It is now a common sight to see shoppers carrying their own reusable shopping bags – especially with the new 5p charge.
This is a wonderful change, and such an easy eco-friendly action for all of us to take.
Still, there’s a lot of material we continue to needlessly lug home when shopping — the plastic wrapping, unrecyclable bags, plastic, and cardboard used in the packaging of many common items. Much of this packaging is unnecessary.
When it comes to disposal, most packaging is not recycled, but dumped in landfills or burnt. This results in pollution in a number of ways. Not to mention the pollution caused by the manufacture and transportation of packaging in the first place. All this packaging represents wasted resources as well as transport emissions (the heavier the package, the more greenhouse gas emissions emitted).The products you choose to buy can have a big influence on the amount of waste produced. So look out for products with reduced packaging and avoid products which are over-packaged.
By reducing packaging you can:
- Save natural resources
- Prevent the environmental damage caused by landfill
- Save energy
- Decrease pollution
What we do on the farm
Delivering food in the way we do means we keep waste to a minimum. The food requires very little (if any) packaging.Our delivery boxes are made of sturdy recycled cardboard. Each one can returned, reused many times and eventually recycled. To return yours simply push the in the box handles and fold the box flat so that it makes the shape of a house; pop it in a plastic bag to keep it dry if it rains; then leave it out for the driver to collect on your delivery day.
Selling online and via a farmers’ market means we can avoid the need for flashy display cases or lots of protective packing.
What you can do at home
Start with the choices you make when you buy. Consider how each item and the packaging around it will eventually be discarded, and choose the products which will have the lowest impact. Buying bananas wrapped in plastic when their skin creates the perfect natural packaging is, well, completely bananas! The great thing about having your food delivered in a box is that it cuts down on a lot of unnecessary packaging.- Pick fresh, unwrapped fruits and vegetables instead of produce in cans, or frozen in boxes and bags
- Opt for one large pot of yogurt instead of numerous individually portioned pots
- Get a reusable shopping bag
- Purchase fruits and vegetables from local farmers’ markets or a box scheme
- When choosing packaged products pick ones packed in both recycled and recyclable materials
- Choose paper packaging over plastic and polystyrene as it can be recycled more readily
- Buy staples such as olive oil, flour or peanut butter in bulk
Turn your packaging into useful items
Instead of tossing an item into the bin or recycling it, consider ways it might still be usable to you or someone else. You can reuse food containers and drinks bottles for storing food and packed lunches. Yoghurt tubs are great for home freezing. Boxes and packing cases can also be used for your own parcels and storage.Read more about reusing, repurposing and upcycling.
Small changes, big difference
It's almost inevitable that we will purchase some packaged items and that will create waste. But, we can do our part to change the amount of packaging and waste we put out. Quite often, making these changes will benefit your wallet as well. Price tags are affected by packaging. When you buy local or in bulk, you remove the added cost of packaging. Not only does the earth win, your wallet wins too. A lovely shade of green for everyone.This article is part of our Do 15 series.
