Are you able to tolerate pulling hairs, rather than shaving? Certain waxes should have less of an environmental impact, not to mention lasting longer. I believe there are companies that advertise products with safer, more natural ingredients, and a natural foods store can probably give you some advice.

Epilators may be another option -- you're buying an electric device, but its years of use are probably better than all of those razors. Can't recommend one yet, as mine is still in the box. ;)

If you don't like to pull hairs, try some of the better razor blades. "Good" (more expensive) blades last a long time, if you clean them, and you only toss the blades, not the entire handle. They've lasted weeks longer than the disposable types.

There is also a brand called Preserve (link below), which uses post-consumer recycled materials in its products and is more recyclable than regular disposables. They allow consumers to mail in parts for processing.

I'd like to see what others do about this dilemma, but hope that helped some.

Here is a link that might be useful: Preserve

You can still buy the "old-fashioned" double-edge safety razors -- new and used -- which will last for decades.

About a year ago, I used up my last Gillette cartridge and switched to an old (Gillette) safety razor which is close to as old as I am.

The razor is all-metal and works as well now as it did all those years ago -- a reminder of the way the U.S. used to make products. It uses blades which are just metal -- no plastic, no unrecyclable elements (except for the anti-corrosive wrapper around the blade). I use a brush with my shaving soap, but there are many "brushless creams" out there which don't all have masculine scents. No propellant, no pressurized can, and many soaps and creams come in reusable bowls or tubs.

I find it a very civilized way to shave. I get much closer shaves without irritation. Okay, shaving takes longer than it used to. But it's now a pleasure and my results are better. And, if one can restrain oneself from trying one of dozens of razors and blades and creams/soaps, it's economical, too.

One of my favorite old boyfriends used that kind of razor, & I always liked to borrow his rather than use the pink things.

Thanks for the reminder, I'm gonna look for one (razor).

I have one I use and it is also literally as old as I am. It's brass and quite heavy. You can still buy blades, yes. I suspect the blade packets are just as expensive as buying a whole bag of cheap pink razors.......but being double edged, they last twice as long per blade and you are not filling up landfills with plastic handles.

I think I even have a couple of old single edge blade razors. They were used before double edged I suspect. I found my father's old shaving mug and brush in my mother's bathroom closet. You used a bar of soap with that, instead of buying aerosol cans of shave cream. Soap is just fine for me.

I suspect the blade packets are just as expensive as buying a whole bag of cheap pink razors

Perhaps surprisingly, they're not. A ten-pack of double-edged blades (enough for 8-10 weeks for most guys) at WallyWorld costs around $1.65. Even some of the fanciest (Feathers, from Japan) go for only around 50 cents each. Not bad compared to plastic cartridges at a couple of bucks apiece. :-)

I found my father's old shaving mug and brush in my mother's bathroom closet. You used a bar of soap with that, instead of buying aerosol cans of shave cream.

You will find true shaving soap (or shaving cream available in tubes and tubs) much more comfortable to shave with. Bar soap does not usually provide enough "cushion" to avoid razor irritation. But shaving soap doesn't have to be expensive, either.

Schick makes a handle/cartridge combo that has worked well for me. This is less waste than tossing the whole handle all the time. The cartridges last a good while, so this may be an option.

On another note, I am so glad to have found a site with people just as "crunchy" as me. It is a joy to read.