And the Zero Waste Saga Continues. This week, I want to talk about the grocery store and grocery bags. It really rubbed me the wrong way when we had to give up our reusable bags over Quarantine. I'm so glad we can use them again. Here are a few ways you can do your part to avoid plastic bags and single-use plastics while you are shopping:
1. Use cotton re-usable grocery bags
You can buy them or make them. Canvas tote bags are super simple and if you have a lot of quilting cotton hanging around, 1 1/2 yards (3/4 yards of two different fabrics) makes up our Emma Tote, lickity-split. Since I've sewn a ton of these for classes, I have a bunch available for grocery bags. They are super strong and very durable.
2. Use dish towels to create produce bags
Since they are already finished on both sides, just fold in half and stitch up the bottom and one side to about 3" from the top edge. Fold the top edge down 1" and press. Stitch the hem in place, turn right side out and thread a piece of twill tape (or an old shoe lace) through the top casing. Voila! You have a produce bag.
3. Can't put your bags on the check stand? You can keep them in the cart.
I lay my veggies over my produce bags in the cart, then put them on the conveyor belt and then bag them up at the end. No one seams to mind.
4. In the event that they take away our right to use our own grocery bags in the future,
Put your groceries directly in the cart and bag them at your car
I watched someone else doing this and it blew my mind that I hadn't thought about it already.
5. Bring your own paper lunch bags and use them for bulk items and dry loose veggies like beans, brussel sprouts and mushrooms.
6. Shop in stores that still allow Bulk purchases and bring your own bags. We started shopping at The Food Mill in Oakland. CA a couple of months ago. They only allow 6 people in the shop at a time, you have to wear gloves (which is a bit of a bummer plastics-wise but super necessary right now) and they have a HUGE bulk section. We buy everything from spices to pasta, grains, almond butter and even olive oil and honey in bulk this way. It saves both plastic and money. What could be wrong with that.
In making all these changes I've realized that it's all about changing habits and creating new systems. We've been saving all our Mason Jars and Pasta Sauce Jars and using those as vessels for our bulk items. It's not as hard as it seems if you are willing to make small shifts in your thinking and approach. You can do it too!
From these few steps and some more that I’ll share over time, we’ve gone from 4 garbage bags a month to 1 or 2. That may not seem like a lot, but if more and more people changed their ways, it will make a HUGE impact on the use of plastics and waste going into the landfill.
That’s all for now. xo
Jennifer
