2 Steps to Cut Your Waste in Half
If you are trying to reduce waste then there are just two things you need to do which will cut your waste in HALF almost immediately!
The FIRST is composting, and I talk about that in my blog ‘The Number One Way to Drastically Reduce your Landfill’. The SECOND is package reduction.
After food waste, the other thing that takes up a lot of space in most bins is product packaging. Sustainability Victoria announced that almost two million tonnes of packaging is thrown away by Australians every year. I couldn’t find that as a percentage of the weekly bin and to be honest, that’s far too hard an equation for me to work out, but I’m confident in saying that just by composting and buying package free, you could AT LEAST HALVE your household waste almost immediately! And I’m being very conservative in my estimate… in my household of five, it was way more than half.
A bit about packaging:
Even if packaging is labelled as recyclable, the process is non-renewable energy dependent and, in most cases, is a finite process that can only be done a limited number of times. And then of course, there’s the question… is our recycling even getting recycled?
Packaging is everywhere. Quite often it’s excessive and, nine times out of ten, goes immediately in the bin once we’ve purchased it! From there it either heads to recycling facilities or to landfill.
Many people will cite convenience and cost as reasons to purchase packaged over unpackaged, however environmental impact aside (just for a second!), I truly believe that in the long run, it costs us more in time and money to buy packaged goods. Let’s look at prepackaged fruit and vegetables as an example.
a) Does it really take you any more time choosing the best plastic container filled with apples and covered in plastic wrap than it does to choose a half a dozen loose ones? It still takes the same amount of time to park the car and go through the checkout.
b) So many fruits and vegetables already come prepackaged – like bananas and mandarins – why would I want to take them home on a black plastic tray (which can’t be recycled) covered in plastic wrap, where I then have to unpackage them and dispose of the packaging before my kids can eat them?
c) Any fruit or vegetable that doesn’t get peeled should be washed before eating, even organics, so surely the packaging is unnecessary? Quite often, the packaged fruit is cheaper to purchase than the loose fruit, however, how many times have you got a packaged punnet of strawberries or tomatoes or a bag of apples or potatoes home only to discover one or two pieces in the middle that are a little nasty and inedible? I’m sure they are packaged that way on purpose.
And it’s not just the fresh stuff!
How many times have you gone to purchase 280g of something for a recipe that you might not make too often, to find that it’s only available in a 500g packet? And how many times have you found the ‘leftover’ amount in the pantry… six months out of date? Wouldn’t it be so much more convenient and cost effective to be able to buy the exact amount that you needed? (Guess what? You can. I’ll get to that soon!)
I could go on and on with numerous examples of non-food items too, but I’m hoping you’re starting to get the idea… and I challenge you the next time you are out and about to pay attention to everything you buy (from anywhere) and note just how much packaging there is.
Reducing our packaging is better for the environment, it doesn’t cost much more in time and in the long run - saves us money. It also generally means that we will end up eating healthier too.
But how do we do it?
I’m not going to lie… it can be challenging and overwhelming. You have to be conscious whenever you make a purchase. And there’s a good chance that you’re never going to be perfect at it. But if you want to do it, and I really hope you do, then reducing the packaging you purchase is totally doable. Here’s my top two ‘biggest bang for your buck’ (meaning where you’ll see the biggest difference) tips for reducing packaging:
1. Immediately stop buying packaged fruit and vegetables
For me, this sometimes means that I end up going without altogether. If you’re not a jump in the deep end type of person or you really won’t be able to eat your salad without cucumber in it; you could start by ONLY purchasing packaged produce when there is NO other alternative.
Another thing that will help is to not compare prices between the packaged and unpackaged. I have no idea what the cost of the three pack of capsicums is because I see the plastic and keep on walking.
Oh, and stop packaging the loose produce yourself! I’m talking about those nasty thin little plastic bags you find on rolls in the produce section. Seriously, I try not to judge, I really try… but when I see someone put two bananas or mandarins in one of those plastic bags… it almost makes me hyperventilate!! If you really need to put your fruit and veg in a bag, then invest in some reusable produce bags or make your own from an old lace curtain.
Now, I totally agree that buying strawberries loose can be a bit of a challenge. To be honest, I’ve never actually seen them for sale loose anyway, (unless you go to a farm and pick your own) but also because they are a soft fruit and will bruise easily. A simple solution is to strike up a relationship with your strawberry stall or independent fruit shop and start a return system.
I buy my strawberries from the farmers market where, if I’m organised enough, I will take my own hard container and empty punnets into it. If I’m not so organised (it’s most often this one!), I take the punnets home and return them to the stall the following week. Of course, the unorganised version only works if you frequent the same market regularly!
2. Start shopping at a bulk food store
This one thing will reduce your food packaging like nothing else and, very excitingly, more and more bulk food stores are opening up across the country making them easier to access for your regular grocery shops or when you are away on holiday or work trips.
If you’ve never heard of a bulk food store before, (or if you have but just aren’t quite sure how they work) the concept is simple:
1. You take your own containers to the store (or ‘borrow’ from their stash of recycled jars)
2. Weigh and mark containers (so you’re not paying for the container weight)
3. Fill containers with just the amount you require
4. Take containers to the cashier, who weighs them and deducts the container weight
5. Pay for your items, usually have a lovely conversation (this is not mandatory, but you generally get to know the staff in your store, and they get to know you and you develop a lovely little relationship!) and move along with your day… completely package free!
Shopping for all your pantry staples, baking ingredients, healthy snacks, not quite as healthy treats, cereals and tea leaves can be done here. Don’t be fooled by the name bulk food store - in most of them you can also buy nonfood items like laundry powder, dishwashing powder, cleaners, shampoo and conditioners - all package free (or the ingredients for those products if you prefer to make your own)
There is a whole list of other little things you can do to reduce your packaging, some easier, some requiring a bit of forethought and planning. While I encourage everyone to do all the things if they can, I have no doubt that by just incorporating the above two things you will be able to reduce your packaging waste DRAMATICALLY.
And dramatically is good for a couple of reasons. One is the fact that it will make a big impact on the environment and two, generally if you can easily see the results of something, it is usually easier to keep doing. Once you have mastered the big things, you can start to fine tune the smaller or the harder things…
Got a tip on how to avoid packaging? Tell me in the comment section or share them with us on our FB page!