Impact of Plastic Toothbrushes
As we search for opportunities to reduce waste in our lives, one of the best places to begin is with our daily routines. One of these routines is brushing our teeth, something most of us do at least twice a day. But, within this daily practice is an opportunity to reduce plastic waste. The commonplace plastic toothbrush has a significant and long lasting effect on our planet.
Approximately 1-billion plastic toothbrushes are thrown out each year in the United States alone - about 3 brushes per person. Those 1-billion plastic toothbrushes add up, significantly, totaling about 50-million pounds of plastic waste being added to the landfills each year. Considering that it takes approximately 500 years for one toothbrush to decompose, by the time a single toothbrush decays there will be more than 500 billion to take its place.
Approximately 1-billion plastic toothbrushes are thrown out each year in the United States alone - about 3 brushes per person.
The plastic waste produced though, is only a part of the problem, There are also negative repercussions from the manufacturing and distribution process that are equally as great. The production of the nylon bristles on each toothbrush causes nitrous oxide to be produced and released into the atmosphere as a bi-product; nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas that is 310 times more potent than carbon dioxide. When looking at these issues it is clear that we need to move away from single use plastics and find a more eco friendly, long term solution.
An Alternative to Plastic Toothbrushes
Swapping out our plastic toothbrush for a bamboo toothbrush is an easy way each of us can help reduce plastic pollution. Constructed with a natural bamboo handle, which will decompose in 6-months, bamboo toothbrushes lessen the environmental impact. Bamboo, a type of fast growing grass, can be rapidly and sustainably produced which lends itself perfectly to being used for products like toothbrushes.
How We Can Make a Difference
By making the switch to bamboo toothbrushes we can greatly decrease our ecological footprint over the course of our lives. Not only will you be preventing more plastic toothbrushes from going in the landfill or ending up in the ocean, you will be setting a better example for those around you. Unfortunately, finding eco-friendly toothbrushes that are made from natural resources can be difficult, as most stores only carry plastic toothbrushes.
This is why here at Lochtree we offer you bamboo toothbrushes and other sustainable products to help pave the way to a better world for ourselves and future generations. Our toothbrushes come in packs of four, each one crafted differently using sustainable bamboo. They also have BPA free bristles that are charcoal infused to combat bad breath.
