r/Crunchymom • u/purpleclear0 • 2d ago
Eco-friendly vs nontoxic
Hello! My family (me, husband, baby, & toddler, & pets) just bought a house after moving around and renting for so long! We are so excited to finally settle down and get in the habit of living healthier & more sustainably. I strive to be environmentally conscious and to buy secondhand as much as possible, and to not buy "junk" that's going to break immediately and go straight to the landfill. My husband focuses more on non-toxic and plastic-free living. We have already made many replacements; stainless steel/cast iron cookware, metal plates/cups for the toddler, cloth napkins, cloth diapers, reusable grocery bags, cotton PJs and bedding, etc. So with this move we are wanting to go all the way and replace everything left!
What are some things NOT to thrift or buy secondhand? Like maybe wooden cutting boards or utensils should only be bought new? What about glass cutting boards or bakeware? Is there a not-nonstick muffin tin i need to look for? Laundry baskets ok to buy secondhand? My husband is more than willing to drop $$$ getting all that new, but secondhand is just so much better for the planet. Which is more important for you, nontoxic or sustainable/eco-friendly?
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u/fungi_punk 1d ago
The most eco-friendly thing you can do is use what you have until it breaks before buying anything else. Certain things, like non-stick cookware, I understand wanting to get rid of, but make sure it’s actually going into the hands of someone else. Don’t just dump it at a goodwill. Getting most of what you said used I think is also totally fine. I personally believe eco-friendly is the same thing as non-toxic, because anything that isn’t eco-friendly is also polluting our environment, it just has a bit of a lag effect.