What I once thought was a toilet brush is actually great for cleaning dishes 🤷‍♀️
I thoroughly enjoy bamboo and wooden utensils. I thought they’d be a pain to maintain (*all the rhymes*), but I’ve actually gotten pretty good at it as long as I keep them clean and dry the majority of the time. There was a point in our eco journey where my husband’s “area of responsibility” was the kitchen and he would repeatedly leave one of the pot scrubber brushes sitting in water-filled bowls. This would have been fine with plastic brushes, but makes for very moldy bamboo utensils. He hasn’t completely gotten the hang of changing certain habits according to our zero waste efforts and other priorities, but we’re getting there.
It’s so interesting to me how a lot of not-so-eco-friendly habits are largely driven by how we were raised in the society we live in and, given the right mindset and focus, can be changed.
When I lived in Japan, I never saw litter anywhere because the culture was backed by a sense of pride and responsibility in their home and surroundings. Then come back to the states and I see litter almost everywhere because it’s not as shunned as it could be. Obviously not all efforts are doable by everyone, but if the right buttons are pressed, I could see our behavior adhering to a more responsible lifestyle without us thinking twice about it.
Not sure entirely sure how that will be done, but I know there are some awesome efforts out there in fields like behavioral science to determine how we can subconscious make humans like more sustainably (like giving them smaller plates so they waste less food and feel more full).
Have you moved away from plastic sponges and brushes for cleaning yet to these lovelies?
Dream of Less 