10 Disposable Things You Never Have to Buy Again

10 Disposable Things You Never Have to Buy Again
Ditch these 10 disposable items to help cut the clutter

by Collin Dunn

One of our favorite green philosophies goes something like, "Less stuff = more good." While that seems simple enough, cutting back on the amount of stuff you use every day can be trickier than it sounds. One of the easiest ways to do this is to cut back on the disposable stuff you buy. Here are then things that you never have to buy disposable again.

Bottled water
Indeed, there are a world of reasons to ditch bottled water, but here's the best one: The same stuff comes out of your tap at home. Tap water is one of the most rigorously regulated substances on the planet (even in New York), so, at least here in the States—and most of the rest of the developed world—tap water is the healthy, nutritious, green way to go. Not sold? Here are five reusable alternatives that'll make you forget the wet stuff ever came in disposables.

Paper towels
It might not seem like a big deal, but since we all prepare and eat food several times a day, this one really adds up; even just one roll per week is hundreds of sheets that used to be a tree (yep, even when you buy the recycled variety. By the numbers: it takes 544,000 trees to feed Americans' paper towel habit each year; throw in disposable paper napkins, and that number tops 1 million according to the National Resources Defense Council. Don't become a statistic; opt for tea towels and microfiber instead.

Wrapping paper
Though the big wrapping season has just passed, this is one worth keeping in mind all year 'round. While Sunday comics and other paper flotsam lying around the house have long been popular, we're bigger fans of the themed material over more traditional wrapping paper. Giving a kitchen gift? Wrap it in a new tea towel (made of organic cotton of course). And, of course, one can never have too many reusable tote bags. Bill Nye has some green wrapping tips to keep your giving at its greenest.

Individually-wrapped foods
To see a bunch of the million-and-one examples of individually-wrapped foods that have infiltrated our lives, just walk down an aisle at the grocery store. Seriously, does anybody really need individually-wrapped prunes? Didn't think so. From fruits and veggies—sorry Trader Joe's, we're looking at you—to "convenience packs" like Jell-O and "Go-gurt" (whatever that is), there are a multitude of foods that can easily be replaced with goodies in the bulk aisle. And, as a bonus, note that some quality bulk sections will let you bring your own reusable containers from home, so you don't have to use another ubiquitous plastic bag.


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