Environmental Projects / Plastic Fasting

Hello everyone,

I’d love to hear your opinions, ideas, and experiences on the following topic:

Here in Bernau am Chiemsee, an environmental campaign is currently being planned for 2017/2018  (we’re still in the brainstorming phase). Ideas are being collected on how environmental protection can be put into action. So far, a “community garden” group and an “ecological footprint” group are already taking shape; and, of course, a crochet group for a shopping net has already formed. These crocheted items will then be sold at this year’s Christmas bazaar and are meant to encourage people to stop using plastic bags. Personally, I’d be interested to know whether it’s legally possible to shop with your own bowl from home, for example at the butcher’s or similar places. Maybe someone knows whether there’s anything to keep in mind regarding hygiene regulations and so on.

Under the motto “Plastic Fasting” it is planned to publicize this campaign again more explicitly during the Lenten season in 2018.

I’m looking forward to hearing what ideas you all have. Maybe one town or another has a similar project running and has experiences or tips they can share, which I could then pass on to our project leader if appropriate.

Best regards,
Traudelina

Hey there!

There are definitely stores by now where people generally bring their own containers.
I’ve even handed a lunchbox across the counter at the butcher’s in our supermarket, and they packed the salami into it for me. That was for the playgroup, and one of the moms there thought it was veeeery important that we bring our items in an “ecologically sound” way to the next meeting.
But I don’t know if every butcher does that.

Actually, I think it’s a great idea, but to be honest, I always forget to pack my containers, etc., before I go shopping…
I’m just glad that I always have a bag in my purse now and that we use foldable crates in the car for our weekly grocery runs.

I myself have gone without plastic bags for over 10 years. I always pack a reusable bag that folds up really small and can hold up to 3 kg without tearing. It really does—even a little more.
Otherwise, I shop with paper bags or, these days, felt bags.

Right here in our town, the small shops have been wrapping absolutely everything in paper for the second year in a row now. People have really noticed this, and it’s been very well received.
And at the organic grocery store, they’re always happy when I bring back the empty egg cartons.

I’ve never gone shopping with my own container. I’m not sure if the big retail chains would accept that, though. But it would definitely be worth a try.

Right now, it’s really important to the kids in our town to buy palm oil-free foods. They’ve covered this in school, and the older kids are leading by example while the younger ones follow suit. That’s when I first realized how hard it is to put this into practice. But there are exceptions—you just have to look for them.

I’m also curious to see what others have to say. I’m always ready to test out ideas like this in real life.

I recently read an article on the topic of “Bringing Your Own Packaging.” It mentioned that there are indeed hygiene concerns and that many stores reject the idea for this reason—since certain precautions would need to be taken.
Here’s how it’s done properly: A tray is set up at the counter where customers can place their own containers so they can be filled without the seller coming into contact with them. This way, the customer’s container doesn’t touch the counter either, and the tray is then put in the dishwasher. And that’s just an extra step that many people don’t want to go through.

I don’t think I’ve ever used large plastic bags for shopping; I always go into town with my backpack, and all my purchases end up in there. If necessary, I have two cloth bags in my backpack, so that’s not an issue.
The biggest problem for me was finding a replacement for fruit and vegetable bags. I use them for a very long time and keep bringing them back so I don’t have to tear off a new one, and I even wash them. But eventually, they just wear out. At Alnatura, you can now buy mesh bags for this purpose and bring them back again and again. I have plenty of the same mesh fabric at home because there’s always some left over from my window screens. Now I’ve sewn a few bags out of it, and I’m actually quite happy with them.

@Nina
Thanks for your post. In which stores is it already common practice to bring your own containers?

@Dagmar—Thanks to you, too.
Which foods are palm oil-free—for example?

Does anyone know the maximum weight our crocheted shopping nets can handle?
I haven’t carried any drinks in them yet.

@Inna
Thanks for the info about the counter—that’s good to know.

Gotta take a break from the computer—it’s too hiiiiiiiiot!

Here, the supermarkets have started charging for even the small plastic bags at the checkout, and apparently their use has dropped noticeably since then. Whenever possible, I put fruit and vegetables in mesh bags (e.g. from Ocean Care) or at least try to reuse the plastic bags from the market several times. We don’t eat much meat, so I’d have some reservations about bringing our own containers—I don’t even know if that’s possible! Our major retailers are making an effort to minimize packaging as much as possible without compromising the protection of the food.

I once had a conversation with our fishmonger, who steadfastly refused to fill containers we brought in. The reason: It’s actually not allowed, and he knew of a case involving a fellow fishmonger who had once introduced salmonella into his own counter this way, causing several people to become critically ill. He said this was because customers’ own containers weren’t washed thoroughly enough—since regular dishwashers don’t get hot enough. His machine in the store apparently practically boiled the dishes and spoons.
I have to admit that I left the store feeling frustrated back then. I’ve always tried to use as little plastic as possible—even my thesis back in the day was about avoiding packaging.
That’s why I really pricked up my ears when I read Inna’s post. So it is possible after all! Wonderful! Then I guess I’ll have to talk to my vendors....

I’ve also noticed that the plastic waste in the yellow bag is piling up more and more! What’s especially annoying are all the food items pre-packaged in plastic when it isn’t really necessary. Why is fruit wrapped in plastic? Or cucumbers? They have a skin, after all! Why is it getting harder and harder to buy potatoes loose? That alone could save a lot of plastic. Or take the awful blister packaging for cosmetics. And sausages, meat, and cheese used to be wrapped in paper. 

Dear Traudelina,

unfortunately, I never remember brand names—except for the really big ones. And those almost always contain palm oil.

Here, we have these millet balls that specifically advertise that they’re made with sunflower oil. The same goes for zwieback and even those corn fritters. I’ve even seen chips made with it.
As you can see, it’s mostly snack foods. It comes down to shopping habits.
Whenever possible, I shop at the organic store or the Schneeberg store, and they always assure me that everything they sell is palm oil-free.
My husband still shops at regular stores, but these days he only buys items that are explicitly allowed. He doesn’t want to deal with the arguments at home anymore.....
We don’t buy processed foods like frozen pizza and the like.
I have the luxury of a mother-in-law who cooks fresh meals for everyone at home every day—even though she’s 82. She always says that’s the only thing she can still contribute to the household. I think that’s worth more than anything else—and I tell her so.

Thanks for all your contributions and your environmental awareness :-)

@Dagmar: So, palm oil-free products at the organic food store—that’s definitely an idea, but I’d have to get in the car to shop since we don’t have anything like that in town—so it’s not exactly that eco-friendly… I’m happy to get whatever I can by bike (not an e-bike—grin).

I think if a whole lot of people kept bringing their own containers to the stores, we could make a huge difference in this area! There’s strength in numbers, as we saw back when the Berlin Wall fell. It would be great if we could reach a massive number of environmentally conscious people who are willing to take action.

Okay, now I have to get back to work.
Have a great day, everyone.

Best regards,
Traudelina

I have to say, the whole palm oil thing is really getting on my nerves by now. It’s in almost everything. The only way I see to avoid it is to stop buying processed foods altogether. Last week, I thought to myself—just as a quick meal when I’m home alone and really don’t feel like cooking anything elaborate—that a packet of instant soup would be just the thing. I haven’t bought any in ages, but suddenly the idea just popped into my head. That is, until I read the ingredient list. Can someone please tell me what palm oil is doing in a packet of instant soup?
The problem with cooking from scratch, on the other hand, is that even vegetables are often wrapped in plastic these days. You can’t buy tomatoes or apples individually anymore—I’ve even seen radishes sealed in thick plastic wrap—but then I’m told I’m not allowed to use plastic bags. So basically, the responsibility is being shifted from the wholesaler to the consumers, who—unless they have a farmers’ market nearby—can’t do anything to fight back against this packaging frenzy.
As for how much homemade shopping bags can hold—mine aren’t crocheted, but knitted—I’ve carried some pretty heavy loads home with them. I don’t buy beverages because I get my drinking water from the tap, but milk can really add up in weight. I’d say they can easily handle up to 10 kilos.

Maybe it’ll be helpful to know that you can also order from Alnatura online—no fresh items, of course, but canned goods, pasta, nuts, oatmeal, etc., anything that keeps for a long time. Shipping is free for orders of 49 € or more. For anyone who doesn’t have an organic grocery store nearby, that’s a huge help.

I take the train to go shopping since I don’t have a car.
I pack my groceries into my stair-climbing shopping trolley. I also keep extra cloth bags in there in case I end up with more than I expected.

Soon I’ll order some of those reusable bags for loose fruits and vegetables.

I really like these zero-waste stores.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any near me.

For larger shopping trips, such as for drinks, I bring a shopping trolley with me. We have several stores right around the corner.

And I always keep cotton bags in every bag I have.

@Inna
Alnatura online—great idea. Thanks for the tip.

@iglinz
10 kg is quite a bit of weight. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Thank you, dear Josefa & Team,
for the link to this post in the newsletter.
Best regards,
Traudelina