NewDelhi June 5 : If you’re thinking of switching to sustainable living this year, then World\u00a0Environment\u00a0Day is the perfect day to swap your regular products with their eco-friendly alternatives. Be it home d\u00e9cor, skincare, tableware, fashion, or any other offering, there are so many eco-friendly brands available in the market to choose from. Our small steps can contribute towards a big change in the environment. If each of us replaces one regularly used product with an eco-friendly substitute, the environment will become a much cleaner and greener place to live in!<\/p>\n
To make it easy for you, Swati Aggarwal, brand head, Yash Pakka Ltd has listed down some daily-use products and their eco-friendly substitutes. Choose wisely and make a difference!<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Compostable tableware:<\/strong>\u00a0This has to be the best option to replace single-use\u00a0plastic<\/a>\u00a0plates and bowls. Since plastic, and by extension plastic tableware, takes hundreds of years to decompose, using biodegradable tableware can go a long way in saving the environment. There are a few 100% compostable and biodegradable tableware brands that use bagasse (sugarcane pulp) to create environment-friendly products. On the plus side, these are also toxin-free.<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0Bamboo toothbrush:<\/strong>\u00a0Making a big change can be hard, so you can start by making small changes like replacing your regular toothbrush with a bamboo one. Certain brands provide toothbrushes made out of bamboo with charcoal-infused bristles that help in whitening teeth. Make sure that the bamboo used is organically grown and retains its natural antibacterial properties.<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0Compostable garbage bags:<\/strong>\u00a0Polybag<\/a>\u00a0is something that everyone, from a grocery shop owner and clothing retailer to people doing their household chores, use. Replacing them will be a great contribution to the environment. ‘In this context, a few brands provide you with some great options, wherein they build garbage bags using cornstarch. A lot of innovation is going on in this segment and we are going to see some amazing compostable products soon,’ she told indianexpress.com<\/p>\n 4.\u00a0Eco-friendly straws:<\/strong>\u00a0There are various biodegradable solutions to choose from. We’ve seen a lot of innovation on this front with wheat-stubble-based straws replacing their plastic counterparts. These straws usually decompose within six months. There are also paper straws or even steel straws that can be considered.<\/p>\n 5.\u00a0Biodegradable sanitary pads:<\/strong>\u00a0There over a billion non-degradable sanitary napkins clogging India’s sewage systems,\u00a0water bodies<\/a>, and landfills. What needs to be noted is that these products are 90% plastics. But, a revolution is afoot as women proactively adopt biodegradable pads. All-natural and fully biodegradable sanitary pads are typically made up of cornstarch and bamboo fiber. These premium pads also come in completely biodegradable disposal bags. Another great option is menstrual cups that can be reused and has a longer life.<\/p>\n ‘If we just become a little more mindful about the end life cycle of the product that we buy on a daily basis and try to make a more informed and conscious choice, it will go a long way in providing a better planet for our future generations,’ she said.<\/p>\n