When we find something we love, our first instinct is to want to share our good find with others. It’s why so often the best recommendations are from those we trust the most. 

What if our feel-good finds could go even further — what if sharing something good can also have the benefit of protecting our planet? 

Feel good moments can come out of necessity — our need to find answers to the challenges life throws at us.

In my thirties, I developed skin hives from head-to-toe. One look at me and my dermatologist diagnosed an allergic reaction to sulfur compounds in the medication I was taking. At that time, I was experiencing other unexplained skin and stomach irritations so I wondered if these compounds might be lurking in other parts of my daily routine. Turns out sulfites, a group of chemicals that contain sulfur, are everywhere. Often used as food additives to preserve freshness, sulfites are plentiful in dried fruits, potato products, baked goods, deli meats, hot dogs, sausages, sauces, soups, wine, beer and certain fish and shellfish. Sulfites even occur naturally in some vegetables including onions and cruciferous vegetables. Beyond food, products we use every day for self-care and housekeeping contain sulfites — body washes, lotions, make-up, detergents and other cleaning agents to name a few.

The good news is, more sulfite free and “clean” products have become available and easily accessible. For my sensitivities, I looked for products free from parabens, phthalates, added perfumes, petroleum distillates and formaldehyde.

After I found my go-to foods and products, one piece was missing — my care and concern for our planet. How could I fill my personal space with my go-to products when I was feeding the planet plastic? We’ve seen the damaging effects plastic has on our planet and the pollution it causes in our communities seeping back into the products and foods we use every day. On that front, the challenge became more difficult – finding products that were effective and clean inside and out. 

Green Space – Finds Worth Sharing

Here’s my good fortune find worth sharing with you – Green Space!

Monthly, green do-gooders will share recommendations on clean products within a range of budgets that can inspire new habits. We do not consider ourselves experts however our finds are personal opinions with zero compensation from the companies or products we recommend. What makes us happy is passing along products and lifestyle habits that have worked for us and just as importantly remove plastic from our planet.

This is a community space and we invite you to share your ideas for green sustainability at info@wiltongogreen.org that we can reference in our posts along with other valuable information resources.

Every one of us can make the switch one step at a time by stopping the cycle of single use plastic and replacing with products we love for a healthy home and planet. 

Julie Andersen

Wilton Go Green

Start With One Switch in Your Bath and Shower

Look around your shower and bath area, I bet you will see a lot of plastic packaging of your favorite products. It’s no surprise that our shower is chock full of plastic. For personal care, shower gels and body washes are the largest contributors to plastic waste with a billion bottles tossed annually. The large majority of this packaging is single use meaning a few uses for us ends up filling our oceans and landfills with our plastic waste forever.

Let’s start our swap out with recommendations for the shower and bath:

All of our go-to products are free from harmful ingredients, cruelty free and environmentally certified to reduce plastic waste. We’ve tested these products for several weeks to ensure their viability as advertised. 

ATTITUDE Body Wash with Essential Oils – EWG Verified Shower Gel

Attitude Body Wash is a gentle, plant-based formula that leaves my skin clean, smooth and smelling like I just walked out of a forest (delish!). This particular scent makes this product a go-to for both men and women. After several weeks of using, I noticed zero sensitivity or skin reactions. The aluminum packaging is both recyclable and refillable and there are many variations (as well as fragrance free options) to choose from. For refills, Attitude uses an “FSC-certified” (100% recyclable or reclaimed forest based materials to reduce the need for virgin materials to protect forests) cardboard to reduce plastic waste. While not tested for this post, the product line also includes a host of shampoos and body/hand washes for every member of the family. 

EVERIST – The Body Wash Concentrate

A little dab goes a long way with EVERIST body wash for the bath and shower. I recommend adding the biodegradable sponge that is sold with this product. The paste on the sponge lathers up easily and more than most washes I’ve used leaving the skin soft and squeaky clean. The packaging of an aluminum tube and metal key was a little challenging to get used to however by design it ensures you get every bit of the product. The packaging is 100% recycled, carbon-neutral, and certified Ocean Positive. The company will even take the caps back (10 collected) and provide a return shipping label.

ALAFFIA Fragrance Free Good Soap

Alaffia soap was a surprising find. My relationship with bar soap has never lasted too long — bar soaps tend to make my skin sensitive and dry skintight and itchy after just one use. Alaffia is made with clean, non-toxic ingredients and after multiple uses, my skin felt clean and at the same moisture level as liquid body washes. The four soap value pack is the most cost-efficient choice of our recommendations. Reviewers commented that this soap not only lathers well but lasts longer than other soaps they’ve tried. The packaging is fully recyclable using FSC certified materials. 

Other bar soaps to consider that received positive reviews that we did not test but are local finds include:

• 365 by Whole Foods Market, Fragrance Free Bar Soap, 30 Ounce, 8 Count
• Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Pure-Castile Magic Bar Soap

Try and Share with Us!

Try this month to swap out one of your bath and shower washes with one of these recommendations. By being healthy at home, we can also feel good about being kind to our planet — why can’t we have both?

We want to hear from you. Let us know your new try for January — share your experiences with us at info@wiltongogreen.org.

We are busy trying out sustainable products for next month’s Green Space focus on shampoos.