As part of a series of posts on reducing waste in 2009, here’s a look at how to cut down on bathroom waste.

1.  Instead of tubs, bottles and tubes of scrubs, try using a loofah or natural fibre wash mitt.  It will last longer than scrub in a container and so reduce waste.  Another advantage of natural fibre mitts is that they’ll biodegrade, making them a good green choice.

2.  As soon as you’ve showered, hang your towel out over the bannister or on a radiator to dry.  Towels dried like this don’t get smelly, so you don’t have to wash them as often, saving electricity and detergent.

3.  Look at and smell your clothes before throwing them into the washing basket.  Wearing something for an afternoon doesn’t mean it needs washing.  Use your common sense and save energy, water and detergent.

4. Have an organic waste bin in the bathroom.  Hair, loo roll tubes, tissues and light paper packaging can all go into your compost.

5.  For the ladies: forget disposable tampons and pads and give the Mooncup a go.  I’m happy to recommend them to all of my friends (or buy them as gifts for my friends) and haven’t met someone who doesn’t love this hygienic and waste-free alternative.

Photo credit: cote