Ten on Tuesday - 10 Tips to Eco-Chic your Bathroom

Everyone needs to start their eco-chic journey somewhere...The kitchen is the most obvious because of the food, paper products, grocery bags, etc that are used BUT why not the bathroom? As I was thinking about today's Ten on Tuesday, I wanted to make it some easy steps to up the green factor in your life. Quick, easy choices that you can make at Target, your grocery store, etc. And the bathroom seemed like a fun place to focus!

This week's Ten on Tuesday is 10 Tips to Eco-Chic your Bathroom...Enjoy!

1. Switch toothpaste. I adore Tom's of Maine. And it's usually at Big Lots for a couple bucks a tube. The spearmint taste is so pure that my mouth feels refreshed all day...or until I drink my standard 4 cups of coffee!

2. Use "green" cleaning products. I couldn't be more pleased with Seventh Generation Bathroom Cleaner and Window Cleaner. While other green products have been less impressive, Seventh Generation offers all of the germ and scum fighting that I need...without hurting the earth. A true favorite of mine.

3. Air dry your towels. If that is not an option, use dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. Dryers have a huge impact on resources...it's one of the most draining items in your home - So the less you use it the better. If you do use the dryer, use dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. You can find these balls at all major stores (I've even gotten mine at Aldi) and they just stay in your dryer for months. You lose the Snuggle soft scent but otherwise you are golden. Oh, and they are only $4-$5 and last for at least 6 months. Much more wallet-chic too!

4. Recycle your toilet paper tubes! You can create art with the tubes or just toss them in the recycling bin...but please just don't throw them away! I also recycle the boxes that my toothpaste comes in as soon as I come home from the store. That way it's done and I'm not being lazy and tossing it in the trash while I'm late for work and searching for the tube...

5. Use recycled toilet paper and/or avoid those wipes...even if they are biodegradable. If you never buy them, then they never exist. And then no resources are used to create them. Marcal has a great product!

6. A better toothbrush...Preserve makes a toothbrush out of recycled #5 plastic. It's the same cost as most other toothbrushes so it's any easy switch! A bit hard to find but check out a health food store or buy online.

7. Treat your ears to a new swab...the cotton used in q-tips needs tons of pesticides to grow. Organic cotton q-tips are easy to find on Amazon.com and probably at your local health food store. If you don't go organic, please please please don't use the swabs with the plastic stick! That stick does not biodegrade. Please and thank you.

8. Wash up with a puff made out of recycled plastic. Eco-tools makes a bath puff out of recycled plastic bags. It's $1.99 at Giant Eagle. I LOVE it when the green choice is just as accessible and affordable as the "other" choice. Just check out Eco-tools no matter what! They have great make-up brushes too. These brushes get great reviews online and are green - double yay!

9. Reuse your towels. And/or try towels made mostly out of viscose, a fiber from bamboo. This is based on your own personal ick factor...I can use a towel for a day or two and then move it in to rotation to dry my hair. The more I use the towel, the less loads of laundry, which means less resources used. Oh, and less laundry folded.

10. Ditch those throwaway cups. Put a pretty vintage juice glass next to the sink to rinse out your toothpaste or get a latenight drink of water instead of those flimsy little cups. These are om Ebay...

I'm looking forward to putting together the 10 Tips to Eco-Chic your Beauty...This post will be very educational for me. My bathroom is eco-chic, but most of my make-up, haircare products, etc are not...And doesn't my face deserve to be just as eco-chic as my toilet? Yeah, I thought so too!