Swap it Out: Green Up Your Daily Routines with These 1:1 Swaps!

At our Holiday Party Fundraiser in December, we asked the Greener Grove community to donate a favorite eco-friendly product that they love and use in everyday life. Think kitchen, body care, and cleaning products. Below we share some of these product ideas.

Eco-Friendly Products Donated for the Favorite Things Grab Bag at Greener Grove's Holiday Party Fundraiser in December 2025

It's a new year and for many that means changing up habits, getting more organized, and making time to move your body. Here at Greener Grove, we’d like to add one more goal in 2026: Lean into living more sustainability in our everyday lives. We’re here to help take the overwhelm out of it, starting with the 1:1 Swap it Out Guide below. 

1:1 Swap it Out Guide

Take a look at what you are currently using in your everyday life and check out our table below to see if there is a more sustainable option (consider also packaging and ingredients). We know a product has to perform or else we just end up using more, and often buying more, so we’ve included what GG members have to say about the products they contributed to the Holiday Party Fundraiser. This should help us eliminate waste as a community.

Kitchen Goods

Replace These Products:	With A More Sustainable Option:	Here’s What Our Member Says
Plastic sandwich wrap or bags	Beeswax Food Wrap One brand to check out: Bee’s Wrap Beeswax Wraps	“Beeswax food wrap replaces the need for plastic cling wrap, and it works great!”
Plastic sandwich bags	Compostable Sandwich Bags Check out: Compostic Resealable Sandwich Bags	“These bags [Compostic] have a zip-loc, are compostable in your own bin, and come in a compostable cardboard box. Win, Win, Win, Win !!”
Kitchen or cleaning sponges	Skoy Sponge Cloths Check out: Skoy Reusable Cleaning Cloths	“These SKOY sponge cloths replace paper towels! They work well and when they’re done, the sponge cloths are 100% biodegradable.”
Plastic cutting boards	Non-plastic Cutting Board Check out: Epicurean cutting boards	“This cutting board [Epicurean] is a good alternative for a plastic one, it is surprisingly light, and, yes, it is also made right here in the U.S.!”
Kitchen or cleaning sponges	Washable Swedish Sponge Cloth One brand to check out: If You Care sponge cloths	“This sponge cloth works great for washing dishes and cleaning up spills. And, it's cute - and washable!”
Plastic containers	Glass Mason Jars	Glass mason jars are a great way to store leftovers. Wash and reuse forever!
Polyester blend or microfiber dish towels	Cotton Dish Towels	Who doesn't love a new set of 100% cotton kitchen towels!

Toiletries/Body Care

Replace These Products:	With A More Sustainable Option:	Here’s What Our Member Say
Cotton balls or makeup pads	Cotton Reusable Pads Check out: Greenzla Reusable Cotton Pads	“These pads [Greenzla] work great for removing and applying makeup, plus they’re washable and reusable!”
Shampoo & conditioner packaged in plastic bottles	Shampoo & Conditioner Bars Check out:  Verbena Soap & Apothecary in Downers Grove  Kitsch shampoo bar	“These shampoo and conditioner   bars [from Verbena Soap & Apothecary in Downers Grove] work really well - and no plastic bottles!” “I love this [Kitsch] shampoo bar because it works really well! In fact, I was a bit skeptical the first time I tried it but was pleasantly surprised! And, no plastic shampoo bottles.”
Toothpaste tubes	Toothpaste Tablets	“The toothpaste does not come in a plastic tube, and the floss comes in a small cardboard box.”
Traditional hair ties	Hair ties made from pineapple leaves Check out: Pina Designs	“We like that these [Pina Designs] hair ties are upcycled from pineapple leaves that are often thrown away.”
Traditional toilet paper and tissue brands	Who Gives A Crap Toilet Paper Check out: Who Gives a Crap	“Why I love this [toilet paper and tissue brand]: This company only uses recycled fibers (no virgin timber to flush away) and donates 50% of profits to provide toilets and clean water throughout the world. It’s a certified B corp and FSC certified.”

Home & Garden

Replace These Products:	With A More Sustainable Option:	Here’s What Our Member Say
Traditional moth repellents	Lavender Sachets	“Lavender sachets are great for tucking in with wool sweaters - they are a moth deterrent and smell great!”
Plastic soap dishes and soap savers	Biodegradable Soap Dishes Check out: Bamboo & cornstarch soap dish	“This soapdish is intriguing and useful: It's made from bamboo fibre and cornstarch, is biodegradable, and has a tray for keeping soap dry after use!”
Fabric softener dryer sheets or liquid fabric softeners (packaged in plastic bottles)	Wool Dryer Balls Check out: Friendsheep Dryer Balls	“With dryer balls, items dry much faster (especially sheets and towels), which means less energy consumption. Also, things come out soft and static free so there is no need for fabric softeners!”
Traditional household gloves	Household Gloves Check out: If You Care Household Gloves	“These gloves [from If You Care] are certified 100% natural latex rubber, fair trade, reusable, compostable and biodegradable, and so is the box it comes in. They can be used for pretty much any task where gloves are required, including gardening.”
Plastic pots	Newspaper Pot Maker One brand to check out: Lehman’s	“This newspaper pot maker is great for creating small pots to start seeds or young plants in.”
Cleaners sold in plastic containers	Glass Spray Bottle w/ DIY Cleaner Solution Check out DIY cleaning solution recipes like these from Real Simple	“I like making my own spray cleaner because I know what's in it, there's no waste, it’s way less expensive than conventional cleaners, and it's convenient.”