Waste: Day 3

Packaging… there is so much of it! It didn’t super notice it until I am being very aware of every single thing that goes into my trashcan and recycle bin. I made homemade corn and bean salsa tonight. This required 3 cans to be opened and recycled, 1 plastic non-recyclable bag to be put in the trash, onion, lime and tomato parts to be put into the “red bucket, and stickers to be removed from vegetables (that also cannot be recycled). This does not count the plastic bag the chips (that I used to enjoy the salsa) came in or all the extra packing and packaging that it requires making it to our local store. That seems like a lot of waste for one yummy treat. There has got to be a better way.

Yummy salsa!

I also realized that we buy a lot of individually wrapped things. This is extremely convenient when you have multiple little people (everyone gets their own/responsible for their own) but absolutely horrible when it comes to the waste factor. Granola bars, cheese sticks, freezer pops… and then when you buy big bags of things like animal crackers or pretzels to be divided  for all the little small people, you have the ever famous and oh so convenient baggie. We go through a lot of these (ridiculous amount actually) at our house.  Obviously it doesn’t all change over night, but we are making some changes that I hope we can carry over. Hunking up big blocks of cheese instead of individually wrapped sticks, making popsicles in reusable containers (this is a healthier/less chemical option too), and I made a big batch of energy balls as an alternative to the trash-producing, individually wrapped granola bar. I bought each of the kids small individual containers that have lids as an alternative to the baggie. Hoping these changes last.

Alternative to granola bars.

The upside to having to haul 4 kids with you to the store… when you forget your reusable grocery bag, everyone grabs stuff, you load up your over sized purse, and whala! Not plastic bag used! :)

I am having a bit of trouble finding some of the things I need for the Earth Friendly projects when limiting myself to only shopping local… so that either becomes a problem or I amend the rules… Not sure what wins on that yet, but I have a few other places to check out before I give up hope.

The kids and I are headed to my mom and dad’s for a couple of days. I am hoping to find a few of the things I am looking for down there at some local stores (and on the farm… there is always tons of random stuff there), and excited about taking the kids to an Amish community to do a little shopping. :) I won’t be able to post until I get back, but I will keep journaling and update you on our adventures when we get back! 

Thanks for joining me on the journey.