Have you ever heard that products that don't contain any water are more sustainable?
Simply put, water scarcity and declining water quality affects people’s quality of life and presents challenges to public health all around the world. How can we help? What can we do? First things first, we must tackle the question of why the presence of water in products is a challenge to a more sustainable lifestyle that we can affect and influence on an individual level.
The answer is complex, but important. The real cost of water in any product is not just financial, and it has an impact on many other hidden elements we don't often think about. The reality is that most products contain water not only as an ingredient (often the main ingredient!), but also on various other levels of production and distribution including:
1. Manufacture – work spaces where products are made are cleaned and sanitized using water. Even in a circular model where containers are repurposed, the use of additional water is necessary to prepare for refilling.
2. Transportation – high quantities of water in a product means bulkier products that take up more space and weigh more, causing a larger carbon footprint to get from their point of origin, to stores, to your home.
3. Storage – Larger footprint and maintenance costs for warehouses and retail locations. And the indirect impact of storage at the consumer's home.
This is the tip of the iceberg, the reality is that water is being used excessively in many other processes to make the products we consume every day. And the indirect cost of other resources is high.
Sometimes finding a product low in water content can be simple and straightforward. For example, think about using an old fashioned bar of soap instead of a bottle of body wash. But other times it can be more complicated, because many alternative waterless products require extensive research and development with huge upfront investment.
Interestingly (or not surprisingly 🤔), in the last decade, it wasn't the big international corporations that have taken the plunge on this quest, but visionary entrepreneurs taking the lead from the trenches. Some of them have had explosive growth, some a little less so.
I spend a lot of time researching and testing products and brands to bring to you. And it's a fact that in the last couple of years, the big guys have taken notice and we're starting to see more waterless offerings from mainstream brands. That's a good thing, because there is strength in numbers.
I'm proud to say Pretty Clean Shop is now offering at least 1 type of waterless product for every need! On the home cleaning front, these options are light, effective, easy to transport and take a small footprint in your precious storage space at home. Pretty convenient on all fronts!
It's a change of habits, but what do you say? Are you ready to go waterless? If you can start with just one product, which one will it be?
Check out our waterless home cleaning products.
Stay tuned for the beauty and personal care edition.