August 17, 2021: Using Less Plastic

CALVARY GREEN.....

DID YOU KNOW.... the average Canadian goes through as much as 250 pounds of plastic waste yearly (mostly from packaging). Just throwing it into the blue box for recycling is NOT the answer. Plastic lasts forever! It wraps food, our personal care products and is woven into our clothes. PLASTIC is everywhere and can be harmful for our personal health and our environment in so many ways. A lot of it also ends up in our oceans and waterways which is harmful to our aquatic creatures.

  • When grocery shopping, try to limit purchases in prepackaged plastic bags, clam shells and plastic mesh netting.

  • Bring your reusable cloth produce bags and hand pick fruits, veggies, breads, etc. when shopping.

  • Leave reusable bags in your car and carry a few in your purse for all shopping needs and not only groceries.

  • Frequent stores that are limiting extra packaging and encouraging shoppers to bring their own containers. Reimagine at 206 Piccadilly ( recommended by Climate Action, London), the first and only store in London to go package free offers fresh produce, bulk dry goods, frozen foods, cleaning products, etc. which are mostly organic, plant based and locally sourced. I enjoyed the unique shopping experience and plan to return

  • Most bulk food stores in London can not allow customers to BYO (as they once did). I called several and was told they are hoping to return to that policy post COVID.

  • Refuse items overly packaged. Be vocal and make yourself heard! If enough people articulate their concerns, manufacturers will listen.

  • Lastly, try a 7 day No Plastic Challenge! or At least 7 days "Less Plastic"

  • Only purchase food items that are not prepackaged.

  • Buy products in cardboard/paper packaging. Aluminum cans (infinitely recyclable) and glass jars NOT plastic tubs or bins.

  • At the end of the week, review your purchases and see if there are changes and improvements that you can make?

INTERESTING FACT ...The Tokyo Olympic medals were made from more than 78,000 tonnes of recycled consumer electronics, including over 8 million cell phones handed in by the public. The result was 32 kg gold, 3,500 kg of silver and 2,200 kg of bronze needed to produce all 5,000 Tokyo medals.

Focus on Progress not Perfection!

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