Green Hygiene

My roommate talks my ear off about going green.

By his mandate, there is no extraneous paper or plastic around the house, including paper towels and trash bags. And, to my surprise, it all works out without any disruption from my daily activities. Here are some simple and effective changes we (and by that I mean he) made to our everyday lives.

Handkerchiefs

In Japan, many public restrooms do not have paper towel dispensers, so most people carry handkerchiefs with them at all times to dry their hands with. Why don't we do that in America? Carrying a hankie not only lessens the amount of waste floating around, but also replaces tissue packets -- you know, those ones you bought in bulk last week and can never find when you need them. Instead of running to find a towel dispenser when you spill your coffee or break a sweat, you'll find it infinitely easier just to reach in your pocket and grab your hankie.

Keep three to five different handkerchiefs and wash them regularly, and you'll never have to buy tissue or use paper towels again. (And also feel a little more special when you're not waiting in line for the dryer with your hands dripping wet.)

The Art of Manliness's take on why every man should carry a handkerchief (which doesn't necessarily mean a woman shouldn't too): http://artofmanliness.com/2009/03/26/every-man-should-carry-a-handkerchief/

Tips on how to choose and make your own handkerchiefs: http://craftnectar.com/2010/02/18/the-essential-handkerchief/

Oral Care

Tooth flossers are a godsend, but they're also disposable, and therefore not the best in terms of going green. This may sound like a stretch, but consider buying a few reusable toothpicks to carry around instead of a giant bag of flossers every two weeks. Tiny things like toothpicks and flossers often end up on the side of the street, never to be picked up or recycled. Washable, portable stainless steel toothpicks are available for as low as $4 each. Check that off your list of things to never buy again, and feel great about it.

Here's what a nice stainless steel toothpick looks like: http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/1379125/839625.htm

Water filters and reusable bottles

Seriously. Why are we still buying bottled water anyway? For those of you who can afford it, having a water filter installed on your kitchen faucet is a great investment. For those who can't (like myself), there are pitchers and portable water bottles you can buy which will filter your tap water for you at no cost to the environment. If you're not carrying your own water bottle around, you're probably going to end up buying water in a plastic bottle or a paper cup, and that, my friend, is an environmental and financial failure. And you're no failure, right?

Repackage and buy in bulk

Supermarkets are awful with the amount of paper and plastic they sell you. If you can, buy your food relatively fresh, and by that I mean free of packaging. Bring your own bags to the grocery store, so you don't have to A) worry about recycling the giant mass of bags they give you, and B) junking up your house with that same mass of bags.

Maybe you've heard these ideas before and just never tried them, but these are just a few no-brainer tips you can do in seconds that will up your green status while saving you green. And you don't even have to be an eco-nazi.