by Texas Homesteader
We’re all familiar with the tasks of recycling and we’re happy to take those extra steps to help our environment. But recycling may not be enough – there’s a better (and very easy) way to do much more.
We can all do so much more by being focused on PRE-cycling.
Great points! I like to make it myself too but never really considered less packaging as my reason. I will be now though! Found you via the blog hop. Hope to get more ideas from your site. Thanks!
I had never really thought of it before either Jenny, I figured I was recycling so I was doing my part. And again, I WAS doing a good thing but I never considered recycling was still just moving trash from point A to point B. Bringing home less trash in the first place is a much better option in my opinion.
Ahhhhhh so true! Sigh, another thing to think about at the grocery store. But thank you for the challenge! Totally something I need to be more mindful of.
Someone once told me that an action becomes a habit requiring no further thought after just a few times of repetition. I’ve found that to be true and it doesn’t really require any additional thought process for me now.
I have two stores that offer items in bulk bins. And they are pretty good about produce you can select without extra packaging. One reason they do that with produce is to force you to buy more than you want or need. I hate it. – Margy
Exactly Margy! One particular store known for its low cost and has absolutely beautiful produce but I refuse to buy it because they have it all shrink-wrapped in plastic. They do this to speed cashier’s time so they can have minimal paid help and while I absolutely love their business model in the other areas, I disagree with this wrap-the-produce practice so I don’t buy produce there. I think you vote with your dollars spent (or not).
Catchy title but isn’t this just the ‘reduce’ part of the three Rs. Don’t buy into the it and don’t bring it home in the first place?
YES! Reducing what comes in your home is important CassieOz- that’s the point of this post. While most people think they’re doing a good thing by recycling (and they ARE of course) I’m trying to draw attention to the fact that recycling is just another way to deal with waste. It’s even more important to reduce our waste in the first place. Stores are filled with over-packaged items such as the peppers illustrated in my post, but by buying bulk instead you never bring that waste into your home to start with.
Stores in Canberra don’t offer lightweight plastic grocery bags and haven’t for some years now. Everyone has gotten used to taking their own and, while it always catches me when I’m shopping in the capital, it’s a great initiative. I remember hearing that in Germany, some years back, there was a movement among women shoppers, who passed through the checkout and then carefully removed all the excess packaging from their groceries and left it behind for the store to dispose of! There is now a tax/levy on all grocery items, proportional to their packaging, designed to go some way towards paying for disposal.
I *LOVE* that CassieOz – I too have been known to leave behind excess packaging for the store to dispose of for overly packaged items. And I love that y’all don’t have to worry about those lightweight plastic bags anymore either. Some areas have banned them successfully but other areas have tried banning them (or charging a very small fee if you MUST have them) but there was such an outcry that those areas have reversed their decision for the time being. (smh)