Seemingly overnight, the world has gone green. Meat-free options are the norm in shop aisles and take-away coffee cups are being exchanged for reusable mugs. This is all for good reason: as climate change becomes a growing concern, consumers are taking stock of what actions they can take to ensure a greener, happier planet.

It’s easy to make an impact from the comfort of your own home! Read on for our top swaps to go green, simply!

Clean and Green

Did you know that you’ll go through nearly 300 toothbrushes in the course of your lifetime? Unfortunately, they are nearly impossible to recycle, so each toothbrush you toss ends up in a landfill for anywhere between 500 and 1,000 years. An eco-friendly bamboo toothbrush on the other hand takes only around 6 months to decompose.

These environmentally-sound options cost about €4 a pop (which is about the same as your plastic toothbrush from Tesco). They also come in fun bristle colors and various sizes and strengths so there is an option for everyone!

Sustainable Storage

Still using plastic Tupperware or clingfilm? You might want to rethink how you store your leftovers. Not only is a whopping 91% of plastic likely to end up in our oceans and landfills, but also harmful chemicals such as BPA can seep into our food. Not so appetizing…!

Invest in beeswax wraps, organic cotton coated with beeswax for an eco-friendly and reusable alternative to cling film. Stainless steel lunchboxes are leak-proof, can be used as bakeware and work well in the freezer, too! If you’re hoping to be sustainable on a budget, simply clean out used pasta sauce and jam jars to keep soups, noodles and other leftovers fresh.

Woolie Warmers

It’s likely you already have your most sustainable option for keeping away a winter chill right at home. Ditch your polyester blanket and go for an all-natural wool throw. Not only is your big-box fleece made using fossil fuels, but it also racks up carbon in terms of transport. We’re perfectly positioned to go local here in Ireland, which is good news for your wallet and the environment alike!

Donegal’s famous Foxford Woollen Mills offer a wide array of throws, bed linen and more in colours and styles to suit all décor tastes.

Green Caffeine

We don’t need to remind you to invest in a to-go coffee cup for your mid-afternoon pick-me-up. But if you’re a fan of brewing at home, you may want to rethink how you make your cuppa. Coffee pods (the kind you use for Nespresso machines) create a lot of waste for just one cup of coffee.

Luckily, we humans have been drinking coffee since long before the advent of convenience capsules! Go classic and purchase a French press or stainless steel Bialetti Moka. It’s an opportunity to support Ireland’s many local roasters as well, with coffee so good you’ll be surprised you were ever happy with just one cup!

Buy in Bulk

You’d be surprised at where a large chuck of plastic waste comes from: the weekly shop. Big or little, you likely come home with fruits and veggies in plastic wrap and same goes for any number of household snacks: nuts, juices, butter, mince.

It’s easy to make a sustainable switch and seek out bulk options. Ireland is beginning to adopt the environmentally-friendly ethos of the zero-waste shop: bring your own bag and fill up on pantry items like flour, rice and pasta.