It has been a few years since package-free households and package-free shopping have been heavily promoted. In fact, in almost every larger city there is now a store where you can buy groceries and toiletries into your own containers. Someone might argue that they sort waste, but unfortunately not everything sorted gets recycled, so it is definitely better not to create waste at all. So how can you lighten the load on the planet as much as possible and feel better about an apparently small change?
Shopping
- your own cloth shopping bag
- your own bread bag
- your own bag for fruit and vegetables
- buy drinks in returnable glass bottles (e.g. Mattoni, Kofola, beer)
- buy wine from a refill shop into your own bottle
- focus on foods in glass packaging (e.g. milk, yogurt, ghee, lard, pâté, honey, nut butter, cosmetics, farm products, etc.)
- shop at package-free stores - dry foods, toiletries, cosmetics, pastries, fruit and vegetables, dairy products, eggs
- shop at farmers' markets or directly from farmers, who very much appreciate your own containers
- use self-pick farms
- for clothes, go to a thrift store or swap them at a swap event
- instead of a regular book, buy the electronic version; it may not smell as nice, but it does not take up space and does not collect dust
- things like electronics, furniture, home accessories, clothes, books, toiletries, cosmetics, toys, board games, cars, bicycles, and many others can be bought second-hand, often in very good condition, so before you buy something new, take a look to see whether someone is offering it
On a trip
- your own water bottle, glass and stainless steel ones are great
- your own cup for coffee or tea
- your own cup for beer or soda
- make a snack at home and put it in a container; then you do not have to deal with what to buy, where, and in what packaging
- your own cutlery (stainless steel, bamboo)
Household
- reusable straws (glass, stainless steel, bamboo)
- cloth diapers for baby
- dry washable wipes - they can be used on a baby's bottom instead of wet wipes, but also for household cleaning
- washable changing mat for baby
- cloth makeup remover pads
- cloth nursing pads
- cloth menstrual pads, menstrual cup or menstrual underwear
- cloth handkerchiefs
- solid soaps and solid shampoos
- reusable ear swabs
Homemade
- making toiletries with the help of baking soda, vinegar, citric acid, and other helpers (e.g. laundry powder, fabric softener, toilet cleaner, dishwasher powder, dishwasher rinse aid, dish soap, etc.)
- making cosmetics (e.g. creams, ointments, toothpaste, soaps)
- you can sew something for yourself or some accessories (e.g. handbag, wallet, curtains, tablecloth, baby accessories, toys, etc.)
- at home you can make nut milks, yogurts, cheeses, butter, and fermented products (e.g. kombucha, tibi lemonade, pickles, beet kvass, etc.)
- for long winter evenings, candle making is great
- in summer, pick herbs and dry them for tea
International Zero Waste Week
From Monday 5/9/2022 to Sunday 11/9/2022, International Zero Waste Week takes place, and what better time to start thinking about waste and packaging than right now. Every small change helps a lot. You just have to start. You do not have to have a completely package-free household right away; start introducing it gradually where you know what to do, and add more step by step. Your enthusiasm can then positively influence those around you, so in the end there will be more of us. You will see that you will buy fewer sweets and unhealthy treats, because those are most often sold in packaging, and you will reach more often for fresh fruit and vegetables. In this way, you will benefit not only the planet, but also your health.
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