• Commercial sponges contain a lot of polyurethane which comes from petroleum thus they come from a non-renewable resource. Not to mention the toxicity factor of polyurethane.
• Manufacturing commercial sponges pollute the environment and later on they don’t degrade well. Our landfills will still be hanging out with your sponges years from now.
• If you use natural sponges for bathing or even cleaning that’s not eco-friendly either because natural sponges that come from our oceans are a vanishing resource.

All hope is not lost for sponge lovers. The best choice from an eco-standpoint are sponges made from wood pulp cellulose. If I buy sponges I find wood cellulose ones easily at Wild Oats and most health food stores carry them. I’ve even seen them at mainstream stores.

Some environmentalists will say that they’re not ok because of the wood used and some say it causes logging practices to continue. I don’t know for sure but… Making these cellulose sponges is a cleaner event than making polyurethane sponges. There’s less waste involved and less energy wasted overall — plus they’re not toxic!

However, tree advocates are not entirely wrong because it is wood pulp that’s used.

To be honest I don’t buy sponges all that often. I do think why use the wood if there’s no need and it’s still something to throw away when I could use a plain old rag. What you might do is go a week without a sponge and see if you miss it. Obviously this is easier if you have a dishwasher — although I’ve washed dishes by hand with old rags and my dishes were clean just the same.

By the way; Peggy over at Light Green Stairs is on this cool new green journey and her post debating paper towels vs. cloth vs. sponges inspired this post. She has a great blog so check it out.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Recycline makes toothbrushes, razors, and more out of recycled plastics.

They also are a company that does not test on animals and they have a recycling partnership with another neat company, Stonyfield Farm.

The U.S. alone throws away over two billion razors and about 50 million pounds worth of toothbrushes each year! So buying a recyclable brush that you can send back to the company makes sense. At my house I think we change toothbrushes about every two-three months. If we’re sick we have to change them than as well. Between just Cedar and I that’s 8-10 toothbrushes a year. If you have a large family you use a lot more.

I’ve been getting Preserve toothbrushes for years from Wild Oats but now they’re available at numerous other places as well. At Wild Oats you can pick up a Recycline postage paid mailing bag right next to the toothbrushes and razors. You use your toothbrushes and razors, slip them in the bag, send them back to Recycline, and they grind the brush into plastic lumber. A nice cycle.

Plus the toothbrushes are great and they make kid styles that my son loves. I’ve tried other recycled toothbrush brands but this is the best I’ve used.

Visit Recycline to find a store near you that carries Preserve toothbrushes and razors.

See how Preserve products are made from recycled organic yogurt tubs in this video from the Sundance Channel. Kids might like to see all the bits of ground plastic.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family