Steps towards zero waste - 2019

thriftwizard · 30 December 2018 at 10:34PM

Great idea for a thread, dragonlily! And with one of my "hats" on I can, and do, teach furoshiki/bojagi workshops from time to time; the giftwrap techniques are lovely, but the carry-wraps are wonderfully useful on an everyday basis. Learn to tie one simple bag ("katakake fukuro") & if you carry an old scarf in your handbag, you'll never need to pay for a plastic bag again! (handy link)

I mostly used up old scraps of paper this year, some of them re-used, but also used plain craft/brown paper with potato-printed stamps for two large presents which were awkward to wrap & needed more strength than old wrapping paper could provide. I also blew a fuse at paying £20 for a box of crackers (long story) so made crackers from old loo roll inners & brown paper; all the debris has been stripped of anything plasticky (which may well get re-used!) and added to the kindling for our stove.

Now the "kids" are all young adults we've stopped the stockings (by agreement!) and adopted the Icelandic Jolabokaflod instead, whereby everyone gets a book and chocolate. I made drawstring bags for the books out of old shirts with a glittery thread for the girls and the legs of OH's old jeans for the lads & OH. These were then glitzed up with bits of old Christmas decs - unused baubles & bits of plastic greenery & tinsel, sort of thing, all wrapped in florists wire & pinned on. They looked rather lovely, if I say so myself, and with the decorations unpinned can be used for muddy boots, make-up or whatever.

And for my next trick I plan to make some beeswax wraps, as soon as I can locate some good beeswax! I have plenty of cotton, retrieved from old shirts etc. (Ooh, I do love a 99p rail!) I'll let you know how I get on...

Princess_Money_Penny · 30 December 2018 at 10:40PM

Hello,
I'd love to give this a try. I'm generally trying to declutter and cut down so this would be perfect. I have two small children so it has been a bit of a plastic and packaging overload over Christmas but I'm hoping that we can start to rethink a lot of our lifestyle choices in a less is more kind of way. I also want to reduce single use plastics over the next year

moneyistooshorttomention · 31 December 2018 at 7:32AM

Must check out those Japanese "bags from a scarf":T

I've always carried round a fold-up shopping bag in my handbag for years before the attempt to stop supermarkets handing out plastic bags. But it is difficult to find ones that are stylish/not made from "artificial" type material/etc - and I do have a LOT of scarves....

Ilona · 31 December 2018 at 12:51PM

I've just opened a new bag of Porridge Oats. Well done Aldi for using paper bags, why can't Tesco do the same?

ilona

Princess_Money_Penny · 31 December 2018 at 3:23PM

Hello all! I am looking for recommendations for those reusable bags for fruit and veg shopping, any suggestions on which ones are any use? I’m also looking for something to use as you storagr along the same idea?

VJsmum · 31 December 2018 at 4:51PM

I got my reusable bags off Amazon Princess MP.

Epic fail on the plastic for us today - we went out for the day, planning to eat lunch in a cafe or pub but couldn't find one we liked. Ended up in the coop buying a pot of hummus with carrot sticks, a pot of olives, a pot of eggs with Mayonnaise and individually wrapped cheeses in a net bag

:o:o:o

I think we need to plan ahead a little better....

joedenise · 31 December 2018 at 5:39PM

You can also buy the reusable net bags from Lakel*nd if you have one near you.

It's annoying when you plan to eat out and can't isn't it? Especially when you end up having to buy stuff in plastic which you were trying to avoid. Hope you still enjoyed your day out.

Denise

skint_chick · 31 December 2018 at 9:06PM

I've been working on being more environmentally friendly - I bought a few things last year to make packed lunches and eating on the go easier;

- stainless steel tiffin lunchbox
- stainless steel straws with cleaning brushes and a little pouch
- cutlery in a pouch to keep in my bag so I don't have to use plastic ones for salads etc
- stainless steel water bottle
- unpaper towels to replace paper towels and use as napkins

I also got silicone stretchy wraps that replace cling film and some silicone freezer bags for leftovers, soups etc that can also be used as reusable snack bags and are dishwasher safe. I have the Ikea glass storage boxes with the bamboo lids as well and they look great in the fridge and surprisingly haven't broken any yet despite being very clumsy.

I wrapped my presents in brown paper with Spirograph designs I did on it (saw it on pinterest) and tied them with plain string. Trying to stick to a tight budget as well as reduce the amount of rubbish we produce. Next on my list is to get some mesh produce bags for buying veggies in the supermarket- it drives me crazy buying loose veg and then having to put them in plastic bags to stop them falling through the gaps in the trolley, but then putting them loose on the conveyer seems to cause some kind of issue or complaining from the staff!

tori.k · 31 December 2018 at 9:51PM

skint_chick wrote: »

it drives me crazy buying loose veg and then having to put them in plastic bags to stop them falling through the gaps in the trolley, but then putting them loose on the conveyer seems to cause some kind of issue or complaining from the staff!

I just use a cardboard box cashier takes things out weighs them then pops then back in I do have an old net bag that I use for onions, it drives DH crazy he's weird on the fact that others handle his food, he forgets that I wash and wipe over everything I bring home from the shops, but I guess that some people would think im weird for doing that

Katiehound · 31 December 2018 at 10:00PM

skint_chick wrote: »

Next on my list is to get some mesh produce bags for buying veggies in the supermarket- it drives me crazy buying loose veg and then having to put them in plastic bags to stop them falling through the gaps in the trolley, but then putting them loose on the conveyer seems to cause some kind of issue or complaining from the staff!

-
I am just wondering if bags made from net curtaining would be suitable/ possible. The fabric is fairly weightless. I sometimes see pieces of it in the charity shops. Just a thought.

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Steps towards zero waste - 2019

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