I don’t know about you but, personally, I hate cling film. That thin, sticky plastic that’s meant to keep food fresh, used once only and discarded. It makes my blood boil using a product that was created to be binned, that can’t be recycled and doesn’t decompose naturally. Basically, when it comes to plastics, cling film really is EVIL.
So, I don’t buy it. But how do I keep my food fresh I hear you ask. Well, you know, I try not to cook too much in the first place, but if I have leftovers they go in a plastic resealable tub for taking to work, or in a bowl with a flat plate on top. Is that so hard, no, don’t think so. Alternatively, you can get reusable silicone lids, like these ones here, but frankly, there’s no need.
What about sandwiches, you say, surely you need cling film for them. No, no, and thrice, no. I have a nifty little solution (well, two of them actually in different patterns) called the Wrapper. (in the interests of honesty, there are other, similar products, but this is run by one of my oldest friends, so I’m mentioning hers).
The re-wrap-it sandwich wrapper is plastic one side and fabric on the other. You put the sandwich inside, wrap it as shown, and seal with the Velcro. It’s hand made in Scotland (so good for local employment) and you can use it again and again, washing it in between, obviously, for my younger son’s packed lunch, which he takes every day. And, yes, it does contain plastic, but compare that one sheet of plastic with 240-or-so sheets of cling film/plastic sandwich bag/aluminium foil that I could be using for his sandwiches/pitta/wraps over the course of the year, and you see where I’m coming from.
Farewell wasteful plastic, hello reusable metal
On the subject of packed lunches, I finally weaned myself off my addiction for cartons or mini-bottles of some sugary soft drink inside them. Well, it was more cold Turkey really, as I just stopped buying them. I had a small black, metal bottle (a freebie from a cycling proficiency course my elder son did) taking up space in a store cupboard, so I decided to utilise it. Bye bye to five mini-plastic bottles or cardboard cartons going into recycling every week, and welcome to less waste.
Thanks for the tips, Rae and Bea, my zero waste godmothers.
PS Look at the picture at the top of this blog. Really, look at it, see how much plastic is in the sea – that you can see. Now read this and see how much plastic there is in the sea, that you can’t see. Does this make my blog sound less like a rant and more like impassioned reasoning? Good, thought as much.
Action Against Apathy 