All we can do in this fight against plastics, that seems to be everywhere at the moment ... and quite rightly so ... is to do our best.
We need to step back and recognise the difference between single use and reusable plastics. Embrace the idea of becoming more aware of the single use and letting them one by one slip out of our lives where possible.
Re-use as many times as we can those plastic things we get that although designed to be single use could in fact be used over and over. But then thinking about it that shouldn't that be the way with everything we purchase!!
I've always been pretty good at re-using glass jars, plastic fruit trays etc, but I had never thought until quite recently that the current trend for 'zip-lock' bags was anything but a convenience that then goes into the bin. So many frozen fruits and vegetables come in these now ... as well as some cheeses, including block cheeses.
My lunch yesterday for example was a good for highlighting to me the mix of re-usables and non-reusables. The bread sticks were the bake at home type that came in a plastic wrapper, the pre-cooked beetroot were the sort in a shrink wrap packet, so both of these wrappers had to go straight into the bin as neither were recyclable. But the mayo jar can be re-used over and over before it is finally recycled and the cheese bag once carefully washed out can be used as the zip-lock bag it is until it no longer works ... and then this particular sort can be recycled.
Of course the final component of my lunch was a glass of ice cold tap water straight from the jug in the fridge.
Yes that has a plastic lid, but this is what we must be careful not get too hung up on ... this lid will stay with this jug for a long, long time. The plastic tub I put the leftover beetroot in will also stay with me for a long time. This is why plastic was invented and worked on all those years ago, to be useful, to make life simpler and to help us. It's the unnecessary use of single use plastics we must challenge and fight against
Luckily the wine I had with my tea came in a can 😃
Sue xx
Yes I agree about the single use plastics. I still buy rolls of plastic food bags, but less often as I now routinely wash and reuse them (unless they've had raw meat or fish in). Yogurt pots I wash and reuse 2 or 3 times for keeping portions of food in the fridge. And yes, Tupperware type plastic boxes were designed to last for years, so I don't see there's any need to get hung up about using them.
ReplyDeleteYou'd be proud of me, Sue - yesterday I emptied and sorted through one of the 3 chests of drawers in our bedroom. Sorted out all the tops I haven't worn for ages (I was quite ruthless about it!) and half filled a bin bag for the charity shop, then tidily put the rest back - got one empty drawer now. Will do another drawer set today. Thank you for the boost!
Yay ... brilliant. We were right you CAN do it 🤣🤣🤣
DeleteThat's a rally good and important point to make. Plastics are not, of themselves, evil, it's how they are used that makes the difference. Thank you.
ReplyDeletexx
It really us isn't it. There are so many useful plastics, just think of all the plastic used in healthcare, tubings, drips, hyperdermics etc. We definitely need to use the stuff we just need to be aware of how and why ... and what we do with it when we're finished.
DeleteThank you for such a well balanced look at plastics and their uses.
ReplyDeleteWe wash all sealable plastic bags several times. I use the oldest ones for raw fish and meat then throw them away.
I write very small notes on the label part so that there's plenty of room for more next time.
When we come home from holiday we have a washing line of the bags drying!
Much of this is just habit which we grew up with. Because of our age there was very little around during our early years
so our parents taught us to be frugal out of necessity.
Sue
Yes, I'm another sealable bag washer. I leave them inside out over the tap to drip and then move them to the closed, covered Aga hotplate lid to thoroughly dry. I never thought to use the washing line!
DeleteI wouldn't be without my stacks of very old Tupperware and Lakeland storage tubs. I've had these for many years and will be holding onto them for ever! I recycle everything - I've even got a council recycling bin twice as big as others (we were a family of 5 when the kids were at home so I requested a bigger bin) - and it's always full. Very disappointed in the supermarkets though - plastic wrapping on everything it seems.
ReplyDeleteIt is the supermarkets that are letting us down isn't it. Perhaps they will start to listen more after this month of activity.
DeleteI get many many uses from a good grade plastic bag as I wash them again and again. I have big ziplock ones for loaves of bread I have baked, and re-use the press-together bags you get cheese or seeds in. Glass jars for everything once it's opened. We have heavy duty plastic containers for cheese and similar things in the fridge. I try and avoid cling film and use small saucers or plates over bowls with any leftovers (though I try and avoid these because of the histamine hit with non-fresh food). A new shop has just opened in Carmarthen where you can refill things and buy loose comestibles, and I am planning a visit.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you're doing as much as you can. I didn't know about getting a histamine hit from non-fresh foods, something you especially will have to be careful with because of your asthma. I'm lucky that I stopped needing regular steroid injections throught the Summer a few years ago, but I am still careful.
DeleteI Googled low waste/bring your own jar type shops yesterday and found out there is one in Ulverston, where we used to live ... right across the road from where I had my shop. Now THAT would have been handy!!
I never buy my fruit and veg from a supermarket - always from our stall on the market which has them loose on the stalls and when you have chosen them in your basket (plastic) are put into brown paper bags.
ReplyDeleteNow that's the best way to do it. I could do this if I was at the van every week as market day is on Thursday in Garstang and that is just what they do. I think I'm going to try different places to shop and see which comes out best.
DeleteWherever possible, I buy from the market or a small local greengrocer. It's not an option for everyone, the market is often twice the price of a supermarket and the greengrocer a third more expensive.
DeleteGreat minds think alike, I just made my husband's sanwiches and put them in a zip lock cheese bag, the perfect size to prevent them falling apart!
My sister, a keen "eco-warrior" against plastic said "Plastic isn't bad until it's thrown away" I think this is what you're living by too. It's the thoughtless, single use and throw it away usage that is so destructive. THAT is what I need to get to grips with.
ReplyDeleteYour sister is right in most instances. The only time plastic can be bad for us while we have it is when some plastics leach into our food when the container is heated, a tray in a microwave or a drinks bottle left in a hot car for instance.
DeleteGreat post, some of my Tupperware is at least 35 years old and still going strong. I am another one that re-uses the bags, we can only do our best and that is good enough. Over a fortnight here we only use 2 rubbish bags, some others use 8? So pleased with what we can recycle, but we must keep trying to do better. Helen S.
ReplyDeleteWow ... Tupperware was made to last wasn't it 😃
DeleteI think one of the worst offenders of single use plastic has to be hospitals but I get why and I'm not sure if there is an answer. I've spent a lot of time in hospitals over the past three years and I've often commented on their use of plastic aprons. They come in a roll and the staff put them on coming into the room and its thrown in the bin when they leave the room and that goes on all day and night every day, multiply that by the number of rooms then the number of hospitals and its a big big number and thats before you start on the single use equipment they use, gloves etc. I know its for our own good, for germ control etc but there surely has to be a better way?
ReplyDeleteGood point. There really does need to be some thinking on that one. I guess the only saving grace is that it doesn't go to landfill. But the fumes released when hospital waste is incinerated must be a bit worrying!
DeleteI am now thinking about plastic daily now, always looking for ways to cut down, I wish others would do the same, I know someone who lives on her own and doesn't recycle anything she says its not worth it, boy that makes my blood boil!
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a separate recycling collection here but our wheelie bin usually only contains one small bag of rubbish each week. It is quite funny watching the binman reach right fown to the bottom to try to lift it out. We try to recycle virtualy everything if we can. Anything that can be composted goes onto the garden; anything that can be burnt goes onto the fire; other recyclables go to the local amenity tip. A neighbour has two wheelie bins and each collection day, both are so full that the lids cannot close!
ReplyDeleteOops, sorry about the typos - fat fingers!
DeleteYou are right! There is a mega difference between single use and multi-use plastic. I am still using some of my Mom's Tupperware from 50 years ago .. it just goes on being useful!
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot to think about in your post today. I don't throw anything away that can still be used. I have many plastic kitchen items that I actually bought and used in the early 70's. My parents lived through the depression and I grew up learning to re-use as much as possible. I remember my grandmother washing out and re-using bread bags as long as possible.
ReplyDeleteI try very hard to use things over and over again. I buy my nuts in a square plastic container and those are reused in the sewing/craft room. Same with some of the glass jars. Those I do find hard to get the smell out go in recycling immediately.
ReplyDeleteHowever I still use way too many single use plastic and need to find ways of lowering that usage.
You are doing very well limiting your usage and finding ways to reuse some of it.
God bless.
Another great read and comments Sue:) Haha I did have a chuckle as I've never seen wine in a can here, in a box or carton of wine, I must have a good look around next time I go into what is referred as a bottle-o. Here in Queensland wine/spirits and the likes are not sold in Supermarkets.
ReplyDeleteI've been reusing glass jars rather than plastic for as long as I remember because I don't like the smell of plastic tainting food. Glass is endlessly reusable and I am taking water to w,or in the same glass bottle as I've been using for two years. There is no reason whatsoever to but water in plastic bottles. I buy bread in waxed paper rather than plastic bags.
ReplyDelete