Читать книгу Zero Waste Cooking For Dummies - Rosanne Rust - Страница 57

We are a society of convenience. We’re often on the go, which makes single-use items very tempting. Putting sandwiches into plastic bags, packing water bottles for a soccer match, running into the grocery store and coming out with eight more plastic bags to add to your pile. I get it. Using single-use plastic items like these may seem easier, but there’s a better way.

Tip: Although sometimes it makes sense to use a plastic sandwich bag, set some goals to use fewer single-use items. You may not be able to completely eliminate them, but it’s a start. Whether you reduce them by 20 percent or 70 percent, all reducing has a positive impact. Here are some ideas:

 Instead of regularly using plastic forks and paper plates, consider melamine plates that you can wash, and purchase extra flatware from a secondhand store or reusable cutlery that’s made from recyclable materials. Keep a set in your bag and forgo the plastic cutlery when you do takeout lunch with friends. While you’re at it, consider replacing paper napkins with a set of cloth napkins that can be reused.

 Forgo the plastic straw and just sip your beverage from the glass. Or try stainless or silicone straws. Keep a set in your bag or car to use on the go.

 Rethink your coffee habits. Coffee on the go comes with a lot of single-use waste — the cup, the lid, the stirrer, the napkin, the cuff. Bring your own reusable cup when you can, or brew your cup at home.Note: Although brewing single-use coffee pods at home may be less wasteful than visiting a coffee house for coffee every day, they add waste, too. If your brand has a recycling program, use it. Or simply don’t use the pods, or use them less often.

 Buy soda or other beverages in one large 2-liter or gallon and pour into reusable cups. Use refillable water bottles to take ice cold water with you. If you must buy some of those single-use plastic items, do so mindfully (for instance, you may want water bottles to prepare for a natural disaster when water supplies could be limited or unsafe). Otherwise, use your reusables.

 Keep reusable tote bags with you and make a sincere effort to get into the habit of using them when you go grocery shopping. Include an insulated bag so you can put food into if you’re delayed. Look for reusable drawstring vegetable/produce bags (they also help keep produce fresh longer) instead of the plastic bags in the grocery store’s produce section.