Animal welfare is not always top-of-mind as people go about their day. However, each time we use any household product or eat a meal, we might be either causing harm or helping other species. It’s often as simple as what we purchase at the grocery store or order online. There are so many ways we can act more conscientiously that might make a real difference. Read on for tips to alter your consumer habits, one product at a time.
Cleaners
Household cleaners such as bleach and hydrogen peroxide can be poisonous for wildlife and family pets alike. Unfortunately, it can be challenging to spot good cleaning products developed by companies that use safe ingredients and responsible practices—product labels are often misleading. Companies may use words like green, eco-friendly, natural, sustainable, or something similar on packaging, even when these claims are bogus. This is called “greenwashing.” Part of the problem is that these terms are not regulated; companies can call their products “eco-friendly” without having to prove that they actually are. Consumers can be fooled into thinking they’re bringing home sustainable cleaners when they’re not.
It’s a troubling problem, but the best advice is to do a little research online and find out more about the ingredients in and/or production processes of any cleaning product you wish to buy. It’s also easy to make your own cleaning products from safe household ingredients such as white vinegar, dish soap, and baking soda.
Cosmetics
The ingredients in makeup products like lipstick, foundation, eye shadow, and mascara can be harmful to animals; this is also true of personal care staples like deodorant and shampoo. When developing these items, many laboratories regularly test them on animals like small rodents.
Researching companies to make sure they use cruelty-free approaches in developing their products is a good idea. Keep in mind the definition of “cruelty-free” is somewhat open to interpretation, as there’s no legally agreed-upon standard. However, you can seek out products with the Leaping Bunny logo—this standard was created by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC) to certify products that are free of animal testing.
Fertilizers and pesticides
These products can cause damage to pollinators like birds, insects, and bees as well as fish. Family pets can also be killed if they accidentally ingest these poisons. Moreover, some pesticides have linked to serious health problems in humans, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and reproductive and endocrine system harm. In addition, fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals applied to gardens and lawns wash away in the rain and eventually end up in creeks, rivers, and the ocean, where they can accumulate over time and harm aquatic life.
To combat the problem, stay away from anything that contains acetamiprid, atrazine, glyphosate, neonicotinoids (listed as imidacloprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, and thiamethoxam), pyrethroids, 1,3-dichloropropene, and 2,4-dichlorophenozyacetic acid. Instead, try using natural substances like diatomaceous earth, dish soap, garlic oil, peppermint essential oil, and white vinegar to deter unwanted pests from your home and garden.
Microplastics
Microplastics are smaller than 5 millimeters and are created by the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic. In addition, washing synthetic clothing made of fabrics like polyester and nylon can release millions of tiny plastic microfibers into the environment.
Microplastics and microfibers accumulate in the environment—on land, in the sea, and even in the air—and enter the food chain when they are ingested by animals. They can accumulate in both animals and humans. Scientists are still in the process of learning exactly how microplastics affect human health, but studies have linked them to inflammation, cell death, gut microbiome changes, hormonal effects, and immune responses.
Plastics are extremely difficult to avoid, but there are steps you can take to minimize your exposure and reduce your personal contribution to the problem. Choose foods and other products with minimal or no plastic packaging; opt for glass, ceramic, or stainless steel food containers; use cloth shopping bags instead of disposable plastic ones; and minimize your use of single-use plastics like cups, plates, and utensils.
Palm oil
Palm oil can be found in over half of the pre-packaged items in grocery stores. Chocolate, baked goods, and pizza dough often are made with this kind of oil; deodorants and shampoos can contain palm oil, too. Palm oil production is a major contributor to deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia, putting at risk species like pygmy elephants and orangutans, decreasing biodiversity, and contributing to forest fires.
Palm oil can be harder to spot on packaging because it may be listed as vegetable oil. Otherwise, palm kernel, palmitate, palm stearin, sodium kernelate, and palmityl alcohol all refer to palm oil. However, some companies harvest palm oil using practices that are environmentally sustainable; use the World Wildlife Fund’s Palm Oil Scorecard to find responsible brands.
Sunscreens
Conventional sunscreens contain chemicals that can harm coral, dolphins, fish, sea urchins, and turtles. The impacts are various and include deformities, damage to immune and reproductive systems, and stunted growth.
When shopping for sunscreen, read the ingredient list and avoid sunscreen with these potentially hazardous chemicals: benzophenone-1, benzophenone-8, 3-benzylidene camphor, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, nano-titanium dioxide, octinoxate, octocrylene, and oxybenzone. Mineral sunscreens are better options; they use a physical, rather than chemical, barrier to block the sun’s rays.
Your choices matter
There are many products we consume that have a damaging impact on other species. In modern life, it’s almost impossible to avoid all potentially harmful chemicals and other substances, but we can still make better decisions and reduce our impact. Making informed choices is a good step toward minimizing the harm done.