It’s amazing how significantly the items we use every single day impact our environmental. Take toothbrushes, for example. Each year, 4.7 billion plastic toothbrushes are produced, and most likely they are packaged in plastic. You probably will use a toothbrush for only a month or so until it gets old and not so fresh. So, then you throw it away. What else can you do, right?
Most plastic toothbrushes will end up in the trash eventually. These plastic items represent more than 50 million pounds of waste that ends up in landfills every year. Since they are made from plastic and are not biodegradable, they will remain indefinitely in landfills or — worse — in our oceans, nature or beaches, where they will add to greenhouse gasses and cause more global warming.
So, what can we do to change this? It’s simple: swap plastic toothbrushes for biodegradable ones made from bamboo. They are the most environmentally-conscious toothbrush on the market because bamboo is a sustainable raw material since it can grow up to 4 inches per day with little water and does not require pesticides or fertilizer. And, of course, it’s natural and can be composted.However, not all bamboo toothbrushes are equal, so make sure to buy only bamboo toothbrushes with bristles that also are biodegradable. Brushes made from nylon-6 are not biodegradable, while brushes with bristles made with castor bean nylonare biodegradable.
My belief is that that any little change can make a big difference for our health and the planet. Nixing plastic for a better, sustainable option is a step in the right direction.
