12 Tips To Make Your Bathroom More Eco-Friendly

Try out a few of the ideas below to help lighten your ecological footprint. The tips highlighted in green will refer you back to earlier blog posts that offer specific product suggestions and details on the benefits of making such changes.

Paper Products
1) Toilet Paper and Paper Towel - Use chlorine-free recycled paper products with high post-consumer content. Businesses should consider investing in an automated hand-dryer.
2) The Trash – Buy biodegradable trash bags. If there is space, have two trash bins, one for recyclable paper products and another for feminine products and other wastes.

Water
3) Toilet – If you do not already own a low flush toilet install a water displacement device (try adding a half-gallon plastic bottle filled with sand to your toilet’s tank). Consider purchasing a dual flush toilet or a waterless, composting toilet.
4) Sink – Install a faucet attachment to either lower the gallon per minute flow or to convert your faucet into an automatic faucet that is sensor activated.
5) Shower – Choose a water-efficient showerhead that has a low gallon per minute flow.

Health
6) Cleaning Products – Use non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning products such as Method, Seventh Generation and Planet. For hand soap, check out Just Soap’s natural, biodegradable soaps that are blended by human-powered bicycles.
7) Air Ventilation – Keep your indoor air quality at a healthy level by making sure your bathroom fan is fully functioning.

Lighting
8) Light Bulbs – Natural lighting is always best but if that’s not an option, light your bathroom with LED lights. They last long, use less energy (even less than compact fluorescent light bulbs), and save you money.

Materials
9) Paint - Use low or zero-VOC paint to reduce indoor air pollution.
10) Rugs - Add to the comfort of your bathroom and purchase a rug made from bamboo, a fast growing, viable alternative to wood.

Connection to Nature
11) Plants – Nice for aesthetics and helps connect people back to nature (bromeliads, philodendrons, orchids, ferns)
12) Reminder Sign – Post a sign to remind people who use your bathroom to conserve water and paper resources.