A Baggy Conundrum
From the first of November, plastic shopping bags will be a thing of the past in Tasmania. They have been banned from shops and supermarkets all over the state.
Hooray! Apart from the swag of environmental benefits, they are so ugly. As a receptacle to carry things about in, I think even a committee could not have come up with an uglier option (which begs the question - who WAS responsible for inventing such a misbegotten monstrosity? And where were the fashion police at the time?).
This is of course, marvellous news. But now I have a dilemma. We bought an under-the-sink, swing out rubbish bin, which we deliberately chose because it was shopping bag sized, so we wouldn't have to buy rubbish bin liners (because we are
Anyways, since we have shunned our former profligate plastic-bag collecting days, we have still been lining our bin with plastic bags, just not our plastic bags. Every time I visit plastic bag-using friends and neighbours, I cadge plastic bags off them. Yes I know, but if I don't take them, they put them in the bin. So I have been SAVING them, right, to be used another day, OK? I know, it doesn't really make sense, but now, now I will not have plastic bags AT ALL. What to do people?
Who has a non-plastic bag based rubbish disposal system? I need ideas...
So far all I have thought is that the thick, department store-type plastic bags are still legal. I could cadge those... I don't want to buy the compostable ones, because as far as I know they don't compost except under industrial hot compost conditions. Is that correct?
Of course, the ultimate answer is don't make rubbish... not quite there yet. Does anyone know where I can buy ballet tights without plastic wrapping?
Comments
You are probably like us Jo, the only thing really going into our bin is those little bits of plastic wrap and ring that is on the top of bottles etc for "safety sealing". Cotton buds is another that comes to mind and cheese packets. The plastic bag liners just made these items more convenient to transport to the big bin. In reality we probably don't need the liners as much as we think we do.
frances
Like you, I would be at a loss without them because I use them for after I scoop out the cat box. I need one a day. It would be horrible if the law forced the purchasing of yet more plastic!
My main problem is the meat bones or fat that need discarding. I tried using a 'Green Cone' a few years back. You can put bones, bread and even cat litter in it and it decomposes. There is a cage at the bottom which is sunken into the ground, with a cone above, but our ground is such thick clay that it wouldn't drain and I had to give up with it.
Looking for re-usable options rather than disposable products is the real solution. Things like handkerchiefs instead of tissues and a Mooncup instead of sanitary products helps cut down on waste. But cotton wool buds are a real problem. Has anyone found a re-usable alternative?
Tanya, we certainly don't have anywhere near as much rubbish as we once did, but not quite at your stage yet, mainly because the children throw all sorts of things in the bin that should go in the compost. Maybe it's a matter of training...
But I like the idea of treating it like the recycling bin, and just wrapping individual mucky things. Really, it's a matter of mindset, isn't it? We expect to use a bin bag, therefore we must..
Linda, I am trying not to buy meat in plastic now, so hopefully won't succumb to bacterial infection, although never re-used meat bags, just in case. And I always fish a piece of paper out of the recycling for my shopping list!
Frances, I remember brown paper grocery bags from my childhood - we used them as the basis for many a creative dress-up costume. But I haven't seen one in years. I don't think they are even available in grocery bag size to buy here. Anyone? So sad :(
Tammy, produce bags haven't been banned, just grocery bags, so people can still corral their apples. One supermarket chain is providing compostable ones. I have been reusing mine, hoping to find a good substitute, possibly (gasp) even sew some!
We don't use plastic bags for kitty litter - it's The Girl's job to scoop and flush every day, and the used kitty litter gets tipped straight into the wheelie bin every week.
Fran, of course, I buy 10kg of spuds at a time too, and recycle the bags. Der!
I know in Germany where recycling laws are much stricter, people do exactly that, handing back packaging at point of sale. If only I was brave! And I LIKE the nice ballet shop lady, and it's not HER that makes the packaging. Oh, oh, oh! What to do?
Heather, I WISH we had brown paper bags. This is one way I definitely think we should be following in the footsteps of the good ol' USofA.
Judy, I am leaning towards going unlined. I have two, yes two bokashi buckets under the house, which I bought in the years when I believed I was going to save the planet by buying every new green product on the market. I haven't used them since we renovated the laundry, but I just stopped halfway through this comment, and went downstairs to retrieve them! Apparently they will compost (that is, pickle) meat bones and fat so you can dig them into the garden or compost them. We shall see!
What we really need is the rag and bone man.
I hear what you are saying about cutting down on disposables. I don't like my chances of persuading the girls to use a mooncup quite yet, but I do. And re the cotton buds, do you remember the first scene in Shakespeare in Love, when the old nurse is cleaning out Gwyneth Paltrow's ears with something that looks like a long ivory chopstick with a tiny spoon on the end? Perhaps the antique section of ebay??!!
Hi Jenny, so lovely to see you here! I am beginning to think that not using a bin liner might be an option. It is just such a foreign one to get my head around. It sounds so silly, especially as I am so set against disposable plastic, but it's just what people do.. aren't I programmed well!
But if I don't have plastic meat trays, and I compost everything else, well it might be fine.
Thankyou so much for all your input so far, keep the ideas coming, and stay tuned for what my family thinks about my latest whacky green plans..
A friend uses a newspaper to line her bin but as I think about it, most things in our bin don't really need wrapping and taking the whole bin out and emptying it into the wheelie bin is no real hardship really. A quick hose out and presto!
As for cat litter, I tripped across the idea once of using cheap potting mix instead of bought litter. I mean, cats poo happily in the garden after all. We then have a separate compost bin for their used soil which will become compost on the gardens where we have either 100% ornamentals or around the fruit trees. There's no risk for contamination then and the waste becomes useful. :)
Thanks for posting this as you've given me many great ideas and much food for thought about our own rubbish disosal.
Actually, you've started the ball roling on thrift too. I've seen several posts from fellow bloggers on the subject this week. You're starting mini revolutions with each post. :) Well done you. :D
And maybe TAsmania can lead the way for the rest of Australia with no pastic bags.
The men in my house aren't very keen on taking bags to the shops either - is it not manly? So we get a number of plastic bags from their grocery trips too. What ARE they going to do now?
I am loving all the interesting comments here - I am getting good ideas, plus motivation to try something different. It is so much easier to be odd in good company!
one thing leads to another - thank you again Jo (and everyone) for a really helpful and thought provoking post and ideas.
Well done, Tassie.
But I don't get why shopping bags are banned but people can still buy plastic bags for their bins. I always wanted bought bin liner bags banned so people are forced to use shopping bags as bin liners.
I very rarely forget my reusable shopping bags. But always have my meat and watermelon put in a plastic bag as they both leak.
I hope NSW brings in container deposit refund scheme. I can't stand seeing bottles and cans everywhere. And I would vote for a total ban on little bottles of water.
Lucinda, yes, yes to watermelon, no to meat, Pyrex doesn't leak, and yes, and YES!
Could you just run for parliament in your spare time, and we will all vote for you!
Tonight when I did emergency run to supermarket for cat litter(yes, I know, tragic, cat won't 'go' unless
cat litter clean. She just cries and wiggles uncomfortably instead...) I asked the checkout lady about the left over plastic bags, and she said they were packing them up and posting them to the mainland states. So you may be lining your bin with Tassie plastic bags next week...
A while ago I bought 6 re-usable drawstring bags from a enviro shop in a light cotton muslin material - easy enough to make if you can sew which I can't! (When I remember) I take them to put the fruit & veg in at supermarket. You get used to it after the first few comments from the checkout. Actually I try to avoid the big 2 supermarkets anyway with all their excess packaging.
It's the little things that add up.
cheers Wendy
Lovely to meet you - had a look at your very nice blog - such a shame you didn't make it to Tasmania on your holiday. Better luck next time!
PS forgot to take my moon cup away - so annoyed to have to buy plastic wrapped tampons!