All you have to do is post the best tip to reduce using
plastic bags and or reducing plastics. The competition closes on the 10th of November so you have got a week to post your great tips, enter as many times as you like. I will post the winning entrants name on November the 11th , So please leave your name with your tip ! Here are just a few, take your own shopping bags with you .You can use a cardboard box to put shopping in, I use mesh bags when buying my fruit and vegetables and always carry my envirobag in my handbag at all times you just never know when you may need it. I use mine all the time ! I'm looking forward to reading all your wonderful tips! So what are you waiting for !
Instead of plastic food covers or cling wrap make cloth food covers with elastic on the edges to go over the edges of the container, or just use a plate on top of the container.
ReplyDeleteInstead of buying cut veges with plastic wrap over it by the whole thing. We buy whole pumpkins, whole watermelons etc
ReplyDeleteJust want to say I looking forward to other ideas as I have been thinking about this for a long while. Apart from the obvious that you mentioned like taking your own shopping bags and vege bags there has to many other things. Putting on my thinking cap :D
ReplyDeleteInstead of wrappng lunches in cling wrap we have now used for quite a long time nude food containers for sandwiches for school and work. While I know they are plastic, they are long lasting, so maybe not a real tip, you decide.
ReplyDeleteI keep a supply of my reusable shopping bags in the car. It not only means I always have a bag and don't need a plastic one, it means that I have a place to store the shopping bags without cluttering the house too.
ReplyDeleteShop less and take your own bags.
ReplyDeleteGrow your own fruit and veg and then you don't need plastic bags to bring stuff home.
Use reusable containers for storing food.
I use reusable container for taking a sandwich somewhere or bread bags if I need the room in my bag when the food is gone. I reuse the bag as well.
Don't buy gladwrap type stuff. Reuse other bags or buy some shower caps to put over a plate to keep it fresh. I use a damp cloth over a plate of sandwiches.
I've started collecting glass bottles with screw lids from my son, he sometimes drinks Jack Daniels in 340ml bottles. I'm using them instead of plastic bottles for storing cordials and sauces etc that I make.
I have a collection of *real* plates and cups so we don't need to use plastic plates at parties.
I have a few glass alcohol bottles as water bottles in the fridge instead of the plastic ones I used to use. I rescued these from a friends bin.
I use shot glasses to make icypoles. They make a smaller icypole but just the right size for me or the grandaughter.
I don't really mind using plastic containers but I don't buy plastic bags or wrap or stuff that is meant to be thrown away.
I do use plastic bags that come from somewhere else like the bread bags, bags from oats, or bags that come with stuff in them. I'd rather reuse them than just throw them out.
Barb.
I would love one of your bags, Sherrie, but I alreay have an eco friendly one that I bought from Borders so I think I will sit this one out! Good luck to the final winner of the best idea. Looking for some new inspiration too.
ReplyDeleteI take my own bags shopping with me, and refuse plastic bags at the checkout.
ReplyDeleteI also line my bins with newspaper instead of bin liners.
I line my chook scraps bucket with newspaper as well.
All lunches are packed in re-usable long lasting containers instead of bags and clingwrap.
I purposely buy items with less packaging than a similar counterpart.
I use mesh bags when buying fruit and veg.
I put a plate or a bowl over leftovers instead of cling wrap.
I use a soda stream for any softdrinks I make, instead of buying pre packaged soft drinks.
I use an aluminium drink bottle.
Make alot of my own products...soaps, jams, chutneys, etc.
I buy products in glass jars not plastic jars.
Grow my own fruit and veg for as much as I can.
Sherrie, your bag is lovely....they are definitely addictive...I will post more as I think of them.... Deb
Also forgot to add, I cut up 3 litre milk containers (I use 3 litre bottles instead of smaller ones....less packaging) I cut them up into flat plastic sheets and use them in containers to separate food that I am freezing. I also cut them up in to strips to use as tags in seedlings and in the vegie garden
ReplyDeleteHi Sherrie, I know I can improve more on the plastics that come into my household. I have had a big clean out of my cupboards etc. So far I have replaced plastic containers with glass, bowls with ceramic or stainless steel, metal drinking bottle each for hubby, son & I, have cut out using cling wrap and the like.
ReplyDeleteHere in SA we get 10 cents for recycling plastic/glass bottles and aluminum cans. I find myself picking these up when ever I see them lying around. We cashed some in the other day and made $130. We also are not allow to use plastic shopping bags at the shops, they are banned, so we are obliged to take our own bags to carry shopping or spend extra money to buy one or more, at 15cents each.
I will continue to make an effort to cut back, and the hints on this blog are helping me with my progress.
Thank you Sherrie,
Tania
Something else I sometimes do when shopping is to have a few boxes in the car and instead of putting the groceries into bags I put them in the trolley, take them out to the car and put them into the boxes. take the trolly back and when home carry in the boxes. I never have a massive amount of stuff though so 2 or 3 med boxes are usually enough.
ReplyDeleteBarb.