A typical home bathroom impacts the environment in many ways besides the consumption of water. From manufacturing to disposal, cleaning supplies and personal care products that we use every day in the bathroom create a lot of pollution and waste that can be avoided. Here are some tips on how to turn your bathroom into a more environmentally friendly place.

REDUCE PACKAGING WASTE

The easiest way to make your bathroom greener is switch to bulk packaging. Not only is this healthier on the wallet, but it also saves packaging material from hitting the landfills. By choosing to pick up large bottles of shampoo and hand soap, you'll go through less plastic than if you constantly buy smaller bottles. If you need the space, you can always keep a smaller bottle and refill it when necessary. The same extends for hand cream and moisturizers. Instead of buying packages of portable-sized products, buy bulk and refill the portable container.

RECYCLE

Many products in the bathroom that are thrown away can actually be recycled. Toilet paper rolls and tissue boxes are made of cardboard and can be recycled along with your mixed paper. You will need to check with your recycling agency first, but a lot of municipalities also take used plastic containers in their recycling. If they accept them in your area, you can rinse out used soap and shampoo bottles and place them in your recycling bins. Some recycling plants may also take empty toothpaste tubes.

CONSERVE WATER

The most common way to conserve water use in a bathroom is to install a low flow showerhead. They're relatively inexpensive with decent models pricing in at as low as $30 at Home Depot. Low flow showerheads can cut down water use by 25% to 60% with little noticeable difference, which can easily save you over a hundred dollars on your water bill each year.

The next step would be to install a low flush or dual flush toilet. Considering toilets account for 30% of a household's water consumption, switching to a low flush toilet can save over 9,000 gallons of water a year. Although it is a big time investment to replace a toilet, a $120 dual flush toilet will quickly recoup its cost in savings on the water bill.

Another installation to consider would be a sensor operated faucet. Many people waste thousands of gallons of water each year due to leaving the faucet running as they brush their teeth. With an optical sensor faucet, water will only run when it's needed.

USE ECO FRIENDLY SUPPLIES

Cleaning Supplies

As covered in some of our other articles, there are many green alternatives to popular chemical cleaners, which are bad for both the environment as well as your health. The best substitute, though, can simply be homemade with all natural household ingredients. Vinegar and baking soda mixed with water do amazing jobs of cleaning and are eco-friendly and non-toxic. In addition to cutting out chemical cleaners, you can also use cleaning cloths instead of disposable wipes or paper towels. By washing and reusing cleaning cloths, it cuts down on our paper consumption.

Reusable Razors

Over two billion disposable razors hit the landfills each year in the US alone, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. You can help reduce this number by switching to a reusable razor. A company called Preserve makes razors that are not only reusable but also completely recyclable, and it's definitely worth looking into.

Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper

Switching eco-friendly toilet paper made from recycled materials helps to reduce paper waste and besides the look, you probably won't notice a difference.

Eco-Friendly Towels

Conventional cotton towels and washcloths are made from chemically laden crops that use high amounts of pesticide to ensure large yields. Switching to organic cotton will help reduce the strain on the environment from traditional cotton farms. Alternatively, you can opt for towels made from bamboo. Being sustainable and more natural, bamboo is fast replacing traditional cotton in many products.

Organic Soap and Toothpaste

Switching to organic soap and natural toothpaste will help reduce the amount of chemicals used in traditional manufacturing processes. Tom's of Maine has a whole line of chemical additive-free personal care products that include toothpaste, soap, deodorant, and mouthwash. Along with Burt's Bees, they also use packaging created from recycled material.

Shower Curtains

Many people use PVC vinyl shower curtains without realizing the impact it has on the environment. The process to create PVC products itself is chemical intensive and the production of PVC releases a great deal of toxic gasses. At home, PVC curtains continue to release chemicals, creating noxious odors that are linked to respiratory damage. In addition, they are non-recyclable. A better alternative would be hemp or organic cotton shower curtains. Not only are they more stylish, but they can easily be machine-washed, reducing mildew growth.

REPLACE LIGHTING

Many bathrooms have vanity mirrors that use upwards of eight bulbs, which are unnecessary. Installing a lower bulb quantity lighting system with energy efficient CFL bulbs will help cut down on electrical costs and your energy impact. CFL bulbs are widely available at most hardware stores as well as online through sites like BulbAmerica.com.

FIXING LEAKS

Last but not least, is simple maintenance. Fixing leaking faucets and showers can help reduce the amount of water you go through in the bathroom. As well, bathroom windows are a big source of heat leakage and a simple re-caulking can help your home cut down on the heating bill.

With a few minor adjustments, you can easily make your bathroom exponentially greener while saving you money at the same time. No matter what the scope of your green living ambition, there are many ways that you can help reduce your environmental impact. A greener bathroom can be the first step in turning your home into an more eco-friendly place.