Sustainable Swaps

Single-use swap ideas from Green Dream Foundation:

Kitchen

Swap paper towels for reusable fabric towels available in many varieties online, at local shops, or make your own.

Swap traditional tissues for bamboo or recycled paper tissues.

Reuse hard-to-recycle food bags for tasks like cleaning kitty litter boxes or cleaning up after your dog. 

Swap single-use plastic hand soap dispensers in favor of buying in bulk with Essex County Soap Refill! Reduce your use of single-use plastics by reusing your containers. 

Swap large plastic laundry detergent jugs for dissolvable non-plastic laundry sheets or pods that packaged in cardboard.

Bath

Swap plastic bottled shampoo and conditioner with shampoo and conditioner bars.

Swap plastic bottle body soaps with bar soaps or refill a glass or metal container with a refill service, or buy in a metal refillable container. 

Swap tube toothpaste with tooth paste tabs. Toothpaste tubes are difficult to recycle, tabs have no waste and often come in glass or metal containers.

Swap plastic toothbrushes with one made from bamboo.

Shopping

Bring your own totes or re-useable bags for shopping. In Rowley, there are no plastic bags provided at store checkouts.

Check out local thrift stores when you’re in need of something: kitchen gadgets, tools, clothes, books, and games! Buying used instead of new is a win-win for you and the planet.