You may not have heard of some of these recent innovations. Once you learn about them, though, you might wonder how you and the planet ever did without them.

For the Water

Most of us have seen that horrifying video of the sea turtle with the plastic straw stuck in her nose. Instead of plastic straws, buy a kit of stainless steel ones with cleaning brushes. An alarming amount of cotton swabs with plastic sticks make it into the ocean too. Switch to a reusable cotton swab. They come in many colors, have travel cases and are completely washable.

Plastic tampon applicators are also a problem. Try period underwear. It is very absorbent and eliminates the need for tampons or pads.

If you normally make smoothies in the blender, next time try a shaker bottle with a stainless steel blender ball and a spout for easy drinking. The blender ball will mix any powdered ingredients like isolate protein with your liquid. This eliminates the need for the blender's electricity use and its noise pollution. Plus, you won't need an extra glass to drink it.

For the Earth

Bamboo paper products are quickly becoming ideal replacements for everyday household items such as bath tissue, paper towels and napkins. Bamboo grows much faster than trees and its harvesting produces less pollution than the paper recycling process. For casual lunches indoors or out, consider compostable plates and biodegradable wooden utensils too. They are just as durable as their plastic counterparts, but will totally go back into the earth.

Speaking of composting, get an attractive compost container for your kitchen counter and start saving kitchen scraps instead of throwing them out or washing them down the garbage disposal. Next year's garden will thank you.

Pod coffee makers initially seemed like a great idea until we realized that those tiny containers of coffee were all ending up in the trash. Now there are reusable filters for pod machines. Just fill one with your favorite coffee and get the same result without the plastic.

Laundry detergent in giant plastic jugs is not only a pain to lug around, but when they're empty, that's more plastic in the environment. Try biodegradable laundry pods instead. They are either liquid or powdered detergent sealed in with plant based "plastic" that dissolves in the water.

Instead of plastic wrap, try bee's wrap. Put your leftover cheese or tomorrow's sandwich in one and lightly press it shut. The heat from your fingers will melt the wax slightly and make it stay together. It can be used over and over until all of the wax is gone.

For the Air

Vinegar can be used to clean almost anything: floors, windows, glass shower doors and many other things. White vinegar will not pollute your indoor air or the atmosphere. Just mix it with water and place it in a bucket or reusable spray bottle, depending on what you're cleaning. If its scent doesn't thrill you, put in a few drops of essential oil.

Fabric softener sheets are unnecessary and send noxious chemicals into the atmosphere through the dryer vent. Likewise, when people wear the dried clothes, they're also breathing these chemicals and absorbing them through their skin. Try wool dryer balls instead. They keep the clothes separated while drying and encourage softness and fluffiness. If you miss the scents, put a drop of essential oil on them.

It's time to make changes now if the world is going to be saved. Not only are these new alternatives good for the planet, many of them work even better than their old-fashioned throwaway versions did.