How are you going with your efforts to reduce your amount of single use plastic consumption? If you are new to this effort, give yourself a pat on the back every time you remember your coffee keep cup, reusable drink bottle and reusable produce shopping bags.
It takes time to change habits, so start now.
Dwelling on your slip ups is pointless. Instead, walk in to the shops with your keep bags swinging on your arm singing “I’m saving the turtles” nice and loud. Especially if you had to abandon your trolley full of shopping and go back out to the car to get them. Yes, my children and I regularly entertain our local community with our ‘save the world antics’.
We have been consciously reducing our waste for quite some time now. Apparently my kids are really good at lecturing their school friends about their yoghurt pouches killing the turtles.
Plastic Free Fruit and Vegetable Shopping
Food shopping in a hurry can make avoiding plastic seem challenging. I try to get all my shopping done on a day when I’m not rushing around. That way I don’t give in to the temptation to just grab that bag of carrots.
We have Onya produce bags which are brilliant, and one of the most appreciated gifts my husband has given me. They live in my handbag, so they are always at hand for apples, carrots and whatever loose fruit and vegetables that go in the shopping trolley. Just make sure you have The Swag ready to keep your fruit and veg fresh in the fridge when you get home.
Berries are one of the biggest problems we are having lately. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries you name them, we love to eat them. We aren’t getting much fruit from our strawberry and blueberry plats at the moment. It seems the only way to buy berries is in a plastic container.
I often take a glass container to put food in, but again, I’m not perfect, so we do have unnecessary paper bags. This is another challenge to combat. You should try growing strawberries at home, they don’t take up much space and can be really rewarding.
The folks at Ingleside Market are selling strawberries by the bucket, and they put the berries in a paper bag for you to take home. When I asked them if I could do the same for blueberries, and if they could reuse the plastic container, the wonderful response was ‘Yes!’. So we tipped our blueberries in to a paper bag at the counter, and the plastic container that they were in is no longer single use. Winning.
Buy Direct From The Grower
Organic Farmer’s markets truly are the most sustainable option if you can get to them. You directly support the farmers, who naturally don’t want to be purchasing single use plastic that will end up in landfill. So they will happily help you fill your containers with the best organic tomatoes and strawberries or whatever else is in season.
Bread Without Plastic Bags and Tags
Do you always buy your bread at the supermarket in a plastic bag? Make it your mission for week to visit your local bakery and purchase your bread in a paper bag. Better still take your own reusable fabric bag.
Sure, you probably don’t have time to go to the bakery every day. But deciding to go at least once a week means one less plastic bag. Plus you will be supporting a small local business. Once you have tasted proper bakery bread you will want to make the time to go there more often.
Meat
One of the bonuses of avoiding plastics is that you take the time, and make the effort to support your local family owned shops. Then you make friends with your local produce stores. Go to your butcher with clean glass containers, and ask them to use them. Not only will you be saving on plastics, but you will more than likely be purchasing a more sustainable product. Many butchers focus on selling quality meats that are raised on pastures.
Now is also a good time to start thinking about how much meat you consume, and consider reducing it.
Plastic Free Bulk Stores
We get most of our treats from Scoop Wholefoods in Mona Vale, and it is getting easier to find bulk stores close to you. Hot tip, if you have a half dozen wine bag, it is perfect for all the treat jars when you go to the bulk store.
Food Storage
Plastic sandwich bags and freezer bags can be washed up and used over and over again. On a Monday morning I make all the wraps and sandwiches for the kids lunch boxes for the week (Mum hack), and put them in one huge freezer bag. Then each morning one wrap/sandwich comes out and goes in to the lunch box as nude food. We have been using those same plastic freezer bags since 2018.
For all those nasty plastic bags that you can’t avoid, like chippie packets and cheese wrappers, because life is for living, give them a good wash, and take them to RedCycle at your local Woolworths or Coles. Whilst we’re talking about those big guys, say no to the plastic crap they push at kids and eventually they will stop creating it.
The War on Waste only takes one person to ask the question “can I buy this in my own container”. Chose to do things more mindfully and changes happen.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Go and support small business and ask the questions that will create the change you want to see in the world.
I’m not going to try and tell you that our plastic recycling bin is empty, it certainly isn’t. I’ve stopped beating myself up over it. It is less full every fortnight we put it out, which means my family is making progress.
If all of us sets ourselves a simple, achievable goal, think how much our planet will thank us. Keep going, you are making a difference! When “no waste” seems impossible strive for “low waste”, it works.
You can read about more Sustainable Living ideas by clicking the link.
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