Feeling trashy … in the kitchen?
Kitchens are a prime spot to start investigating waste since all the cooking and cleaning necessitates lots of frequently-used products. Yes, an eco-friendly kitchen is easier than it seems!
Consider just one little part of the kitchen: the humble trash bag. The typical American household, which has an average of 2.6 people, goes through about 100 trash bags per year.
Multiply that by 124 million households in the U.S., and that's over 12 billion trash bags thrown into the landfill each year by households alone.
Trash bags — and other kitchen products like dish soap, paper towels, and dishwasher detergent — are a household necessity. Luckily there are affordable alternatives to wasteful or harmful products made by brands that truly care about people and the planet.
Here are a few of our favorite eco-friendly kitchen alternatives:
The Cool Down may receive a commission on purchases made through links on this page at no cost to you. Price and availability are subject to change. Learn more about our Product Mission here.
Blueland Dish Soap Starter Set
Why It's Cool
Never want to think of dish soap again? Blueland gets you close — one of its 16-ounce bottles replaces the 30 single-use plastic bottles an average home goes through in a year. Just sprinkle the powdered soap on your dish brush and add some water.
$20
Dirty Labs Bio Enzyme Dishwasher Detergent
Why It's Cool
Grab this ultra-concentrated powder detergent and booster to have the cleanest dishes. Vegan, no sulfates, dyes, parabens, or synthetic preservatives, you can feel good about sending this down the drain.
$18
Package Free Dish Washing Brush
Why It's Cool
Unlike most conventional sponges made with petroleum-based plastics, this brush is made of wood and sisal fibers. Compostable at the end of its life, this dish brush also just looks great next to your sink.
$12
Who Gives A Crap? Forest Friendly Paper Towels
Why It's Cool
If you're not ready to ditch paper towels 100%, these are very absorbent rolls made from bamboo and bagasse (sugarcane). Bagasse is typically considered waste, but this brand upcycles it into paper towels to reduce extra waste.
$3.33 per roll
Nordhus Design Swedish Dishcloths
Why It's Cool
Perfect for small kitchens with limited storage space, these 100% biodegradable cloths can replace your sponges, dish rags, and paper towels. Throw them in the washing machine for an easy refresh.
$2.50 per cloth
Hold On Compostable Tall Kitchen Trash Bags
Why It's Cool
Unlike many compostable bags, these are TUV-certified home compostable as well as industrially compostable. Hold On bags promise to break down without producing microplastics. Perfect for trash, composting, or recycling!
$0.65 per bag
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to shop smarter, live cleaner, and help yourself while helping the planet.
