There is no better time than now to switch to eco friendly razors! In this article, I will discuss the benefits of eco friendly razors, the major problems with disposable razors, and give you some examples of eco friendly razors that are available.
Think about your life and how many disposable razors you’ve used. I’m 34, so over my lifetime I’m sure I’ve used maybe around 100 disposable razors. Now I know there are about 100 million adults in the US around the same age. So if they all used the same amount of disposable razors as me, that’s 10 billion razors. 10 billion razors thrown in the trash in our lifetime that end up polluting our environment. Actually the EPA has estimated that 2 billion razors are thrown away every year, which is a lot more than my estimate.
Eco Friendly Razors Save Money
The first good reason to switch to eco friendly razors is to save money! That’s what this website is about anyways – saving money on your bills. So why not save money on your grocery bill by cutting out the disposable razor budget. This article by the New York Times breaks it down for us.
The estimated lifetime cost of a daily shave, by brand:
- Gillette Fusion ProShield: $22,000
- Schick Hydro 5: $13,000
- Gillette Sensor3: $7,000
- Bic single-blades: $2,000
- Astra blades (safety razor blades): $400
Of the razor blades listed above, the safety razor blades are the eco friendly razor blades. If you use these razors instead of the disposable razor blades listed, you can save thousands! #savedthousands Below are just a few of the best safety razors out there today.
Disposable Razors are Hard to Recycle
Most disposable razors are made from several different materials. They have a plastic handle with a rubber grip, while the razors themselves are made of metal. Therefor they are not easy to recycle because they would have to be taken apart. The cost to recycle the razors is more than the value of their parts.
Stopping the Disposable Culture
If we humans want to survive as a race on this rock we call Earth, we are going to have to start taking care of it and stop trashing it. Capitalists, Companies, and Stock-holders love selling us disposable trash because we have to go out and buy more and more indefinitely. Ultimately we end up spending more money on disposable items. We have fallen right into the hands of big corporations. Shelling out money for a disposable item that can easily be manufactured as a re-usable eco-friendly item. The planet also pays for this convenience factor.
We as consumers have a voice. The voice is our pocket books. Let’s stop buying disposable garbage that trashes the earth, kills animals and poisons the environment. Let’s start buying products such as eco friendly razors and change the disposable culture that we all grew up in.
Plastic Pollution’s Affect on Humans and the Environment
Disposable razors are mainly made of plastic. In recent years, plastic pollution has become a major concern. Plastics take 1,000 years to decompose. So all of those plastic razors you have been trashing are going to be around a lot longer than we are. Our children and grandchildren are going to have to deal with all of the garbage we have put on this planet.
Toxic Chemicals
Plastics have toxic chemicals in them that leach into the environment, which includes our water and food. Chemicals such as BPA can disrupt endocrine systems in animals and humans.
Landfills
Landfills are obviously not good for the environment and filling them with disposable razors is contributing to the problem.
The Ocean
A lot of the garbage we produce ends up in the ocean. There is literally a place in the ocean called the great garbage patch that is full of tiny particles of plastic.
Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels are used to manufacture plastics, such as those used in disposable razors. The burning of fossil fuels contributes to global warming and greenhouse gasses. Fossil fuels are also a non-renewable resource, meaning that once they are gone, there is nothing left to replace them.
Eco Friendly Razors – The Alternative
If we are going to change as humans and survive on this planet, we have to take small steps every day towards that goal. One small step you can make is by pledging to yourself to never throw away or buy another disposable razor. If you do this, you can prevent another 100 razors from being trashed for the remainder of your life. If we all do this, we can prevent hudreds of billions of razors from being trashed and stop this part of our disposable culture that we live in.
Safety Razors
Safety razors are metal razors that are reusable and last for years. The only thing you have to replace on safety razors is the razor blade itself. Not only are they better for the environment, they look a lot nicer on your bathroom counter than disposable razors. Men and woman can use safety razors. You simply have to learn the technique to begin using them. Unlike disposable razors, safety razors do not bend and flex with your skin. This blog post at the medium.com goes into detail regarding how to shave your legs with a safety razor.
Razors Made From Eco Friendly and Recycled Materials
You can also buy razors that aren’t made from plastic, or razors that are made from recycled materials. Preserve razors produce razors made from recycled materials. These are a better option than new disposable razors, but I personally would not buy these because they are still disposable and will likely end up in landfills unless if you have the recycling program in your neighborhood that takes these razors. They are recyclable however.
Electric Razors
Another option is having an electric razor. Electric razors are a good alternative because you don’t need to waste water or even have shaving cream to use them. However, if you’ve ever used an electric razor, you know that they don’t shave as good as traditional razor blades. They do not cut as close to the skin or a smooth as traditional razors.
Best Eco Friendly Razors for Men
Below are the best eco friendly razors on the market today! (keep scrolling for women’s razors)
