reducing packaging challenge???

tinkerbellsmum_2

hi have we got reducing packaging challenge.
cause my bins r over flowing i do try to recycle but even have 6 bags of them a week aleast if i brought less in the first place i might not get this prob

thriftlady_2

I find I have more unwanted packaging in the summer months from all the soft fruit I buy. Even in farm shops it seems to be sold in those plastic punnets. Waitrose had a special offer on grapes in punnets that worked out cheaper than buying them loose in bags. Last week i had about 6 of the blooming things. AFAIK they can't be recycled- not in my area anyway. I wish they'd make them out of card then I could compost them.

The Green and Ethical money Saving board might be the place for this challenge;)

tinkerbellsmum_2

thanks hun will head over there

Olliebeak

I've been washing out 'plastic punnets' and giving them to an elderly guy for sowing seeds in.

They also make great containers for growing herbs in as they are a bit deeper than some packaging.

tinkerbellsmum_2

thats a good idea there the type of things i need to find/learn to do thanks

choille

I don't take the bags when buying fruit - weigh your own. I just hump loose stuff in the trolley, even for veg - onions & that, although now I've got my own onions & veg I'm not having to buy it.

If I'm lazy & buy cakes out of a supermarket then I hate all the packaging, so I try & not buy stuff that's heavily packaged.....but....

jackieglasgow

Our council, which I had thought was a bit pants on this front, do actually recycle fruit cartons with the milk ones, card and paper. It all goes in the one bin. Still waiting for a compost scheme to start, although they do take away the garden waste for free and compost it themselves! As for reducing it in the first place, this is a big bugbear for me! Even if you don't buy punnets of grapes, they're in those ziplockbags, bananas even come in bags now, and when you're looking for the best price at the supermarket, it's generally always the prepacked stuff that's cheaper. Although I do have a string shopping bag which I use for any loose fruit and veg.

Hopefully next year when I'm growing my own, I'll be contributing even less to the packaging nightmare.

Olliebeak

I have one of those 'non-woven kind of thick papery bags' (IYKWIM ) that I store my potatoes in - stops them from sweating in their polybags.

I also have another one that I take shopping with me and can put loose potatoes in followed by onions/swedes/carrots and then more delicate stuff on the top (ie cauli, broccoli etc) - getting more and more like my old Nan with every day that passes :rotfl: - she always had a 'spud bag'.

The string bags are great but can sometimes cut into your fingers when carrying anything heavy - the cloth bags that are given away at trade stalls/stands/community events are very useful as well.

newlywed

I'm interested in this. More for selfish reasons - I hate emptying the bins and OH refuses to do it :rolleyes:. We try to recycle card, glass, tins and plastic bottles but that's about the limit that we can do.

We have communal wheelie bins that are always overflowing, stink, hurt your shoulder when you have to open the lid and lob stuff into it (they are higher than my shoulder) and it won't be long till we have rats in the close so I want to try and reduce my visits to the big wheelie bins where at all possible

newlywed

What can I use the netting that comes round lemons and courgettes for?


I watched economy gastronomy and the chef showed you a stack how many plastic trays you'd get if you bought your chicken portions - eg breasts, thighs etc. Then showed you how to portion one chicken. Made it look easy so I might try it, rather than always roasting the whole chicken

Pink.

Hi tinkerbellsmum,

I have moved this thread over to the Green and Ethical board so that it can be linked with your other thread on the same subject to keep the replies together.

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere(please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]!!!!!![/EMAIL].


Pink