TO AVOID DISPOSABLE PACKAGING IN EVERYDAY LIFE - TIPS & TRICKS
DON'T LET ANYONE SELL YOU GARBAGE!
We took up the challenge: for 6 weeks, we avoided disposable packaging wherever possible and documented our experiences for you.
THESE ARE OUR TIPS & TRICKS FOR YOU
Admittedly, it wasn’t always easy, but as we all know, challenges make you grow. During this period, we tidied up our daily routines – with the aim of throwing away less packaging and, of course, collecting valuable tips for the future and for you. From shopping, cooking and making our own food to a packaging-free bathroom, we questioned our habits and looked for and found alternatives.
1. SHOPPING
With minimal preparation, you can avoid a lot of waste when shopping. We always carry a shopping bag and reusable fruit/vegetable nets (you can buy them at Rewe or Edeka, for example) with us when we’re out and about. They fit easily into a backpack or a bag on the way to work, university, friends or wherever. That way, you’re well equipped for a spontaneous visit to the supermarket and you can avoid using disposable bags for fruit and vegetables and for carrying your groceries.
Fruit and vegetables are increasingly available unpackaged. If you can’t find what you’re looking for on your shopping list at the supermarket, it’s also worth going to a market or fruit and vegetable stall. In the supermarket, we also made sure to choose dairy products such as yogurt and cow’s milk in returnable jars. You can easily return these to the deposit machine the next time you go shopping. With a little more planning, we were also able to avoid disposable packaging for foods such as pasta, cereals, nuts and dried fruit. In some supermarkets (e.g. Edeka, Basic, Denn’s, Unverpacktläden) you can fill such products into containers you have brought with you. You can also have your food filled into your own containers at the deli and cheese counter (depending on how the supermarket operates). If this is not possible, you can also simply point out to the staff that double packaging is not necessary – as the individual products are often wrapped again in a second coated paper or in a bag.
2. IN THE KITCHEN
Once you’re home, you can avoid even more packaging. Just try making a few foods yourself that you normally buy packaged in the supermarket. For example, we made almond and oat milk with a nut bag. Hummus (with unpackaged chickpeas, of course) is also very easy to make yourself and tastes much better anyway. When cooking, see if you can still use the “waste”. Carrot and radish greens, for example, are great for a delicious pesto.
We like to wrap leftover food in oilcloth. This saves aluminium foil or cling film. After use, simply rinse the wraps under warm water, leave to dry and reuse them.
3. IN THE BATHROOM
After eating, it’s off to the bathroom to brush your teeth – annoying, but a must. What we don’t need is unnecessary disposable packaging for personal hygiene. We tried toothpaste tabs. They take a little getting used to but are very practical, especially when traveling! A great alternative to plastic toothbrushes are wooden toothbrushes with replaceable heads. You can buy the heads in multi-packs made of cardboard. We found ours at DM. This not only saves you packaging for new toothbrushes but also valuable resources.
Have you ever tried solid shower products? We think solid shampoo and shower soaps are great and very long-lasting. Take a look around, there is a great selection of such products.
By the way, reusable pads and cloths are great for cleansing your face. You can either make them yourself from fabric scraps or buy them at the drugstore for little money. They also leave no absorbent cotton or paper residue on the face and can simply be thrown into the washing machine with the next wash. We also reused the coffee grounds from breakfast to make a scrub. This is great for hands or face and removes dead skin cells.
Transforming your daily routine upside down and making it packaging-free isn’t that difficult, is it? 😊 And as a reward, let’s treat ourselves to a delicious meal from the restaurant around the corner – in Relevo reusable tableware, of course. Check out our Instagram account @relevo.app for more tips and tricks on #plasticfasting!