Have you seen images of what is happening with our food and packaging waste?  It’s hard to see those images and not be affected and motivated to do something. 

But, what we can we do about this?  What will my small choices do to make a difference?  Well, it can be a HUGE benefit for anyone to start by making just a small change. All change takes just 1 step.

The acts of one person can motivate the acts of others, and create a large positive effect.  I think it is safe to say, we have to do something.  And, the sooner the better - today!

So, how do I start today?

Let’s look at 2 areas specifically here - food waste and food packaging.

I have read a number of articles where it is said that 40% of food is tossed in the garbage.  This is at home, in restaurants, and in food stores.  That is insane.  The need for food security well known, especially when the cost, both monetarily and environmentally, is so incredibly high.  To have food go to waste is a great place to start to make a change.  It is not just the food item that is lost.  It is the amount of water, energy, processing, packaging, travel fuel and emission, and cooking, and such that is a factor when an item is tossed out.  There is an investment in every bite of food.

One thing we can all do is vote how we want to see changes made with where and how we shop.  When we support businesses and companies and individuals that are going in the right direction of making positive changes for us and our environment, we are taking steps towards a better plan and outcome. 

Here are a few things that Quality Greens does for food waste and food packaging:

1) We send unused foods from our 3 stores to the Okanagan Central Food bank each and every week to reduce food waste.  Huge win for us and those who need food.

2) We have removed plastics where we can in our stores including cutlery in our grab and go section. Customers can still get those if needed but in hopes they are able to use real cutlery in their office or home where they make be taking the food back to.

3) We are working on completely removing plastic bags from our tills. We offer everyone a chance to buy reusable bags or we have bins of cardboard boxes they can pack groceries in which can be recycled after.

What can we do as shoppers?

Try to remember those reusable shopping bags and not use plastic ones at any store that we go to.  There are light but mighty bags that fold up tiny that can fit into a purse or pocket so that you don’t need to remember to grab them from your car each shopping trip.  That has kept me from needing plastic bags this past year.

Also, those thin bags we use to hold items like apples, broccoli, etc, try to save previous used ones and reuse them more than once.  Or, make a few small thin material bags (youtube has great videos how to use old t-shirts to make bags.  You don’t even need a sewing machine - double recycle bonus points!)  You can then use these over and over, as those thin plastic bags can add up each week when they end up being a one time use plastic item.

Buy local items as they are often not packaged as much as the items that had to travel from far away.  This also benefits in less travel for our food which mean less emissions for our planet.

I know there is so much in our daily to do list, and adding one more thing to think about and act on can seem daunting.  However, taking a few minutes to plan and make decisions that will benefit out planet, environment, and thus ourselves can change to course of where we are heading if we don’t make some changes.  No one is going to rescue us, we need to do it ourselves individually with our daily decisions.

What can you do today as a small step?

Have a great week!

Lisa.