Many Wednesdays this year we’re checking in to share how we’re reducing our environmental impact. Some of these ideas are big and require a bit of effort. Others are super small and simple, like this one. But we believe that they all make a difference.
Ready for today’s suggestion? This one may make you laugh.
Those aren’t walnuts in that bag above. It’s a half-used block of parmesan. And in the bread bag below? Just some carrots and celery staying crisp in the bread bag.
Everything from bread to nuts to rice is packaged in single-use plastic bags*. We bring these goods home, and many dry goods, like the rice and nuts, we immediately transfer to a different container. It feels like such a waste to turn around and throw out the bags, especially when they could be used to keep other foods fresh.
Whenever I can, I try to buy items without plastic, but that’s a problem for vegetables. They definitely stay fresh longer when stored in a plastic bag or container, and long bread bags are perfect for this purpose. Likewise, as soon as I open a cheese that was encased in plastic wrap, I then need to put it in something so that it doesn’t dry out. Enter the perfect nut bags from TJ’s that have a reusable opening. They’re perfect for storing cheeses or for re-using as sandwich bags for our packed lunches. Recently, Sarah’s been filling up ziplock bags (like the almond one above or gallon-sized freezer bags that find their way into the house) with water, checking for holes, and then freezing them to use as extra ice packs during weekend van trips!
See, it’s such a simple change, but we love that a supply of “used” bags can help us eliminate MORE single-use plastics from our lives.