Hi everyone, We avoid packaging (plastic and anything) as much as possible, by buying bulk (we get a lot of stuff from local farms and Azure), by making foods at home, and by looking for products with less packaging when we can't avoid them altogether (milk, as we don't want to have cows). It's not perfect, but we were able to stop generating quite a lot of trash and recycles in the last couple of years.
Here is what we have made so far: bread, cream cheese, tortillas, mayo, tomato sauce, peanut butter, almond butter, pizza crusts, crackers, candied nuts, sparkling water. We also mill our grains at home (wheat, spelt, corn). We keep chickens for eggs and bees for honey (which we use instead of sugar), and we grow an insane amount of veggies to feed ourselves and the chickens, and avoid chicken feed as much as we can. We recycle almost anything by feeding it to the chickens or the dogs. Nowadays, none of our food goes into the trash, especially because we compost whatever is left form the chicken and dog system. Oh, and we use our own bags at the market and we seldom get takeout. Now, I have to say we are into eating very simple, and I'm not sure many people would enjoy what we eat (too bland?). Our lifestyle is probably too boring. Also, this is all very time consuming compared to picking up stuff from a shelf at the market, but we find it quite easy and fun, and we get to know exactly what we ingest (or close to it). What we do also requires space (for storing grain, sheltering chickens, composting) and time (to clean, prepare, cook, wash, troubleshoot and research). I'm not sure if our lifestyle makes any difference in the grand scheme of things. Probably none. But if anyone feels like trying any of those things, shoot me an email. :) Also, if you have any tips on any activities of the sort, let's talk! Don't know where all the trash goes nowadays (I did a masters in environmental sciences a lifetime ago and I'm sure the techniques have improved) but I remember reading about the possibility of shipping trash to outer space. Maybe one day we'll have enough tech to clean up the mess we are making here, and even up there. 🤞 On Mon, Jun 27, 2022 at 1:26 PM wayne vetrone <[email protected]> wrote: > A large part of our household buying decisions is based upon packaging. > Costco is one of the worst. Large plastic containers for 6 apples. > > > > On Mon, Jun 27, 2022 at 1:18 PM Adirah Adanech King <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Debra's in Concord allows you to bring in your own containers now to buy >> from their bulk section. >> >> Victoria >> >> On Mon, Jun 27, 2022, 1:13 PM Debra Daugherty <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> Thank you for telling me about that--I order from Virsa De Punjab too, >>> but limit it as much as possible because of the waste. Awesome to know they >>> will reuse containers! >>> >>> On Mon, Jun 27, 2022 at 12:50 PM Belinda Gingrich < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Yesterday I tried bringing my own containers for the first time. I >>>> visited Versa de Punjab in Bedford. I called in the order, dropped off the >>>> dishes 15 min later. Next time I’l drop off the containers with the order >>>> and go shopping at whole foods or stop and shop, we were heading that way >>>> anyhow. It worked out well and I even remembered to ask for no little >>>> sauces for the first time. >>>> A new tradition! >>>> Belinda >>>> >>>> > On Jun 27, 2022, at 11:59 AM, Alice Waugh <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>> > >>>> > These are very valid points, but I think there's a much bigger >>>> plastics problem with takeout containers. The translucent cylindrical soup >>>> containers and the black trays with clear lids are piling up in everyone's >>>> kitchen. I understand that black plastic can't be recycled at all, but I'm >>>> unclear (no pun intended) about the soup containers. We save all of them >>>> for leftovers but we have only so much space in the cabinet. Does anyone >>>> know of any place that will take these containers for some other use? >>>> > >>>> > Also, is there any sentiment among environmentalists for pressuring >>>> restaurants to go back to the aluminum trays with cardboard lids? I don't >>>> think there's a viable non-plastic alternative for liquids but it would be >>>> great if we could revert to the old-fashioned containers for the solids. >>>> And yes, I know, the real answer is that we should just not do >>>> pickup/takeout at all, but especially in the Covid era, I don't think >>>> that's realistic for most people. >>>> > >>>> > Alice Waugh >>>> >>>> -- >>>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>>> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >>>> Browse the archives at >>>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>>> Change your subscription settings at >>>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >>>> >>>> -- >>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >>> Browse the archives at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>> Change your subscription settings at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >>> >>> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > >
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