There are an estimated 550 billion cotton swabs thrown out every year. Now that's a statistic! So what's the alternative? In this greenwashing podcast, marketing writers Tiff and Kat examine the company LastObject's LastSwab and LastRound. The hosts say "swab" far too many times while determining if LastObject is full of it — or legit.

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What We Analyzed

• LastSwab from LastObject: https://amzn.to/3tvBUVJ
• LastRound from LastObject: https://amzn.to/4avYwG3

Sources

• LastObject’s website: https://lastobject.com/
• The Guardian on cotton water usage: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/mar/20/cost-cotton-water-challenged-india-world-water-day
• NIH on using cotton swabs: https://www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov/have-you-heard/cotton-swabs-ears
• UNC Health article called Put the Cotton Swab Down: https://healthtalk.unchealthcare.org/put-the-cotton-swab-down-clean-your-ears-safely/
• Tilted Map’s review of LastObject: https://www.tiltedmap.com/lastswab-vs-earthsider-review-zero-waste-greenwashing/
• MaterialsToday study on polypropylene: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214785321075969
• Plantish on the wastefulness of cotton: https://plantishfuture.com/blogs/zero-waste-living/the-waste-from-disposable-cotton-rounds
• Going Zero Waste blog on homemade cotton rounds: https://www.goingzerowaste.com/blog/diy-cotton-rounds/
• Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance article on the reliability of company’s carbon footprint: https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2021/10/04/the-reliability-of-your-companys-carbon-footprint/

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