersed in water for 5 to 7 minutes (in a pan you use just for this purpose); or use sterilising solution or tablets (always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines, each menstrual cup, is a menstrual cup) and then rinse thoroughly with clean water.

If you have a sink nearby, wash your menstrual cup with water or non-perfumed soap and rinse it well after that.

If you’re in a public bathroom or at work, you should either:take a small bottle of water into the toilet cubicle with you, empty your menstrual cup into the toilet bowl, rinse with a small amount of water and re-insert; or wipe the menstrual cup with toilet paper and reinsert it. Update: newer menstrual cups come with a valve that facilitates the process. There is no need in removing the cup to empty it since the menstrual fluid is released when the valve is pinched.

Attention: Menstrual cups hold more menstrual blood than tampons or pads and you may not need to empty and reinsert it as often as you would change your conventional sanitary protection. Wash your hands before and after handling your menstrual cup.

How to store it?

After, correctly, cleaning the menstrual cup, store it in the breathable, organic cotton bag which it came in. Do not store your menstrual cup in a plastic bag or sealed container.

References:

Johnson, T (2019, April 19). What’s a Menstrual Cup? Retrieved from: https://www.webmd.com/women/guide/menstrual-cup#2 on July 1, 2020.

MoonCup Website (). Retrieved from the Q&A section: https://www.mooncup.co.uk/using-mooncup/ on July 1, 2020.

Floweret Website. Retrieved from: https://floweretcup.com/collections/everything/products/new-stem-by-the-tulip-cup-valve-menstrual-cup on July 1, 2020.

Why do conventional period products have such an environmental impact?

According to the Association of Reproductive Health Care Professionals, people who menstruate will have, on average, 450 periods over their lifetime. Every year over 45 billion products related to periods (including tampons, pads and applicators) are thrown away!

Have you stopped to think about the impact this has on our planet? Quick question: what do all conventional period products have in common? That’s right, plastic!

The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm carried out a study where they found out that one of the main environmental impact of these kind of products was the plastic used in the backing of pads and tampon applicators, since the production of these plastics requires a lot of energy and creates long-lasting waste.

Tampons

The Journal of Clinical Microbiology says women use between 11 and 30 tampons per menstrual cycle. If we run the numbers, this means that each woman uses between 5.000 and 14.000 tampons over their lifetime! How crazy is that?

A tampon is a small, cylindrical bundle with a string attached that helps to absorb the blood flow. A tampon itself is essentially made of cotton ( since cotton requires a lot of water to actually grow so, most of the companies just use non-organic cotton, which has been saturated in pesticides, insecticides and other chemicals that harm the soil). The string, however, is commonly strengthened by plastic. But it doesn’t end here. Many tampons come with a plastic applicator and all come wrapped in a plastic packaging! Plastic, plastic and more plastic!

Pads

Pads also come wrapped in plastic, but it is not just that: up to 90% of pads are made of plastic themselves! Pads generally incorporate more plastic, from the leak-proof base to the synthetics that soak up fluid to the packaging. Additionally, most pads contain polyethylene plastic (more known as the adhesive that is used to make the pad stick to the underwear), which is a harmful pollutant as well! And here comes the crazy part: a plastic, industrially manufactured, disposable sanitary pad requires about 500–800 years to decompose.

Conclusion

Finally, these products, although recyclable, are usually not accepted for sanitary reasons. So, where do they end up? Well, there are 3 options. If people dispose the sanitary products correctly – throwing them in the garbage- they are either burnt, which releases several harmful chemicals in the air; or sent to some landfill, where the chemicals get soaked up by the soil and get released as pollution into groundwater and air. If people dispose them incorrectly – like flushing them down the toilet – they end up in sewer systems or waterways which can causepipes to block and sewage systems to flood or, even worst, in the oceans, rivers and beaches!

The truth is that we can pick greener versions of the products. If you don’t feel confident enough, maxi pads that aren’t individually wrapped and tampons without applicators. But the best are cloth pads and menstrual cups (stay tuned, a new article is coming up)!

References:

Mehrotra, A. (2018, April 29). Sustainable Menstruation – The Impact of Menstrual Products on the Environment. Retrieved from: https://medium.com/one-future/sustainable-menstruation-the-environmental-impact-of-menstrual-products-eba30e095cda on June 28, 2020.

Thorpe, JP (2018, April 25). Tampon Disposal & Other Period Habits Impact The Environment In Some Scary Ways. Retrieved from: https://www.bustle.com/p/tampon-disposal-other-period-habits-impact-the-environment-in-some-scary-ways-8823338 on June 28, 2020.

Borunda, A. (2019, September 6). How tampons and pads became so unsustainable. Retrieved from: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/09/how-tampons-pads-became-unsustainable-story-of-plastic/ on June 28, 2020.

Dixit,  S. (2015, July 5). A Bloody Tale of Ads, Pads, Tampons and Landfills. Retrieved from: https://www.thequint.com/lifestyle/a-bloody-tale-of-ads-pads-tampons-and-landfills on June 28, 2020.

OrganiCup Website. Environmental reasons to switch to a menstrual cup. Retrieved from: https://www.organicup.com/environmental-reasons-to-switch/ on June 28, 2020.

Makeup & Cruelty Free Products

You might be wondering how does makeup and cruelty free relate with sustainability? Well today we will answer this question!

• Sustainable Makeup 

“The beauty sector generated over 142 billion units of packaging last year – most of which ended up in landfill or the ocean. But are major corporations doing enough to kick the habit?” (Morgan, 2019)

Makeup usually comes with a lot of waste, it passes by the plastic packaging, the brushes, the makeup remover wipes and many other not so eco-friendly parts. Every year, there is a loss of 18 million acres of forest, from the cardboard that wraps some of your beauty products. To change this, start by choosing products that don’t come in plastic and cardboard or that you can refill. There are many brands that offer the option to collect a number of “containers” and then exchange them! Buy makeup brushes with wood or bamboo handles instead of plastic. Swap your one use wipes for washable makeup pads. 

• Cruelty-Free Products 

“We estimate that approximately 100,000-200,000 animals suffer and die just for cosmetics every year around the world.” (Human Society International, 2013)

Apart from the waste, makeup has chemicals. Many brands use animals to test their products on, making them suffer in an unnecessary way. There was a study conducted on rats and mouse that found the toxicity in humans with these tests was only predicted with a 65% accuracy, while tests made with human cell-line had a 75% to 80% accuracy. Choose brands that offer cruelty free products! Usually this kind of products also use less chemicals, preferring natural ingredients. This brings great benefits to you, to the environment and of course to the innocent animals. 

• Some Brands to Check: 

Lush is a brand that fights against animal testing, it provides many plastic free packaging options, makeup that you can refill as well as the: ‘Bring back 5 clean full-size Lush pots or tubes & get one fresh mask free!’ campaign. 

The Body Shop is also a cruelty-free brand, it has many vegan options for makeup and offers different bamboo and wood brushes. 

Urban Decay, Too Faced and NYX are some brands that are also cruelty free and offer vegan makeup! 

Don’t forget to make the conscious choice!

Green Impact Team

References:

[1] Cruelty Free International. What is animal testing? Retrieved from: http://www.crueltyfreeinternational.org/why-we-do-it/what-animal-testing on May 3, 2020

[2] Human Society international. Animal Testing. Retrieved from: http://www.hsi.org/issues/animal-testing/ on May 1, 2020.

[3] Rose, J. (2020, April 13). List Of Companies That Test On Animals 2020. Retrieved from: http://www.crueltyfreekitty.com/companies-that-test-on-animals/ on May 2, 2020.

[4] Morgan, J. (2019, January 31). Is the beauty industry doing enough to tackle plastic pollution? Retrieved from: www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/beauty-industry-plastic-pollution-environment-climate-change-cosmetics-a8697951.html on May 2, 2020.

[5] Florandcesta (2018, April 22). Earth Day 2018: The Environmental Impact of the Cosmetics Industry. Retrieved from: www.florandcesta.com/flor-and-cesta/earth-day-2018-the-environmental-impact-of-the-cosmetics-industry

[6] Human Society International (2013, March 6). About Cosmetics Animal Testing. Retrieved from: www.hsi.org/news-media/about_cosmetics_animal_testing/ on May 2, 2020.

[7] Ekwall, B. (1999). Overview of the Final MEIC Results: II. The In Vitro–in vivo evaluation, including the selection of a practical battery of cell tests for prediction of acute lethal blood concentrations in Humans. Toxicology in vitro, 13(4-5), 665-673.

Hygiene Changes

Hey,

When it comes to sustainable habits, hygiene and beauty products are often avoided. So, today we’re going to help you turn your hygiene routine into a greener one. Ready?

When you are brushing your teeth:

Our mothers taught us to close the tap when we are brushing our teeth so that the water stops running. But did you know you can make other changes too? Well, let’s start with that toothbrush of yours.

Certainly, you change it a few times a year. That multiplied by lots of people puts the number of plastic toothbrushes that get discarded every year in the billions! Also, most of these end up floating in the ocean where they can damage ecosystems or filling up giant landfills. For example, in the United States of America alone between 850 million and over a billion toothbrushes are discarded and end up in landfill each year.

You can do your part by replacing yours for a bamboo biodegradable one! They’re really cute so what do you really have to lose anyway? Besides that, there is also a greener option for the toothpaste, one that instead of being inside a plastic package is inside a glass container! Oh, and let’s not forget about the dental floss!

When you’re taking a bath:

Taking a bath, our favourite time of the day! But have you noticed that every product you use during this time is inside a plastic bottle? Studies show that liquid soap has a carbon footprint 25% larger than soap in bar. Moreover, liquid soap needs 5 times more energy to be produced and can use 20 times more packaging!

There’s no excuse to not be friends with the environment in this situation too! We can choose products in a bar rather than those in a plastic package. There are several options: shampoos, deodorants and even shaving products! Although it’s usually not sold in physical stores, there’re a lot of online stores dedicated to it.

Of course, these are many changes and you don’t have to do them all at once, but it would be nice if you’d give it a try!

Think about it,

Green Impact Team

References:

[1] Char Brush (2016, March 3). The Number Of Toothbrushes Discarded Each Year. Retrieved from: http://charbrush.com/general/environment-plastic-toothbrush/

[2] Mcloughlin, R. (2018, November 22). Beauty and the beast: plastic-free bathroom. Retrieved from https: //friendsoftheearth.uk/plastics/plastic-periods-menstrual-products-and-plastic-pollution on May 1, 2020.