How to Buy Eco-Friendly Sunscreen, Cutting Boards, and Yoga Mats

Positive, shopping for nothing in any respect could be greatest from an emissions perspective, and transport can vastly alter a product’s local weather influence. To that, we are saying: Your mileage could fluctuate. 

Sunscreen

Solar is for vitality, not pores and skin harm.

GOOD: Green Goo Solar Goo $25
With regards to the environmental influence of sunscreen, it’s onerous to seek out substances extra damaging than oxybenzone and octinoxate, two chemical substances linked to the breakdown of coral reefs. Inexperienced Goo’s plant-based SPF is reef-friendly, made with licensed natural substances sourced from farms that recycle water and promote biodiversity.

BETTER: Meow Meow Tweet Everyday sunscreen $22
Plant-based substances resembling jojoba oil and sugar-derived lactic acid are mixed with uncoated non-nano zinc oxide particles (versus particles coated with chemical substances to assist in mixing) for solar safety. The aluminum bottle is recyclable, the outer packaging is compostable, and, in case you like, you possibly can return the pump to the corporate for recycling, too.

BEST: Raw Elements Face + Body tin $19
Though oxybenzone and octinoxate are probably the most talked-about oceanic enemies, nanoparticles of zinc oxide generally utilized in sunscreens may harm aquatic environments. The bigger particles of zinc oxide that Uncooked Components makes use of are much less dangerous to the ocean, coral reefs, and sea creatures. The metallic tin is recyclable (or reusable), and the product itself is biodegradable.

Slicing Boards

Chopping onions and slicing emissions.

GOOD: Material Kitchen ReBoard $35
There’s no virgin plastic used within the making of the ReBoard, which makes use of supplies recycled from the kitchenware business. Renewable sugar cane makes up 25% of the ReBoard, boosting its sturdiness.

BETTER: Preserve cutting board $18
Protect makes its reducing boards from recycled polypropylene, aka #5 plastic, the sort utilized in yogurt containers and disposable forks. In case your board ever will get worn out or broken, you possibly can toss it proper into your municipal recycling bin to offer it yet one more life.

BEST: Catskill Craftsmen end-grain slab $135
Catskill Craftsmen’s most popular supplies, together with birch and onerous maple, are all native to the U.S. Its New York manufacturing facility shuts down every so often to ease pressure on the regional energy grid. Plus, the corporate converts its wooden waste into pellets that it burns for warmth within the colder months, a lower-emission different to heating oil.

Yoga Mats

These aren’t simply posing as eco-friendly.

GOOD: Manduka Eko yoga mat from $92
To keep away from contributing to harmful deforestation, Manduka makes use of tree rubber harvested from non-Amazon bushes to make its biodegradable yoga mats. The corporate additionally accepts used yoga mats of any model to recycle into new merchandise.

BETTER: Scoria Essential cork yoga mat from $89
Scoria’s traditional yoga mats are product of naturally antimicrobial cork harvested from mature bushes to reduce potential harm; the backing is produced from tree rubber as an alternative of a hydrocarbon-based artificial. The mats are additionally shipped in recycled packaging.

BEST: Suga recycled wetsuit yoga mat from $79
If you happen to like to enhance your surf classes with a number of downward-facing canine, Suga is perhaps the corporate for you. Its yoga mats are product of recycled wetsuits and manufactured solely within the U.S. to assist scale back transport emissions. You’ll be able to even donate your used wetsuits to the corporate to make new mats or ship in your previous mat for recycling.