What could be better than reducing our waste at a level by organizing our shopping in a sustainable way? Here's a closer look at the eco-friendly essentials you need to get the job done!
Reusable bags
There's a whole range of reusable bags on the market, and we're going to favor those made from compostable or reusable, plastic-free textiles.
For some time now, the habit of bringing your own grocery bags has been gaining ground in the community. But that's just the beginning! Here are a few more tips.
Reusable bags are the basis!
Shoelace bags are used both for fruit and vegetables and for dry bulk: nuts, flour, pasta, etc. Since these bags are in direct contact with food, and we've decided to eliminate plastic, we're going to favor a design in natural cotton or hemp, without dyes. These bags are affordable and will last for years. They're also easy to care for: Hop! Wash with the rest of your clothes and hang to dry. At the end of their life, they can be composted.
Larger bags, commonly known as tote bags, are used for everything else: groceries, other purchases, carrying your lunch... Some time ago, we discovered a very economical and ecological way to have a few. All you need is an old T-shirt, scissors and 10 minutes. It's within everyone's reach!
Glass jars
We don't have to look far and wide for glass jars - we've all got them! Even if we've adopted a zero-waste lifestyle and our purchases don't include any, it's easy to ask acquaintances to save some for us. So, no need to buy at this level.
They can be used to buy bulk, but as they're heavy, we'll keep them for wet bulk: oil, meat, fish, olives, cheese, pickles... Or to decant our bulk purchases made with our cotton bags when we get home.
Already have plastic jars? Keep them and use them until the end of their life! A large part of their ecological footprint comes from their extraction, processing, transport... If they're no longer good, we replace them with glass, which is much more environmentally friendly.
Featherweights: beeswax packaging and plastic-free bags
As we've said, glass is heavy as well as brittle. There are some great sustainable alternatives for that.
For example, we're going to use beeswax packaging when we buy cheese, pâté, cooked meat.... We'll also use beeswax packaging at home to replace plastic wrap on our dishes, or wrap a sandwich and pop it in the lunchbox!
There are also wonderful silicone alternatives. These are actually plastic-free bags, so there's no transfer of petroleum-based material onto the food.
They're easy to weigh, handle, maintain and are watertight. So they're a great alternative for leaky products such as meat and olives.
They can even be used for dry goods. At home, they can be used for a multitude of purposes: freezing, storage, lunchboxes, cooking, etc.
Other ecological tips
So we've mainly been talking about reducing the amount of disposable packaging we use on our various errands. This means carrying reusable packaging with us. Then, to reduce the ecological footprint of our purchases, we're going to favor local, seasonal and organic purchases. And if we have the space and the regulations allow it, a vegetable garden and a few chickens on our property would be so ideal.
Got any other tips to share? Leave us a comment so we can share them with everyone.
Ecologically yours,
