Tiny things to help the world

[watervole]

We only have one planet and it's in trouble.

Sadly, this is the point where a fair percentage of readers will skip ahead to the next journal.  Everyone knows it's a problem.  Some simply can't deal with it as they're too stressed out already, some feel they can't make a difference and some aren't willing to change their lifestyle even though it would make a difference.

So, let's try some tiny changes which might be within people's grasp. 

We need to reduce our use of plastics and reduce our consumption of food.  If we can benefit in other ways at the same time, then that is a plus. 

Social pressure is one of the biggest drivers of what we do and when it comes to social pressure, it's hard for anyone to make the first move.

My husband decided to lose weight last year.  He managed a slow steady loss and ended up several stone lighter and has kept that new weight.  He didn't go on a diet, he just changed a few habits.

One habit was biscuits.  He stopped eating biscuits.

To make that easier, we stopped putting biscuits on the table when we invited our gaming friends round. (If they asked, biscuits were still available, but they rarely did so.)  

What was really interesting was that after a couple of months, our gaming friends (who were also trying to lose weight) stopped putting biscuits out when we visited.

Social pressure had let all of us to put biscuits out, as there is the fear of appearing mean if you don't.  As it turned out, we were all perfectly happy without them, but it had needed someone to make that first move.

So, a tiny change, but less plastic wrappers, less food consumed, less fuel to move it around, and a beneficial aid to losing weight.

Comments

[suenicorn]

Thing is, these days it’s hard to buy even fruit and veg at the supermarket or greengrocer without packaging. My sister was looking for sweet corn the other day and most of the cobs were wrapped, The beans were wrapped. When I have had to use packaged fruit/veg I did have the option, at one stage, of giving those little styrofoam trays to the Foods teacher, who said kids often forgot to bring containers to take their cooking home. So, some re-use, but I imagine the trays were dumped as soon as kids got them home.

I don’t eat many biscuits and don’t keep a packet in my pantry, but I do love baking them! Macaroons, amaretti, Anzacs... I bake them to take them to family and friends. Sorry! Not planning to give them up just yet.

[watervole]

Fruit and veg packaging has gone mad. Having an allotment, we can avoid most of that, but few people have access to land where they can grow stuff.

I think the only thing you can do is to regularly write to the supermarket and say that you would prefer less packaging, and buy loose stuff whenever you see it avaialable.

[suenicorn]

Our supermarkets are chains. No point in writing to an individual one. But recently they have brought in laws about plastic bags. Surely packaging has to follow at some stage?

Alas, my “garden”is just a few pots on my balcony. I’m useless even at growing herbs.

[watervole]

I get an organic veg box from Riverford. They use the bare minimum of packaging. Only salad leaves get plastic. Most fruit is loose in the cardboard box. And they try to get 15 trips out of each cardboard box.

[suenicorn]

Sounds good! Maybe there's a similar shop here. I get my fruit delivered by a company called Aussie Farmers Direct, which is a sort of farmers' co-op. They only do plastic with the punnets of berries, which is nice, BUT they won't take back the boxes, which are very good and strong(someone commented they are archive quality), due to health and safety issues. So after giving away a lot of the boxes to our school's literacy program and using about as many as I could to pack my stuff in, I have reluctantly been putting the boxes in the recycling bin. I prefer re-use to recycling, where I can. But I just can't use all of them and I get my fruit every fortnight.

[watervole]

I know it's a long shot, but why not ask your Farmer's coop to contact Riverford - https://www.riverford.co.uk/shop/veg-fruit-and-meat-boxes/

Maybe Riverford (who are very ethical, and dedicated to solving environmental issues) would be willing to help with their health and safety issues with regard to reusing boxes?

I note that Riverford's boxes can easily be folded flat when handing them back to the delivery man. This may be a factor?

[replyhazy]

I'm really trying to avoid lids and straws for drinks at restaurants.

We don't eat out constantly, but when we eat at a less-fancy restaurant, the habit is to cap your drink with a plastic lid and use a straw. It's just automatic. And then I realized that if I planned to finish the drink IN the restaurant, there was NO REASON to take that lid and straw. None. It's just sheer habit to do so. So we're trying now to simply stop!

[watervole]

I know just what you mean. Cafes automatically give my granddaughter a straw, but she actually spills less when she is without one as the straw means she has to be higher up to drink.

I don't want the straw, but it's already in the drink when it comes. I shall have to start saying 'no straw' when I order.

[suenicorn]

Really, if you're having it in the cafe, they should be giving it to you in glasses, not in take-away cups. But if it's a small store, they don't want to be bothered with dishwashing, I suppose.