Joanna Falcone
We at mothering Mother have established a list of ways to minimize the amount of packaging in your grocery cart and in your garbage bin. Grocery shopping with your own packaging can be like a game, a personal challenge each time you shop. How can I reduce the amount of garbage that is needlessly created? Even recycling uses energy, so keep in mind the 3 R’s – reduce first, reuse next, then recycle.
Consult with the list below and check into your own creativity! Just wanting to reduce waste is enough to get the wheels of new habits in motion.
Depending on the season a stroll through the produce aisles can begin the menu planning for several meals. A mixture of root vegetables and fresh green vegetables give the promise of warm and hearty soups and stews, coupled with beans from the bulk section. Gazing at the selection in the bulk area can inspire me to create meals from a vast variety of natural grains, beans, seeds and nuts. The dessert options unfurl with the sight of flours, sugar, nut butters, honey, chipits, coconut and dried fruits.
Bring your own reusables for take out at lunchtime, at the office (keep a container in your desk and wash after use), or for restaurant leftovers. Although you may catch a glance or glare from others around you, know that everything in our world was new at one time, and coming equipped with containers will one day be as commonplace as bringing your own tote to the grocery store.
Who is going to take the brave first steps of change that are needed in our world?! We all know that there is tremendous waste around us. “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something! ” (weaddup.com) Don’t wait for the person next to you to lead the way. Be the change agent of today! That person is waiting for your crazy habits to become acceptable.
Print the list below and post it as a reminder. Go ahead, get inspired, get crazy and minimize!
* For more information on how to store bulk food items at home visit the mothering Mother blog! (See Wednesday, January 18th post)
