Let me be clear: I have a firm and unshakeable belief in the need to reuse, reduce and recycle whenever possible. But it occurred to me recently that there might be some things – due to their massive and inescapable skeeve factor – that simply should not be rinsed off and put back in the hands of unsuspecting consumers. It seems logical to me to put sex toys at the top of that particular list.

Once something has been used in such a personal and intimate way, the idea of giving it a second go-round is a little off-putting. And yet, it has come to my attention that there is an organization whose sole purpose is to promote and facilitate the recycling of sex toys. According to this company’s website, all you have to do is put your used item into a pouch and drop it into a designated receptacle; it will be retrieved, sterilized (thank God) and remade –  into either a new sex toy or a more general use item – such as underwear, a toothbrush, chopsticks, or patio furniture. For submitting items to be recycled, you are rewarded with a discount on your next purchase.

For the record, I am not a prude. I do not think that sexual enhancement products are just for floozies and sinners; I wholeheartedly support those who use titillating trinkets as part of an adult relationship. But I shudder to think that a battery-powered rubber device that was once part of an illicit three-way in a sketchy motel could somehow be reincarnated as my toothbrush.

In the interest of propriety I will not go into detail about the products that qualify for this exchange program – suffice to say that most of them will have taken a wild ride through bodily fluids. It’s hard to imagine that mere sterilization could make such objects clean enough for certain uses. I could probably live with the idea that a deconstructed sex toy had been recycled into an ink cartridge or a garbage bag, but I honestly cannot imagine one landing on my table as a chopstick.

This unwelcome knowledge is causing me to cast a wary eye on the recycled items I currently use. I have been struck with this uncomfortable thought: Is someone else’s refurbished vibrator in my house at this very minute? Intellectually I know that recycled products are entirely clean. But emotionally I am not OK with this. Suddenly I find myself wondering about those self-righteously eco brown paper towels: where have they been, exactly?

This sex-toy thing will absolutely not stop me from purchasing recycled items. But you know those black lights they use on CSI to illuminate bodily fluids at a crime scene? I may have to invest in one.

Image: Chrysaora

The post Um…My Toothbrush Was <em>Where?</em> appeared first on EcoSalon.

Buying a new toothbrush every three months may be dentist recommended, but it sure isn’t eco approved. Yeah, strict oral hygiene is important, but it still seems a bit wasteful to us green gals who rack our brains for ways to reuse things before tossing them in the trash. To spare you the headache, here are some ideas.

Dusting my keyboard has never been easier than with the help of an old toothbrush. This precise tool makes it a cinch to clean between the keys.

Scour the small spaces between the tiles on your bathroom and kitchen floors. (To paraphrase David Sedaris, you can have a clean floor or you can have a mop, but you can’t have both.)

Eliminate stains from your carpet or upholstery. The toughened bristles can provide some serious scrubbing action to targeted areas.

Groom unruly brows with an old toothbrush. And to think, some people actually invest in an unnecessary eyebrow comb when a used toothbrush works just the same! Ah, the satisfaction of resourceful thinking.

If you dye your hair at home, touch up your roots. (Another tip: stick to henna or herbal coloring and forego the harsh chemicals.)

If banging your shoes together won’t remove the mud caked in their soles, then use an old toothbrush to clean out the treads.

After a day in the garden, your nails look like you gave yourself a French manicure using soil instead of polish. A toothbrush is the perfect tool to scrub dirt from underneath your fingernails.

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly dust gathers in between the grates on my air conditioner. Keep them clean with a toothbrush.

I’m a stickler for spotless faucets, but my handy rag is no match for those hard-to-reach spots in between the knobs. Make every millimeter of your faucets sparkle with your recycled mini scrub brush.

Do you end up looking like you worked a full day as a mechanic every time you try to clean the chains on your bike? Get rid of grease the clean way with an old toothbrush.

Clean bits of food encrusted between the tines of your forks.

If you’re a fan of intricate jewelry, then you’re obviously aware of how difficult it is to polish. No problem! Just use an old toothbrush to get in between all the tiny nooks and crannies of filigree and beading.

For more ideas, visit our pals at Apartment Therapy Re-Nest and Green Daily. By the way, to cut down on virgin plastic use and waste, consider buying an eco-friendly toothbrush made from recycled materials.

Image: Anderson Mancini

The post 12 Clever Uses for Old Toothbrushes appeared first on EcoSalon.

When it comes to “doing my bit”, toothbrushes never crossed my mind.

I should add that yes, although I’m a Brit, I do still have all my teeth and I look after them. I also change my toothbrush at regular intervals, because when brushes get that splayed-out look, they’re no good to anyone (unless they want something to clean the chain of their bicycle – my upcycling tip of the day). But since modern toothbrushes are made of plastic, suddenly they don’t look so inconsequential.

Fortunately, there’s RADIUS. They’ve invented a toothbrush called Source where 80% is made from renewable materials – more specifically, recycled wood fiber or flax (or, most recently, recycled dollar bills), mixed with recovered & recoverable polypropylene. The heads of the brushes are the throwaway part, and yes, they’re plastic – but represent just a fifth of the disposable material of a standard toothbrush.

It’s a sign that Radius want to take their eco-responsibilities seriously, and in his letter to me, Radius’s Tamu Kemp noted: “We regrind our toothbrushes. We recirculate our water. We walk to work. We design our products to last longer. We design out products to waste less.”

More than that, they make products that do the job better than any I’ve seen (barring electric toothbrushes, that is). The Radius brushes have an unusually wide head with extra bristles, and they really explore your gums when you brush – getting around the age-old problem of teeth getting more attention than the rest of your mouth. I also have to mention the floss they sent, which is natural silk coated in beeswax (not a hint of plastic), and by far the best I’ve ever used, smooth without being sharp.

They also sent me a second brush, and for a second, I thought the whole thing was a green bust. Their Original brush is a translucent stick of curiously-molded material that looks like plastic, hence my misgivings – but it’s actually cellulose. It fits beautifully into the palm of your hand – but only one of them. Each brush is either right-handed or left-handed, because of the central recess where you slot your thumb. The difference in brushing? Quite remarkable – literally a whole new angle on things.

Yes, this is a glowing review – but then I feel these are glowing products. The eco-friendliness aside, Radius’s range seem to lead the field in functionality  – but these definitely are greener products, containing far less waste material than normal. They’re a little more expensive, as you’d expect from innovative new products, but in this case I’m quite happy to put my money where my mouth is.

Images: RADIUS

The post RADIUS: Bristling with Conviction appeared first on EcoSalon.