- Reusable shopping bags. Sounds obvious but the 'plastic bag ban' that was introduced here in QLD was a joke - all that happened was each stronger, more durable plastic bag got handed out with the word "REUSE" printed on the bag. Choose cotton or hemp bags, strong and durable and will naturally biodegrade once their life is complete. My tip is to keep many in the car and a small one in your hand bag at all times.
- Reusable produce bags - Ever Eco is one of my favourite brands for all things reusable and I have had a set of their 10 produce bags for years. This means no plastic bags when choosing your fresh produce. If you forget your bags or are getting unplanned groceries, mushroom bags are always there. Brown paper bags supplied by the supermarket! Not just for mushrooms.
- Take your time to choose glass jars/bottles with metal lids wherever possible. Many condiments are generally in plastic, just take a second to look at the other options and there are many in glass that generally (not always) have a cleaner ingredients list. Glass is a far safer container for food to be stored in also as plastics leech into whatever they are in contact with, especially under heat. Glass is safer in that respect, and potentially reusable - another bonus.
- And then there is bulk shopping. Locally I love Organika and Kunara here on the Sunny Coast. The best thing about bulk shopping is the ability to buy as little or as much as you want, reducing food waste - another big passion of my mine. But don't be fooled that bulk shopping is a completely plastic free experience. Sure, as the end consumer, we use brown paper bags or our own jars BUT, the only way for these bulk goods to be delivered to the stores generally involves plastic - and a lot of it.
In the end, the issue with plastics begins at the source, the producer or distributor. And the only way (currently) for these goods to be delivered to retail stores, involves plastic packaging to maintain freshness and ensure the Best Before Dates can be as long as possible.
I have spent a lot of time trying to find ways to reduce my waste, sometimes to the detriment of own nutrition and own mental health! Beating myself up about waste I had created etc etc.
At the end of the day - your health is the most important thing, that means physically and mentally. Reducing plastics in your household is better for your health overall (see our blog post on how plastics effect our hormone health). With all that being said, don't lose sleep over the ones that creep in - take it from me!
We need sustainable solutions provided from the top down but in the meantime, we can make better choices for ourselves from the options available to us. Take the time to see if there is an alternative to your normal choice of mayonnaise in glass rather than plastic, or milk in a cardboard carton? I have found yoghurt in glass jars in my local organic shop and Nuffin hummus in paper tubs with foil lids rather than plastic in Woolworths. There are sustainable options creeping in, train your eyes to look for them! And arm ourselves with reusables.