Food waste is a huge problem across developed countries. In simple terms, we have enough food that wastage isn’t seen as such a problem.
While most people understand that food waste is terrible, packaging waste for that food is also a huge issue.
The problem of food packaging waste is worse than the problem of food waste, and the packaging waste issue is massive.
What Can Be Done?
One person’s reusable container might be another person’s rubbish bin, after all. This is a point that a lot of people need reminding on quite regularly.
There are lots of ways to deal with packaging waste and reduce it. What follows are some examples to illustrate what we can do.
Bring Your Own Reusable Food Containers
Many shops offer a discount for customers who bring their own reusable containers. The idea is that if you bring your own container, you’ll save the store money (reducing the waste of a new container) and prevent the need for a plastic bag.
This works particularly well if you like your local stores, but if not, it might be worth asking anyway or taking a container from the house and using that instead.
Ask Businesses to Switch to Eco Packaging
The only way that food outlets will switch to eco-packaging options is due to pressure from customers.
Customers must start to raise awareness about the importance of reducing and reusing packaging and cutting down on unnecessary packaging waste.
From pizza boxes to takeaway cups, using biodegradable and compostable options is a great alternative that customers should push for.
Buy Less and Reuse the Packaging
This is something that can be difficult for some people, but if you buy less in the first place, you’ll use less packaging in that quantity needed.
The key is to buy products of the right quality and size if you want to reuse the packaging.
While this may not be realistic for all products, it is certainly something to consider.
Use Filtered Water Containers
Once again, this ties in with the idea of bringing your own reusable containers. The number of water-related products on the market is increasing rapidly, and lots of stores are now selling their own reusable containers.
The rise of filtered water has made a big difference, with lots of people starting to carry their own bottles around with them, instead of buying new bottled water every day.
The same argument can be applied to reusable coffee cups versus single-use paper cups. It may seem like an insignificant reduction in packaging waste, but every little helps.
Carry Your Own Cup
With the rise of the coffee-to-go market, we have seen a massive increase in coffee cups.
There is no need for this – if you are buying a single cup of coffee at a time, and then throwing away the cup, you are contributing to the packaging waste epidemic.
Buying ceramic cups can reduce waste massively and make your coffee taste better. It’s a win-win situation.
