Reducing plastic usage

Emm-in-a-pickle

Thanks to my `magic greengrocer` I get fresh fruit/veg in brown paper bags which I re-use, or loose in cardboard fruit boxes which are also re-used as well as being excellent bin- savers, rather than going for the wrapping in newspaper as I don`t buy these anymore!
I also much prefer glass storage jars to plastic ones.
I have had a few `lock` type lidded containers and found the lids a real pain, so gave them away!

BUT after having 2 unsatisfactory metal electric kettles I`ve gone back to plastic, (bright red!) and it has already outlasted both its predecessors and still looks good as new.

I`ve also got a little stash of yellow plastic bowls - got 2 sets of 6 for 40p a set, and they are great for putting prepped stuff in when I`m cooking, or holding leftover bits in fridge, even use a couple for standing herb pots in. Cheap & cheerful, multi use, don`t take up much space when not in use... and as they were being sold off so cheaply I reckon they`d have been trashed if not sold, so I am keeping them out of landfill for a bit!

Upsidedown_Bear

Caterina wrote: »

Over the years, visiting chastity shops and jumble sales, I have acquired a few bowls, jars, crocks etc and I keep food in those.

What do you buy there? :think:

Sorry - couldn't resist :cool:
Thanks for starting an interesting and thought provoking thread.

MarkFromCornwall

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

One of the biggest problems for me is that supermarkets only supply plastic bags for loose produce in the fruit and veg area

That got me thinking. My supermarket has mainly plastic bags in the fruit and veg area but there are paper bags by the mushrooms and the chestnuts. I think I'll try using those for other things like sprouts.

PasturesNew

I actually bought/use plastic picnic plates to eat most food from. I'm not terribly clever with breakable things and I've only got 4 proper plates, so want them to last me a lifetime. When I'm not eating "a proper meal" I use my picnic plates. Every time I wash up there's a risk I'll break a plate (sink's on the left of the tap and draining board's on the right) as I have to lift it over the water spout having washed it up - and it's easy to chip/break a proper plate in that action (I'm short). In an ideal world the tap wouldn't be between the sink and the draining board.

The plastic plates mean no chipped/cracked/broken plates..... and with only four proper plates to start with it must be saving a small planet somewhere with a factory not having to make/transport more plates for me to buy

I also possess no glasses. None whatsoever. I've a cheery set of children's beakers from Ikea that I use to drink all cold drinks from. I expect they'll outlive me.

suki1964

Oh I only deleted as it's not wise to post after the works Christmas party without reading the op properly lol


I saw it this morning and thought !!!!!! and deleted. Hope I never caused any offence to anyone

Caterina

Upsidedown_Bear wrote: »

What do you buy there? :think:

Sorry - couldn't resist :cool:
Thanks for starting an interesting and thought provoking thread.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: blame the stooooopid iPad autocorrect! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


Suki, LOL no offence at all, glad to see you back! :T

Today I had to get some salad as DD was having dinner with us, so popped into Mr T (had to use up my last 6 quid off voucher and needed loo paper), but could not find any nice naked lettuce, so in the end I had to buy packed salad, I am less than pleased but needs must.

I am making more winter salads these days, using the stuff in my delivery box, chopped cabbage, grated roots and dark leaves, all stuff that has no wrapping, it comes loose in a cardboard box. Hopefully by early spring I can plant a few lettuces and this should solve the problem of packaged salad - and save me a fortune as we all eat plenty of the stuff!

jk0

I don't think anyone's mentioned teabags have they? I recently found out that teabags contain plastic, so I have gone over to leaf tea.

Also, until they stop making it, I get my milk in glass bottles from the milkman.

It's not for the environmental benefits in my case. It's because of the bisphenols.

Caterina

Jk0 thank you for mentioning the bisphenols, the toxicity factor is one of the reasons for my dislike of all things plastic, together with environment and aesthetic factors.

Until a few days ago I did not know about plastic in tea bags, but read it donee here on this forum, so am going to move to loose tea too. I already have some but will look out for more.

I spoke with my milkman and he said that he hasn't heard the plan about closing the glass bottling plant, so maybe it is still up in the air (I hope it does not happen!).

Scary, innit? Plastic hides everywhere!

jackyann

I take onya net bags to the market, fruit & veg goes straight in them, gets rinsed in them when I get home. The bags can be hung up if appropriate, with food in them, then can be washed (if necessary) dried and re-used.

I thought this pretty cool until I came across someone using the same sort of thing that she had made herself from old net curtains!

sistercas

I hope they don't stop milk in glass bottles , I get mine from the milkman ,,so much better than in plastic. I also get my eggs from him and he reuses the egg boxes so I always make sure i return them .

It's almost impossible to completely go plastic free , almost everything is wrapped in it :eek: but I try by buying from my local butcher and green grocer , they are quite happy to put stuff straight into my bag or tub .
I do have plastic tubs , especially for freezing stuff or taking lunch to work , I've had the tubs for a few years and hope to keep using them
Not ideal but at least it keeps them out of landfill
I bought a fantastic bottle for taking liquids for lunch either hot or cold ,
It's great and reusable