Why are you putting your [insert produce here] into a plastic bag?

One of the last environmental courses I took in college was called ‘Sustainable Cities' and it rocked. Talk about being relevant for an urban environmentalist living and work in New York City. Anyway, one class we got onto the discussion of at what point an item made to be reused- let's take a coffee* mug, because that is probably the thing I use most often - surpasses its disposable counterpart. Yes, at the end of use, a disposable coffee cup goes into the trash and each time I do it hurts me a little inside, panged with guilt I guess (remember to check the lid because although most coffee cups have a plastically liner that can't be recycled, the lids often times can be.) But, a light paper cup took a lot less energy to make, is made of a (more) renewable material, and is significantly lighter to transport. So, after how many uses will my coffee mug actually start to be worth it? I don't remember the exact conclusion we came to in class, but it was a lot.

Why did I think of this in relation to Monday's ‘Trash day'? Because step number two in the no impact week guide told me to put together a reusable kit for the week so that I could avoid using disposable materials. Luckily I already do this for the most part, mostly because bringing food, water, and supplies with me inevitably saves me bunches of money - but this request did get me thinking just how much I'm using these things and whether or not the use amount will justify its use as oppose to a disposable item, and if I would keep the item long enough to make it count. I'm going to separate my thoughts into ‘at home' and leave ‘at work' up to Anthony (fellow eco-committee member and switchboard blogger who did a fantastic job writing on waste and waste reduction at NRDC), and if I've not bored myself by then, I may add on ‘at play'.

At home:

Going through my mind of reducing waste I automatically think of food (a likely subject for most of my thoughts). It's easy to reuse dishes and appliances in the apartment where you live, so the next step to try to reduce the amount of waste the food enters the house with- buy fresh, local, and in bulk. When I do my shopping I have several considerations for each of the things that I buy- and I promise it's not as tedious as it sounds:

1. Do I want to eat it? (probably most important, not only because food tastes lovely and is fun, but also if I want to eat it, it is much more likely to be consumed and therefore put to use, and less likely to go bad and go to waste.

2. Where is it from? - The closer the source of the food, the less packaging and preparation the producer had to add to get it to me.

3. Is it filled with pesticides or preservatives? Pesticides just creep me out. They also enable large mono crop agriculture and poor farming practices. Preservatives usually mean it's from farther away and will have more packaging.

4. Can I get the same or similar product without packaging? I really like granola (just to add the hippie stereotype seeping from every pore of this whole deal) and often find myself looking at the stuff boxed up next to the cereal. Each time, however, I end up going to the bulk section of the coop (Park Slope Food Coop - google it, it will change your life) and getting my granola there. Why (and this applies to all products, not just granola)?
      a. Less packaging means less waste
      b. Less packaging means more fresh
      c. Less packaging means supporting local and reducing transport of item

      d. LESS PACKAGING MEANS CHEAPER

  e. When less packaging also means bulk, it also means you have more liberty with just  how much or how little you take. Yum.

And because I talk about all things food and kitchen related too much, I will continue onto other items that I use and could either replace with reusables and avoid packaging altogether but don't- and will probably continue to reflect throughout the day as to why I don't:

A. Tissues
B. Q-tips
C. Newspaper
D. Pens
E. Floss - what does one do about floss?
F. Shampoo and conditioner
G. Make- up
H. Books
I. Paper, sooo much paper
J. Non-produce food containers: tofu, pasta, frozen items, chocolate

And now a brief ‘at-play', because I think it's important. When I go to spend time with friends either during the day or at night, I like to bring a small reusable water container with me and a small snack. I also like to bring a book and an item of clothing. I know these all sound like simple, no brainer ideas, but I know I have avoided buying countless water bottles, heavily packaged/prepared food, magazines or other light reading material, or an impulse item of clothing because I've been cold or needed to change for unexpected activity. Being prepared really stops a lot of unnecessary consumption and waste.

Finally- what's with the subject line? Well, when thinking about waste production and avoiding it, placing produce - especially something you are going to only eat the inside of or are going to wash - when purchasing it is hilarious. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the most natural and nutrient provide way to eat, and then we go and ruin such a simple step (ah-ha, get the pun to this blog?) to keeping our impact low.

*coffee is not a regional crop and therefore it is far from ‘no impact', but some things I will take a little longer than others..

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