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Zero Waste Shampoo

shampoo bar
Zero Waste Shampoo 6

Zero Waste Shampoo can come in a bottle.

This one might be more of a girly thing, but hey, if you still have a good head of hair, then you also use shampoo. While it was never an important decision for me to buy shampoo, since my zero waste journey, it has become evident that I need to stop buying those bottles. They are made from plastic…

Except for this one: Here is a great alternative way to buy shampoo in bottles. Use it and send it back for a refill.

Plaine Product's Fresh Shampoo

What if you get a shampoo bar instead? You know those shampoo bottles that sit in your shower for a month or two, and then they get thrown out and end up in a landfill? I find it tough to believe that almost anything normal for me and that I grew up with harms the environment. 

My parents saw plastic on the rise; to them, it was making things easier, at least, so they were told. Recycling looked good and made sense, but no one told us it doesn’t work.

Yep, only 9 % worldwide is recycled.

We see devastation everywhere: on our beaches, oceans, and dinner plates. Perhaps not that evident on the dinner plate?!?

Related: And you thought too much salt was bad for you?

Related: 12 best shampoo and conditioners for your hair in 2022

Nearly all animals are affected by plastic, and in the last 50 years, we have lost more than half of the animal population on the planet. 

It makes me sad that we have become so disconnected from nature and see it as this never-ending resource to create profit and not care about the environment. I care, and I know you do, too; otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this.  

Back to the little steps you can take that make a big impact. 

shampoo bars

The problem with shampoo bottles:

They are made from HDPE ( plastic #2 ), which is recognized as safe and recyclable. We know that only 9% has ever been recycled. 

  • A million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute, and the number is projected to jump another 20% by 2021
  • By 2021 annual plastic bottles sold are projected to increase to 583.3 billion.
  • More than 480 billion plastic drinking bottles were sold in 2016 across the world.

These numbers are related to drinking water bottles alone. Think about all the little shampoo sample bottles in hotels and the other packaging we consume… 

It is a no-brainer to change to more sustainable options such as shampoo bars. So here are five reasons why shampoo bars rock.

  1. Shampoo bottles don’t come in packaging.
  2. Shampoo bars are very concentrated ( 3 times the amount of a shampoo bottle)
  3. Shampoo bars are space savers.
  4. Shampoo bars can also be used to wash your body or your pet.
  5. Shampoo bars are great for travel; just pop them in a metal container.  

My Shampoo dilemma

Have you ever been held back at the airport by the TSA agent, asking if you’re over the 3.4 liquid ounces limit? Or worse, when you open your bag after a flight only to discover that your shampoo bottle made friends with all your clothes and perhaps your diary?

Yeah, it won’t happen with a shampoo bar.

Did you know that most shampoos are 80 % water, and conditioners can be even more? Why pay for water when you can add it in yourself. Shampoo bars usually outlast three shampoo bottles. Crazy, right? It’s a win-win, you save money, and you save the environment.

Many brands that produce shampoo bars are trying to help the environment and protect it. Most traditional bottled shampoos contain chemicals that shouldn’t be on your skin. It is the biggest organ, after all. Often these chemicals don’t appear in shampoo bars. Many bars contain essential oils and natural ingredients and are cruelty-free. Another plus? Many shampoo bars are free of palm oil, an ingredient linked to deforestation and habitat degradation.

Your Zero Waste Challenge:

Get yourself and your family a shampoo bar.

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