Plastic Free July Day 8

 Plastic Free July is really about reducing the disposable plastic in your life.  Things like yogurt cups, and coffee pods and plastic bags.  It's not about replacing every item in your home that happens to be made with plastic.  But sometimes other things that aren't meant to be disposable (or maybe they are?) break.

Here are some things to consider before running out to a big box store to replace something.

• Do I need to replace the item at all?  Did I really use it a lot?
• Can it be repaired and still function well?  Am I able to repair it easily, or do I know someone nearby who can?
• Can I find a used version that is in good condition?
• If it's something I don't use a lot, can I borrow it from a friend or neighbor?
• Can I find and afford a sustainably made version of the item? (Produced without sweatshops, made of natural materials, etc.)

Two years ago, my plastic hairbrush broke and I bought a wooden replacement on Life Without Plastic (and one for my husband).  It is still going strong, and will last much longer than the plastic one it replaced, which wasn't even a year old when it broke.

Another smallish thing in our home I've chosen to replace with a new, but ethically made enamel dustpan and brush.  Our plastic one cracked a while ago and was no longer doing its job.  

Ninety-five percent of the furniture in our home is used, either from friends, Goodwill, Craigslist or off the street (save for our coffee table, which is actually locally made!).  Our couch is used from friends, we have a rocking chair from the side of the road, we got a really awesome mid-century record storage cabinet from Craigslist.

As I've said before, it's about finding a balance between not creating and buying a whole bunch of new stuff and supporting local businesses and companies who are doing the right thing and making ethical and well-made products.

Note: This post contains an affiliate link to Life Without Plastic, a company whose mission and products I fully support.

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If you aren't familiar with Plastic Free July, take a look at this post.  Basically, it's a month-long challenge to reduce the amount of disposable plastic you use.  It's a great starting point if you just want to give cutting out disposable plastic a try.
 
My first Plastic Free July was in 2013(!), and this month I'd like to highlight some of the things I do to reduce my plastic use, and some struggles.  Many things are part of my routine at this point (buying in bulk, refusing plastic silverware, etc.), but I am not perfect, and I always find this challenge to be a good time to refocus and look at what trash I am actually producing. 

Bulk Bag Giveaway! (So you can shop plastic free, too)

One of the biggest things I have been doing to combat my plastic use is buying all of my dry groceries in bulk (lentils, pasta, oats, coffee, etc.).  Food packaging, especially at the grocery store, really adds up to a lot of trash.  Think about all of those plastic produce bags, the plastic bags your organic quinoa or rice are wrapped in, the plastic packaging around your pasta...

If you missed my last post, it explains how to shop the bulk aisle of your grocery store.  You will need some kind of bag or jar to put your bulk items in (you don't want to use the plastic bags they provide, right? :)

Since I started on my journey to reducing my plastic and the amount of waste I create, I have been using these bulk bags I purchased off of Etsy.  They are light, have held up extremely well (I've had them for over a year), and hold a ton of food.

Unfortunately, the stores near me have not caught on with this plastic free thing, and do not sell ANY bulk bags, they just give you the free plastic disposable ones.  So, if you live somewhere like I do that does not sell them locally, you are in luck!  I have four bulk bags from The High Fiber to giveaway to a lucky, future plastic-free person!

You'll get two of each color :)

To enter, please let me know what disposable plastic item you are going to give up for Zero Plastic Week. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway





*Note: I purchased these myself, and was in no way compensated for this post.  I found these bulk bags to be extremely useful and well made, and that's why I'm sharing them. :)

Getting ready for Zero Plastic Week: How do I shop for food???

Zero Plastic Week is fast approaching (June 9!), and one of the biggest changes I faced when removing plastic from my life was shopping for food.  So much of what is found in a conventional supermarket is packaged with plastic. So what can you eat??

The first thing you need to do is a find a store near your area that sells food in bulk bins. (Bea Johnson, from Zero Waste Home has a great app that will help you find bulk stores in your area) Whole Foods usually has a good selection, but often times small, local stores will also sell bulk foods.

After you find a store, you will need to put together supplies for your shopping trip.  Some suggestions, depending on what your local store sells and what you like to eat:

• Grocery bags
• Cloth bulk bags (These are the ones I have, but there are a ton on Etsy if you just search "bulk bags." Ecobags also has some)
• Pint sized mason jar for freshly ground peanut butter (or almond/nut butter)
• Bottle for bulk olive oil/vinegar (sadly they got rid of this at our store, but you may have it in yours)
• Pyrex containers for cheese and meat
• Paper and pencil or note application on phone to write down tare numbers and PLU's for food

Once you get to the store, the first thing you should do is go to customer service or the checkout and have them give you the weight for each of your containers and bulk bags so you are not charged extra.  Write this down so you don't have to do it each time you go to the store.

Fill your bulk bags up.  If you are going to the meat or cheese counter, make sure you are confident and straightforward with your request.  Ask for no additional paper if you can, because most of the time it is coated in plastic.

My list of bulk food PLU's on my phone

When you get to the check out, make sure you have your list of PLU numbers and tare weights handy so you are not holding up the line.  I think it's important to show that being plastic free doesn't have to be a hassle to you OR other people around you.  And that means being prepared.  I also try to group all of the things in bulk bags together on the belt so the cashier can do them all at once.

One other plastic free (or less-plastic) thing you may be able to find is milk.  Our Whole Foods sells milk in returnable glass bottles (the lids are plastic, but that's a lot less than a whole plastic gallon).  I bring a cooler with me for the bottles, and as we use them up during the week, I put the empties back in the cooler to go back to the store for next time.

At home, you can empty your bags into glass jars or containers.  Reuse empty jars that food came in, or use mason jars (the le parfait ones work well and are sturdy, if you find them on sale!).

Also, please don't forget about your local farmers market for plastic free produce.  The quality is usually better, there aren't any pesky produce stickers, and you'll get to know your local farmers.

Sign up for Zero Plastic Week here.