Packaging is an enormous imposition on the planet. It consumes irreplaceable fossil fuels to make plastic and trees to make paper. It’s mostly used once and discarded, using more energy. Whatever you buy, minimise the packaging.
What to do?
I buy fresh food, locally made food, or basic ingredients to make my own meals: Four litre cans of oil, 10kg packets of flour and rice. I avoid processed food in general. This reduces packaging and also makes sure I use healthy ingredients and that my kids learn how to cook.I buy goods in simple packaging, and let the retailer know that I chose particular items because of the packaging.
Packaging is waste. Its original function was to make products easy (and hygienic) to handle. Often, though, its purpose is to make products more attractive or look bigger. For the planet’s sake we have to minimise packaging, especially disposable stuff.
Packaging can operate as a warning signal for other problems, too.
Packaged food is not fresh, is highly processed, and contains i corn, soy meal and canola oil. These ingredients are grown on a large-scale and are often genetically modified. Packaged food also tends to contain more salt and sugar and other preservatives.
Buying fresh food avoids all these problems.
Household items, consumables and appliances actually need relatively little packaging.
Select brands that use little packaging to cut down on the resources you consume and the waste you produce.
Benefits | Costs |
| Usually nothing DownsideIt takes some effort to find well packed products |
Places to go
| Hard FactsOver 100 thousand tonnes of plastic is thrown into Sydney’s landfill through the metropolitan waste stream every year. Most of this is packaging. Another 1.3 million tonnes of paper is also thrown away. |
Search termscornstarch peanuts packaging embodied
| Related tipsBuy locally Bake your own food. Avoid plastic |
