365 Ways to Save the Planet

Day 85 – Not too long ago, you could easily have found at least three different types of shampoo brands in our shower. Each accompanied with a conditioner. That is a lot of plastic bottles in one bathroom. So, for Christmas, I included some samples of shampoo bars in a basket of gifts from Mother Earth, to the kids. All the items were going to help us rid our house of single use plastic.

Well, the shampoo bars sat for a month and no one was willing to try them. So, come February, I took it upon myself to be the test subject. I used the shampoo and conditioner bar for about three weeks. I had read that some hair types would need an adjustment period to get used to using such products. In the end, I had to go back to liquid shampoo. I needed a little lather, which the bars were not offering. Besides the lack of lather, aging has not been treating my hair so nicely. So, with the little hair I do have, I wanted it to look and feel clean. Now, this was only one brand and there are countless shampoo bars on the market and I’m sure there are some really great bars out there. I have just decided to put this challenge a little lower on my list.

I definitely want to go plastic free in the shower and it seems like the only way to do that would be to use a shampoo bar or look into a retailer like Loop, that will allow me to ship my empty bottle back and have it refilled. Currently, this type of reusable packaging can be pricey for a larger family. So, I came up with a plan B that will work for now, until a better solution can be found. I perused the TerraCycle Free Programs for shampoo brands. There were a few, but I decided on Hair Food. Hair Food is sulfate-free, paraben-free, dye-free, mineral oil-free and is cruelty free. I signed up for the program and can now ship my empties to TerraCycle, where I now they will be recycled into new products.

So, even though you might have difficulty parting with a product that happens to be packaged in plastic, don’t beat yourself up. Plan B will work until you can find a successful way to complete your original plan. It’s important that you stay positive and engaged, so that you feel good and your hair, too!

Tomorrow, going dark to shed light on the environment.