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Episode 2: Reducing plastic waste with groceries
Intro: Welcome back to 1000 Ways Green! The show where we are going to give busy people like you easy ways to help save the planet for our future generations. I was going back and forth on what topic I wanted to cover this week until a listener sent in a message on the website requesting ways to reduce plastic use. So…ask and ye shall receive! Not only is this episode going to be about using less plastic but I’m going to make it a series of plastic reduction episodes around different parts of our lives. Our first will be groceries.
Side note: In this episode and some future episodes I’m going to give you links to products or websites as one of the weekly challenges. Some of these links will give me a small amount of money to help support the show without costing you any extra. When choosing companies to recommend I do my best to choose companies that are BCorp certified, 1% for the planet, and offset their carbon emissions. If you have any questions about this feel free to send me a message through the 1000WaysGreen website. Now onto this week’s three things you can do:
Mint Green: Our Mint Green level this week: When you’re going to the store bring a reusable bag (or 3) with you. Make sure to keep them somewhere that is convenient and will help you remember. If you don’t have any, or always forget, I recommend picking up some of the ones linked here and in the show notes that will easily fold up and can be put into a pocket, purse or clipped onto a purse strap for an easy memory jogger. Another item on the same list is to stop using the plastic produce bags at the grocery store and swap those out for reusable mesh or recycled, reusable plastic produce bags. I tend to just put my fruit directly in my grocery bag but you do you. If you end up getting more than one product from EarthHero there is a coupon code in the show notes to save you 20% off your order.
Shamrock green: Our Shamrock Green level this week is to swap out either your chewing gum for one that doesn’t contain plastic (you didn’t know you were swallowing small amounts of microplastics every time you chewed gum? Now you do!) for one that is all natural or to purchase some Food Huggers. Food Huggers are reusable airtight membranes that wrap around fruits and veggies replacing plastic wrap, plastic cling and plastic bags. These come in huge within my house with a toddler that NEEDS an apple but then only eats a few bites. They have options for fruits, veggies, butter and my favorite, cheese considering I’m a born and bred Wisconsinite.
Forest green: Our Forest Green level this week is to politely yell at pasta companies for adding that thin plastic window to their boxes. I mean who here doesn’t know what pasta looks like and that part can’t be recycled. If you follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter you’ll see our posts there today, I will put text below that you can copy into your social media as well asking the companies to remove this from their packaging.
Thanks for listening, if you like what you heard please pass along to a friend. That's it for this week, as always be green and be seen.
Links from the show:
Shopping & Groceries:
Don’t put the produce in plastic bags but rather put them directly in your own reusable produce bag. I like this one because it gives you the tare weight of the bag.
Fruit & Veggies (and cheese!) - Food Huggers
And if you decide to purchase any two of these products that are from EarthHero around the time this episode goes live you can save 20% using the code I have in the show notes for you: TWICEASFUN upon checkout.
Text to copy for social media below. I chose what I felt were the most common companies and those claiming to be the “best” for you to @, feel free to swap out with the other options or ones you particularly like.
Twitter:
Hey pasta companies! Please stop using that thin plastic window in your containers that can't be recycled, we all know what it looks like. If you do, you’ll be my go to Pasta company going forward! #plasticfree @De_Cecco_Pasta, @barilla, @creamette_pasta @Wild_Harvest @eatbanza
Instagram:
Hey pasta companies! Please stop using that thin plastic window in your containers that can't be recycled, we all know what it looks like. If you do, you’ll be my go to Pasta company going forward! #plasticfree @dececco_pasta, @barilla, @creamette_pasta @wildharveststudio @eatbanza @essential_everyday
Facebook:
Hey pasta companies! Please stop using that thin plastic window in your containers that can't be recycled, we all know what it looks like. If you do, you’ll be my go to Pasta company going forward! #plasticfree De Cecco Barilla Creamette Pasta Wild Harvest Brand Banza Essential Everyday Brand
Other Pasta companies with plastic:
delallo, rummo, Mrs. Miller's, al dente, Tinkyáda, Colavita (all plastic), Gia Russia (all plastic), bio nature, wild harvest, Montebello, Banza, ancient harvest, chickpea, veggiecraft, jovial, ronzoni, barilla, dreamfields, essential everyday, creamette, no yolks
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