Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Creating less waste

     I have recently come across blogs and stories about people who are trying to live a waste free or less wasteful life.  I was intrigued.  I wondered if that was something I could do. I have already cut way back on paper towels, Kleenex and even toilet paper by using a bidet and cloth wipes I make from old t-shirts.  I am pretty sure that I would never be able to live a waste free life but could I at least cut down on the amount of waste I create? 

     Yesterday I decided to make a few washable bags to take with me to the grocery store to see how much I could buy without using the disposable plastic bags on the roll.  I made 4 cloth bags with shoe string ties from materials I had on hand.  After all, if I go and buy more stuff to make stuff to waste less stuff it makes no sense, at least to me.  Anyway, I took my reusable shopping bags and the cloth bags with me when I went shopping.

     I figure by using the cloths bags I saved getting 6 plastic bags.  I even used the cloth bag to buy to bulk rolls.  The checker just looked in the bag and rang up two rolls.

     In the produce department I used the bags on jalapeno peppers, avocados, and tomatoes.  I shopped at the vegetable stand and the grocery store where I save getting two plastic bags to haul the vegetable in the plastic bags.  In other words I bought 4 items at two stores thereby not getting 6 plastic bags.  I know its not much but take that times several shopping trips a month times 12 it could really add up.

     I looked around while I was in the produce aisle and realized that I could buy carrots separately and save .11 cents a pound, just by putting them in a bag myself.  Wow

     I think next time I shop at the deli I will take along jars in a cooler to see if they will slice the meat and cheese and put them right into the jars and save the packaging on them.  They can put their packaging label on the top.  I will let you know how that goes.
     I will be making more of the cloth produce and bread bags to use on my shopping trips.  I am just one person, but I can do a little.

     Do you have any tips on living a less wasteful life?

1 comment:

loves2spin said...

I admire how you don't live an un-examined life. I have started doing the same thing with bags. I am re-using bags I bought at Aldi that are a non-woven fabric, and I also took some nylon net and made some produce bags with skinny ribbon in a casing to tie them shut. The check out people never mind at all. When you go to the deli, I would like to hear how that works out!