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French press coffee requires no filter, BUT the coffee
beans still come in plastic-containing packaging |
I’ve recently been thinking a lot about our environmental
impact with things like single-use plastics. I know that one person or even one
household alone makes only a small difference, but I am hopeful that with
greater awareness more and more people and households will start to produce
less waste and consume less non-renewable energy. Exploring this concept and
how different people approach the “Zero Waste” lifestyle has been a great way
to spend my free time lately, especially since I’ve completely uninstalled
Facebook and Facebook Messenger from my phone. I’ve suddenly discovered hours
that I should’ve known were being eaten up by “socializing” (a.k.a. worrying
overmuch about what people I may or may not know that well in the real world
think about my latest post). There are tons of great resources out there,
especially videos on YouTube about “alternative” lifestyles (tiny houses, zero
waste, homesteading, off grid, etc.). Many of the videos have been made by
single people, but there are a few gems out there produced by families – see links
to a few of my favorites below this post.
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Fun with re-sprouting celery
(an alternative to composting) |
As a household we were already doing a certain amount of
waste reduction:
- composing kitchen scraps
- burning paper waste to create ash for the garden
- recycling (certain things are accepted locally)
- using reusable travel water bottles and coffee mugs
- reusing food containers (glass jars for food storage, plastic
yogurt containers for dog food, etc.)
- using a silicone menstral cup instead of disposable
pads/tampons
What I didn’t realize were the many ways in which I was
already set up to further reduce waste. I was delighted to discover that
without too much effort I could implement certain changes that have made a big difference.
- refusing plastic bags, lids/straws
- REMEMBERING reusable plastic and canvas totes as
shopping bags
- using cotton cloths/diaper cloths (don’t worry,
they were never on a baby’s bottom) as wipes in lieu of paper towels for messes
- REMEMBERING my own reusable green plastic
produce bags, reusing orange net bags
- choosing only loose fruits and vegetables
instead of pre-packaged
- choosing paper/carton packaging when possible
I’ve also identified some difficulties that I’m sorting out
and brainstorming ideas to overcome:
- kids’ milk at restaurants comes in a plastic
lidded cup or plastic bottle (you have to remember to ask for a regular
glass/cup or choose water)
o
We should eat out LESS and take our own reusable
containers for beverages/leftovers
- certain foods are only available locally
packaged in plastic or plastic-containing packaging. Some examples of foods we
buy regularly: yogurt, bread, milk, dried fruits, almonds, noodles (carton
boxes with plastic windows)
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Homemade bread
(finding the time is tough) |
o
I do bake my own bread, so I’m trying to develop
a habit of that each week
o
I can also make noodles, but again, need to make
it a regular part of our routine
o
Same with yogurt…but I still have to buy milk in
carton/plastic hybrid packaging
o
I can get nuts/dried fruits and grains in bulk
in Canton (and maybe Pittsburgh?), but that requires an hour of driving
o
We can produce more of our own veggies and
whatnot and “can” them in glass jars or freeze them…more on that later
- toothbrushes and toothpaste are definite plastic
waste issues
o
I’ve invested in some bamboo with hog bristle
toothbrushes and silk floss in a glass/metal refillable bottle – more on these
later when we’ve had a chance to really try them out
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Compostable toothbrushes and floss
(usefulness yet to be determined) |
- food storage in the fridge – ie the plastic wrap
dilemma
o
I’ve purchased some local beeswax to make
cotton/wax food wraps, but I haven’t actually made them yet
I am SO FAR from actually achieving “zero waste,” but I feel
that I’m making steps toward reducing our carbon footprint. It has been a
struggle to help my boys understand what I’m up to, but they are curious and
are watching the choices that I make. I’m hopeful that it will make a difference
in the decisions they make as they grow older. I know that my actions and
example can be much louder than my words, so for every two steps backwards due
to difficulties, at least we’ll continue to take steps toward reducing our
waste and overconsumption. I hope this post gives you some ideas and wish you the
best of luck on your journey!
Videos/Links I found helpful:
