Small Footprint Shopping Guide
This eco-friendly shopping guide includes some of the essential housewares you need to save money and reduce waste and toxic chemicals in your home. I use all these products myself, and I think you will reap their benefits, too.
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Non-Toxic Home
Tap water is not always the cleanest it could be, especially if your pipes are old. This filter removes everything you want to avoid, and saves you from needing to buy bottled water.
As produce ripens, it releases ethylene gas, which in turn can cause other nearby produce to spoil faster. These little blue orbs absorb the gas, making your produce last longer in storage.
These glass storage containers keep the plastic toxins out of your kitchen and away from your food. They come in lots of sizes and go from fridge to oven with no problem.
Did you know you can absorb more chlorine through your skin in one shower than by drinking 8 glasses of tap water? Filter your shower water, and your skin and hair will be healthier, softer and less dried out.
Fabric softener is one of the biggest sources of indoor air pollution in your household. That “clean laundry smell” is actually you inhaling toxic VOCs. These wool dryer balls soften clothes and reduce static without the chemicals.
These reusable food storage bags can replace over 5,000 plastic zip-top bags! Made in the USA from freezer, microwave, and dishwasher-safe, food-grade silicone, they are BPA and phthalate free, and leach no chemicals into your food.
Energy Saving
A typical household wastes a lot of energy every year by leaving computer systems and electronics on, but not in use. Turn off all your standby power with one convenient switch.
Calculate your electrical expenses and forecast by day, week, month, or year. Now you’ll know if it is time for a new refrigerator or if that old air conditioner is still saving you money.
LED light bulbs last 15,000 hours and greatly reduce your electricity usage due to lighting. These LED bulbs are warm, affordable and come in different wattages and brightnesses.
You don’t need a fancy, Wi-Fi enabled thermostat to ensure your heating and cooling only works when you’re home to enjoy it. This affordable programmable thermostat is really all you need.
Your clothes dryer is one of the most inefficient appliances in your home. When you can, air dry your clothes with this large, sturdy drying-rack. Tip: Add 1/2-cup of vinegar to your wash to keep your clothes soft.
Do you have a south- or west-facing window that makes the whole room hot when the sun hits it? This Low-E(nergy) window film can greatly reduce the heat transfer of your windows, making the room more efficient to heat or cool.
Water Saving
Reduce the amount of water flowing from your sink without losing water pressure. This aerator converts from stream to spray, and has a nifty pause switch, too.
This high-quality, 1.25 GPM low-flow showerhead will save you thousands of gallons of water without compromising any loss of water pressure.
Ever wonder why we use fresh, potable water to flush the toilet? It’s really rather wasteful! The Sink-Twice solves this problem by flushing with recycled hand-washing water!
If you have an older toilet, you are probably using far more water than you need to flush down urine. This conversion kit will allow you to have a dual-flush toilet that uses far less water when you only need a little.
Why water your garden with chlorinated tap water when plants would prefer rainwater instead? Save a ton of water (and money!) by collecting the rainwater from your rooftop and storing it for later use around your yard.
Waste Reduction
I’ve had these produce bags for over 15 years now, and they easily hold everything from lettuce to apples. They are very lightweight, durable, and machine washable.
In addition to dozens of lovely prints, Envirosax reusable shopping bags fold up small enough to fit in your pocket, last 10 or more years with care, and the handle easily fits over your shoulder.
You can compost even if you live in an apartment with a worm composting bin. Earthworms will make quick work of most of your veggie and fruit scraps, without odor, leaving you with free houseplant fertilizer!
Garden Necessities
Most garden hoses can contain toxic BPA, phthalates, and even lead! This garden hose is toxin free, and will deliver clean, drinking-safe water to your garden, pets and kids.
Your garden grows better when there isn’t a lot of chlorine in the water you give it. This affordable RV water filter reduces chlorine and sediment and hooks easily to your drinking-water-safe garden hose.
Composting is vital for gardens and a powerful way to reduce your household waste. This BPA-free bin holds two batches so you can always have free fertilizer ready for your garden.
Tree-watering bags make keeping your newly planted trees healthy super easy. These are easy to fill once or twice a week, and have an attractive, low profile that helps keep down weeds.
Inefficient irrigation is one of the biggest wastes of water for the average homeowner. A drip irrigation system can deliver water precisely to your plants’ root zone, preventing disease and reducing evaporation.