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Well, you can’t get plastic bags in most stores even for a fee. You get paper sacks, instead, for 5 cents each.
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RIght. I don’t pay much attention because we haven’t been fined yet. DH will run back to the parking lot when we forget to bring our bags in which happened a lot in the beginning. (What he’ll do to avoid a nickel…)
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Post if you find the Oribe refill packets–I really their hair products!!
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So I guess I’m “wish-cycling” my plastic bags away because I place them in the plastic bag recycling bin at the grocery store and they aren’t actually recycled? Oh, well. I learned a new term today!
I am not a kcup recycler, and don’t plan to become one. I’m not going to justify it beyond saying we don’t just drink kcup coffee and for a long time did not use them at all.
I’m not a perfect reuser/recycler, but I’m not going to let perfect be the enemy of good. I think I’m good enough.
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I wish PA would ban plastic bags in stores, plus charge for paper. So many states and countries have and people still manage to get their groceries home. Here there are “urban tumbleweeds” all over along roads, etc. Some even blow into our pastures from who knows where.
When we were in Puerto Rico (bags are banned) many people at Walmart didn’t bring bags at all. They just grabbed an empty cart and scanned from their full cart putting items into the empty one afterward - then took that cart to their car to unload. They have people checking receipts at the door. We did that once when we forgot bags (shopping on an impulse that day), but when we got back to my son’s house we fetched the bags to take things in.
My guy doesn’t own a car. He has a scooter he keeps bags in (saddlebags). We forgot to put some into our rental. After that one experience we remembered though - and I don’t wish Walmart had bags instead. We made do just fine.
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We drink lots of coffee and recently got a Nespresso Coffee maker for a quick coffee fix. Supposedly the pods are recyclable–you can get recycling bags when you order from Nespresso and you take the full bags to UPS. I just drop them off at a UPS box near my house–you don’t have to pay for shipping.
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Neiman and Nordstrom sell them. They are $$$! I had a trial size packet sent to me as a freebie that was supposed to be for one wash. I got 4 out of it, so I think 33 ounces will last a looonnggg time. 
https://www.neimanmarcus.com/p/oribe-33-8-oz-signature-shampoo-refill-pouch-prod253320625
Yes, I read that about the Nespresso pods. If we had a Nespresso, I’d definitely do that. Which machine do you have?
Nespresso either licenses their tech to others or the patents have expired, so there are many more makers that sell machines that use original Nespresso pods (as well as other manufacturers’ pods like Illy). We have had a Pixie (?) which the kids took to their place and got a generic one from Macy’s on sale. Works fine.
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I put a piece of tape over the hole sometimes if it’s not too big of a rip. Works fine for cat litter then.
One area where I have trouble cutting down on plastic consumption is snacks. I’m afraid we have a bad chip habit at our house, but I use those bags to scoop the cat litter so at least they’re getting a second use.
Found that BBC video on reducing waste: https://youtu.be/0LEUIkTnTxo
On the coffee topic, does anybody have a reusable/metal-net coffee filter to recommend?
Our composting program used to take coffee grounds and filters, now only grounds. Now I had actually been doing an elaborate thing in winter to put the grounds and cut up filters in my tomato garden. (I’m not sure it will really help add acid, but it will at least improve the soil texture). But I had planned to put all in compost this summer. The filters are no biggie in the landfill, but it’s a pain to separate when wet.
No chips, takeout 
of any kind, or drinks that come in single use containers here. Not saying this elevates me into sainthood, but it definitely reduces trash. 
Sigh… chip bags or putting tape over holes wouldn’t work here. Three large cats… nuff said.
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We now have 4 cats. Tape and big chip bags (not the little single serving ones) work fine.
And good for you on no takeout and chips and single use! That is great. I just can’t seem to get myself or my fam there.
Most plastic is not actually recycled (there are some exceptions) when you “recycle” it at a grocery store or local drop off. There is no market for it, other countries have stopped taking it for their landfills, so you may not be doing what you think you are doing, unfortunately.
That was how we started eliminating plastic, period, and how I arrived at haircare pucks. Really big bottles of whatever , while a nice first step, are still using a lot of never-recycled plastic by volume. I’ve used haircare pucks for 5 or 6 years now and don’t notice any difference. But everyone has to try what they can, no judgement here.
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Wow, I’m impressed that you clean the box every time a cat uses it! 
I only do this once a day. A chip bag wouldn’t do.
They’re big chip bags! Party size!
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Ok! Those might do. 
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We also use cereal bags, bread bags, etc. Basically any plastic bag that comes in the house is fair game for cat or dog poop.
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I know this won’t work for everyone, but I like to do my grocery shopping frequently so that I have fresh produce and chicken/fish and I find that I don’t end up wasting as much when I shop this way. I have 3 grocery stores within a 5 minute walk (and I do walk) several times a week to pick up what we need. If I need heavy things such as cat litter I pick this up on a work day when I am on my way home.
During Covid when we were trying to go to the stores less I found that I did buy things that went bad before I could use them. I also have many reusable bags to carry groceries and fresh produce.
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