Zero Waste First Aid

As both new and seasoned zero-waste advocates know, success lies in making small changes in your everyday life. As the saying goes, “If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” The same could not be truer with taking care of yourself and your health when illness or injuries occur. And while many of us have found inspiring solutions to the ways we clean, eat, store foods, and practice hygiene, there seems to be a disconnect between a zero-waste lifestyle and our health and first aid practices. It is so easy to walk into any pharmacy and think, “Well, this is impossible! Everything comes in packaging!” And while this may be true within a traditional pharmacy the hope is that this article will inspire you to rethink your health and first aid practices to reduce waste and encourage sustainability.

First, decide on how you want to store the items you will include in your zero waste first aid kit. Instead of purchasing something new, are there items you currently own that are not serving a purpose for you? Old lunchboxes, Tupperware or sealable storage boxes that will hold everything nicely are some good places to start.

Second, start filling your kit! Below is a list of many items that are good substitutes for “traditional” first aid items sorted by ailment.

Minor cuts, scrapes, and burns

• Scraps of organic cotton or silk

• Paper tape

• Manuka honey

• Ointments/salves in glass jars or metal tubes

• An aloe vera plant

• Iodine in a glass bottle

Basic wound care consists of cleansing a wound thoroughly, letting it dry to air, applying antiseptic as needed and leaving open to air or wrapping with a clean, sterile dressing. These same principles can be applied to a zero waste first aid kit.

Photo by Kara Eads on Unsplash

For minor skin wounds cleansing a wound with clean water and bar soap is just as effective as using alcohol wipes or other wound irrigations. Wash for at least 15 seconds and rinse thoroughly and let air dry. Whenever possible use medications or ointments that come in a metal tube, glass bottle, or as an alternative, use manuka honey as an antibacterial and antiseptic ointment. Manuka honey has been studied and shown to effectively keep wounds healthy and help them heal. Consumer product companies have created a narrative around minor wound care for decades. Band-Aids, or disposable adhesive bandages are rarely, if ever, biodegradable and usually unnecessary. If your cut continues to reopen or truly needs to be covered consider using scraps of clean organic cotton or silk, which can either be composted or washed and sterilized and used again. You can keep the bandage in place with paper tape or a stainless steel safety pin.

For minor first-degree burns (pinkish that only affect the top layer of skin), run the burn under cold water to dissipate the heat and break the leaf of an aloe plant off and use the sap on the burn. You can also make your own zero waste aloe gel at home. Aloe is cooling, moisturizing and protects the moisture barrier of the skin.

Everyday aches, pains, and stings

• Reusable cold packs (stainless steel or a reusable ice bag)

• Hot water bottle

• Calamine or bentonite clay powders in glass jars

• CBD balm in a metal tin or tube

• Apple Cider Vinegar

• Oatmeal (purchased in the bulk section, of course!)

For achy muscles, soreness, cramps and aches hot and cold therapy is a tried and true method for relief. Reusable metal cold packs or ice bags offer convenience with no waste. In addition, many people are resorting to a standard hot water bottle for relief as well. Any of these can be placed on the affected area for 30 minutes on and one hour off. Be sure to always place a barrier of some sort between your skin and the hot or cold therapy to

minimize the risk of a burn.

Photo by @helloglowblog

In addition to hot and cold therapy, there is a significant amount of research showing CBD (cannabidiols) oils to be of great use for pain management. Personally, I use a high potency CBD balm that comes in a metal tin. I find it has given me significant relief for tired, cramped legs, sore shoulders and neck after a long day of work or working out. And, in many cases the use of a traditional oral pain medicine is not needed at all.

Rashes, stings and bug bites can be calmed in a variety of natural, waste-free ways. For topical skin rashes a paste of oatmeal wrapped with organic cotton and secured with paper tape or a metal safety pin can relieve the itchiness and heat a rash can give off, while a paste of calamine or bentonite clay will dry out a poison ivy rash, pulling out the offending poison oil and drying out the rash so it can heal. And, the sting and itchiness of bug bites can be calmed with a little apple cider vinegar. In addition, many of these ingredients can serve multiple purposes: zero waste deodorants, overnight oats, and more.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

• Bulk loose-leaf teas

• Vitamins and supplements in glass jars

• Fresh fruits and vegetables

As you can probably guess, this is the part of the list that doesn’t live in your dedicated “zero waste first aid” container.

Photo by Hans Vivek on Unsplash

There is nothing better than not getting sick in the first place. And while that’s not necessarily a reality 100% of the time, we can do our best to stay healthy in the first place. Eating a diet that is full of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains (all of which easily come in package free options!) has been clinically shown to keep us strong, healthy, prevent certain types of cancers, and improve gut health, thereby improving immunity. But, sometimes the stresses of life or traveling can wreak havoc on our bodies and we need a little extra help. A personal favorite low waste remedy of mine is elderberry syrup. It helps boost your natural immunity to viruses that cause the cold and flu. There are many varieties available in health food stores, which also come in glass bottles.

If you are feeling mental and emotional stress herbs such as valerian, ashwagandha, and rhodiola are very calming to your nervous system. They come in vegetarian capsules or also as loose leaf teas in the bulk section.

Insomnia can also be helped by drinking a homemade golden milk with nutmeg (aka “ayurvedic ambien”). In addition to a healthy diet, supplements and herbs, there are many loose leaf teas that can help with everyday ailments. Ginger tea helps with digestion and nausea, Smooth Move tea helps with constipation and bowel irregularity, and tulsi tea acts as a natural expectorant and cough suppressant.

Overall, take time to think about your regular health and first aid needs and include only what you need and can sustainably source and keep stocked. This way you will be prepared for the minor emergencies and ailments that come your way while staying conscious and in line with the waste reduction principles implemented in the rest of your daily routines.