Less Packaging
I don't know about you, but I am so grateful we have access to essential food items while we are in this lockdown period.
I grew up in the society that shopped in the supermarket for everything - independent shops were either from stories my parents used to tell us about growing up in the wartime years or expensive shops that posh people shopped in!
In 2019 over 95% of the money the UK spent was shopping in ten supermarket chains. Whilst I am not amazed by this fact, I am really saddened by the amount of packaging still involved in what we buy - although during the pandemic I do understand that it can help in some ways...
There is a fab blog to check out if you haven't already about a family that has Zero Waste! https://zerowastehome.com/ and this is certainly something to aim for.
So while I don't send Man Wonderful to the local Coop with glass jars to scoop up lentils, or an old pair of his underpants to carry home a baguette or two (much to his delight) I do everything I can to:
Now I do love a routine or two, as regular readers will know.
In this little household we reuse as much as we can.
There is no such thing as waste food - leftovers get frozen in labelled pots for low days, and once a week we have a slow cooker stew or soup to use up veggies.
Anything that can be recycled goes to my recycling bin.
Anything compostable goes to my compost bin.
Anything craftable goes to the craft cupboard.
I make patchwork or cleaning cloths from the clothing we don't or can't wear anymore. (Repairs done first on MW's work trouser knees, I have to add!)
Plastic bags that can be used again get used again. Small ones (checked for no holes) get used for dog poop. Medium-sized ones get used as 'dirty bin' liners, tough ones get cut into shapes for patchwork or to put over my baby plants when they go outside to create a mini-greenhouse effect.
I'm very sad (!) and actually knit my washing up cloths from scraps of cotton or strips of old t-shirts.
So.
Here's the challenge - what do you do to make less waste from your home?
Tracey xx
We try to reuse as much as we can too. I love to make rag wreaths with oddments of fabric, they make great gifts.
ReplyDeleteWe do pretty much the same Tracy. We are on a tight budget and nothing is wasted. Frozen leftovers are great for when you don't have time to cook from scratch. We only need to put the recycling bin out occasionally as we reuse everything we possibly can.
ReplyDeleteI also knit dishcloths, and at the moment, I am knitting myself a 1940s style make do jumper using up leftover bits of yarn.
I'm nowhere near zero waste but I do try. I've had some sheets fray badly and develop large holes lately so they have been cut up for rags - saving on paper towels.
ReplyDeleteI save jars to reuse for various things at home and at the office - both for food storage and for small items like elastics or paperclips etc.
I also use jars when shopping at "The Bulk Barn" although this chain has been closed during lockdown.
I use baking soda and vinegar for a lot of my cleaning and reuse any plastic bags that I end up with (right now stores don't want us bringing in our reusable bags) for recycling items - we have o take hem out back of the building to a large dumpster specifically for jars, cans, paper goods etc. and this is picked up once a week.
We also have greens bins for our organic waste out back so I try to use hat as well.
I'm not a big shopper so that also helps to keep waste down and I take care of what I do have so that it lasts for years. Every little bit helps.
I'd like to reuse more but I'm not much of a crafter. It's helpful to hear what other people do. I do get bulk goods from a local van which uses its own jars and bags to deliver - you pay a deposit for use of them and take them back when you get your next order. When there is less danger you will be able to fill your own containers. I also happily live in an area with a very good council when it comes to recycling, especially food waste, but like many keen cooks my leftovers get repurposed into another meal several times in a row. Lunch guests have been known to remark that they'd better finish the salad because if they don't it'll reappear at dinner in the form of soup! There are very few things that can't be used up in a soup of some sort. I'm very fond of cauliflower stem and potato peel soup; you get a much better cauliflower flavour than using the white florettes.
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