My New Green Deal

A few months ago, when we were preparing to leave McDonald's and come home, I took particular note of how much garbage was generated by one meal: the tray liner, the chicken nuggets box, the GoGurt tube, the ketchup packets (we try to use the ketchup dispenser, but it's more typically empty than not, and otherwise has a steady clientele of fruit flies), the French fry sleeve, plastic bag for the Happy Meal toy, the Happy Meal box, the juice box/milk bottle/soda cup, the box for whatever burger I get, and my cup, plus a lid and two straws. For 2 meals. They serve thousands of people per day, and we eat there a couple of times a week, at least.

When we first moved into our house, I almost ordered a second recycle bin because we were filling ours up within a couple of days after it was emptied (every two weeks instead of once per week, like regular trash). I realized that it slowed down somewhat after we stopped having so many deliveries for things like dining room chairs and other "new move-in" items like rugs and cabinets.

Still, we generate a lot of trash. We fill the recycle bin more often than the trash can, but have learned that only about 40% of our recycling is actually recycled; the rest ends up in landfills.

So I've been particularly struck by how often I run trash outside. Everything is in packaging, and when we order online, that packaging is usually in a shipping box. So it's a shipping box, usually some form of air-filled plastic shipping protector (bubble wrap, pillow things), the actual box, and then whatever the product is encased in inside. It's a lot. I think about which is better/worse for the environment: My driving into town to the store to buy things, or ordering it online where a truck that's going to be out here anyway brings it to me in an extra box that should, in a perfect system, be recycled. I don't know.

I did stop ordering from Walmart grocery when Instacart finally got out here, and one reason (which isn't price; Instacart is definitely more expensive) is that the way Walmart shops, almost every item is in a separate plastic bag. I save them and take them back to be recycled... but then, are they?

This is a very interesting video to watch, if you have the time:



One thing this doesn't address is that it DOES take some capital (money) on the front end to shop with almost no waste: glass and burlap containers aren't free; even if they pay for themselves in the long run, or it's just a principle you find important, you do have to have the cash up front to start the system. We could do it, but it would involve my driving... well, not only a lot further than our local grocery stores, but at all because I usually have our groceries delivered.

Still, I want to make some changes, so what can I do?

The first thing is straws. I drink a lot of soda, and Mal prefers straws over drinking directly out of a cup, so we've had silicone straws for a long time. I've recently stopped getting straws with drinks when we're out, and just use the ones in my purse.

Also, I stopped ordering soda cans (which I love because they're always fresh) and went to 2-liters. THEN, I bought another Soda Stream to make our own sodas in reusable bottles. I had a Soda Stream years ago, but when I was pregnant with Mal, I COULD NOT STAND the taste of the drinks. We ended up giving it to a homeschool group that was starting a co-op.

Beyond that and just being super aware of our waste and trying to pick products with minimal packaging and/or paper instead of plastic packaging, I'm not sure where to go from here. I'm freaked out seeing the piles of garbage everywhere, though. What is the next step? Any ideas?