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Many hands make light work is a mantra that is often used when thinking about environmental issues. The more people that pull together and make small changes, the healthier the world will be. There are so many small changes we can all make to our daily lives that can have a big impact on the planet, particularly when other people from all around the world take the same steps.
As we eagerly anticipate the arrival of Earth Day on April 22, 2024, we look at how the simple act of buying a sustainable electric toothbrush can make a big difference to the amount of plastic that is entering our oceans at an alarming rate. Have you understood what eco-friendly dental products you can choose from now?
How sustainable are electric toothbrushes?
Electric toothbrushes are an eco-friendly option if you're looking to reduce the amount of plastics that you use and dispose of every year. When you use a manual toothbrush, you end up throwing it away every month or so, which adds to the billions of toothbrushes that end up in landfill sites every year.
As electric toothbrushes are designed to be used long into the future, they are a much more sustainable option and mean that you can keep the same brush for several years without any problems.
Though it might seem like a small issue, it's a much bigger problem than many people realize. As indicated in National Geographic, more than one billion toothbrushes are thrown away in the United States every year, an alarming statistic that highlights the severity of the problem.
*Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/story-of-plastic-toothbrushes
This is further illustrated by the fact that in beach clean-ups in Hawaii, it's common for volunteers to pick up more than 20 toothbrushes each day, which have somehow found their way into US waterways and out into the ocean.
Plastic toothbrushes have been around since the 1930s, but before then, brushes were made from natural materials and were easy to dispose of without harming the environment.
Over the past 100 years, we have all been throwing away plastic toothbrushes year after year, without realizing, or caring, just how much damage we have been doing to our planet.
Thankfully, today, there are several options available to you if you want to use a more sustainable brush, including an electric brush and a bamboo toothbrush. Let's look at how they both shape up and which is better.
What is more sustainable - a bamboo toothbrush or electric?
Both an electric toothbrush and a bamboo toothbrush are more sustainable than a disposable plastic toothbrush. An electric toothbrush is designed to last for several years, negating the need to throw it away. On the other hand, a bamboo toothbrush needs to be disposed of regularly, but because it is made from natural material, it doesn't harm the environment.
If you're unsure about whether to go for a bamboo or an electric toothbrush, you can use this comparison of the pros and cons of each to help you decide:
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Bamboo toothbrush
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Electric toothbrush
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✅ Cheap to buy and widely available
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✅ Lasts for years & doesn't need to be disposed of
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✅ Made from natural materials so it doesn't harm the environment when thrown away
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✅ Easy to replace the heads without replacing the entire brush
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✅ A much better option than a plastic toothbrush if you're looking for a disposable option
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✅ Provides the most thorough clean of your teeth when compared to all other brushes
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❌ Though good for the environment, they don't do a great job of thoroughly cleaning your teeth and gums
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❌ From the outset, buying an electric toothbrush is more expensive than buying a bamboo brush
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Celebrating Earth Day 2024 with a sustainable electric toothbrush
As we look forward to Earth Day 2024, we want to raise awareness of the people v plastics campaign. Earth Day organizers want to see a 60% reduction in global plastics by 2040, an ambitious target that requires action from everyone.
There are lots of ways to reduce the amount of plastic that you use and throw away, and one of the easiest things is to stop using manual plastic toothbrushes. Opting for an electric toothbrush prevents you from throwing your toothbrush away frequently, saving plastic from entering landfill sites.
At Laifen, we uphold our commitment to preserving the earth's natural resources by using biodegradable packaging for our sustainable electric toothbrush, the Laifen Wave. We do not include a plastic sleeve with our packaging - something that many toothbrush brands include - and 90% of our packaging is made from recyclable materials.
We also don't include a power adaptor in our packaging to prevent waste - we encourage you to use the Laifen power cable with any adaptor that you already have in your home.
While there are so many things we can collectively do to contribute to Earth Day on April 22nd, the simple act of switching to an eco-friendly toothbrush - like the Laifen Wave - is a great way to do your bit for the environment as Earth Day organizers campaign for a reduction in the amount of plastic that ends up in landfill every year.
So, take responsibility this Earth Day and do your bit for the natural world. Upgrading to a sustainable electric toothbrush like the Laifen Wave will eliminate your reliance on disposable plastic toothbrushes and reduce the amount of plastic entering our oceans.
Are your replacement brushes for the Wave made out of plastic? If so, have you considered making them out of bamboo instead. That way you would have a two-for-one – sustainable electric + biodegradable disposable brush. Just a suggestion.