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Another single use item that comes packaged in plastic are ear buds. Don’t confuse these with headphones! I’m talking about cotton swabs, like Q-tips. Remember that heartbreaking underwater photograph of a seahorse wrapping itself around an ear bud? That was a result of plastic pollution of these little suckers. Although these swabs can be used for a variety of purposes, most people use ear buds to clean their ears. But did you know that you shouldn’t actually stick anything in your ears, including Q-tips? The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery came out with new guidelines in 2017 and the main theme is DON’T STICK ANYTHING IN YOUR EARS. You can actually push wax further in, damage the ear canal, or introduce bacteria. All things you don’t want. Wax is one of your body’s natural defenses. It’s okay to have wax in there, your ears will naturally clean themselves.
Today’s Challenge: When your cotton swab supply is dwindling, try using a washcloth or your finger to clean the outer ear. As the saying goes, “never stick anything into your ear that is smaller than your elbow”. If you feel that you just can’t give up ear buds, check out this no plastic version or even this reusable version, which could be useful for make-up purposes. But I don’t recommend you stick either of those in your ear. If you have a large amount of wax build-up, you may need to see a doctor for removal.
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