For those Saran Wrap happy people, this is another idea - they are reusable and and bpa free. There are many varieties and sizes on Amazon.
TCOTBE 60 Reusable Elastic Food Bowl Storage Covers,Variety of 3 translucent stretchable sizes and Colorful Bowl Covers Dish Plate Plastic Covers,Alternative to foil, plastic wrap,BPA Free https://a.co/d/jcASGLu
Basically think reusable, washable shower cap!
Those Food Bowl covers are interesting - thanks for posting. LOL - hubby also like aluminum foil (and like Saran, only the thicker good kind). Those recommended bowl covers might be useful at our house and possibly for holiday gifts since nice and light to ship.
It does remind me of something kindof fun Iāve been doing. The pictured yellow bowl is from my mom (part of 1970-ish Grand Union china sets that were sold I think one item type deal per week??). Lots of childhood memories. We use it for a salad bowl, with ālidā for leftovers in fridge. Itās actually a microwave splatter cover, also from mom. Itās perforated but seems to work fine for keeping salad for a day. I usually place the salad tongs on top of lid in fridge. I store the stack (bowl, lid, tongs) together. The Food Bowl cover would probably would probably keep the salad fresh longer.
Can vegetable trimmings go into the yard waste bin?
@Colorado_mom the pandemic with the initial shortage of paper towels prompted us to switch to cloth napkins. We used to use paper napkins but at some point had switched to paper towels. Depending on the meal, sometimes the paper towels were barely used and it seems so wasteful. There were five of us suddenly home again when things first shut down so I ended up buying a set of multi-colored napkins (six colors, set of 12). I assigned each of us a color, that way we could reuse them and know whose was whose. I would just have them leave them on their seats for the next meal. It was eye opening when I noticed how long a roll of paper towels lasted once we stopped using for dinner every night. We still use paper towels for messy finger food meals like smoked ribs. The napkins I bought are kinda ugly colors - I only use them for our family. I have another set of nicer ones I use if someone joins us for dinner (and much nicer ones for holidays/company).
I think the key to cloth napkins is finding soft, not stiff ones! And even having different sizes/weights for different meals. I have a cloth napkin drawer and I chose some smaller vintage ones for quick meals like breakfast and then larger soft but thicker ones for like a spaghetti dinner. Over time they also get softer.
I am someone who with paper napkins one is never enough so it really felt wasteful
I have no problem at all using Full Circle for paper products - napkins, paper towels, and toilet paper. I figure itās a terrific second life for paper.
We never throw our napkins or paper towels away until they are fully used. We keep āsemiā used ones around for dirtier cleanup - which can happen often with critters, etc.
All used napkins and paper towels go outside either into the garden or a pit in the ground to decompose.
Iāve started to realize that packaging has become a minor but regular part of my purchase decisions.
I still pay a lot of attention to flavor and nutrition value (for foods) and function and price. But certainly items with less packaging waste (or at least recyclable material) do have appeal . Now that Iām retired with more time, I enjoy stopping at the local bulk supply storeā¦. and there sometimes I save money too.
We use Who Gives A Crap toilet paper and paper towels and tissues. Itās a B-corp with a mission to build toilets in underserved developing countries. Itās a subscription so that is nice, too.
For napkins weāve used cloth napkins for decades. I recently bought some more on Amazon. Our two nice kitchen stores closed within the past 5-10 yrs or so. I used to get nice ones there, but alas.
For those doing curbside compost, make sure to leave out any plastic, rubber bands, twist ties, product stickers etc. This post if from City of Boulder, but same principals would hold elsewhere (especially if animals eat composted items)
https://bouldercolorado.gov/news/compost-right-know-you-throw
For several years now, Iāve been using silicone stretch lids for food storage. I love the tiniest one; I can stretch it over the end of a cut lemon or other small whole food item, and there is one perfectly sized to fit the top of a soup or soda can. They seem to last forever.
In the kitchen, I just use a fresh towel and dishcloth every day for cleanup, no paper towels. We use cloth napkins at the table and E-cloth for mirrors/windows. I canāt remember the last time I bought paper towels, though DH does buy those sturdy rolls of blue shop cloth for his work area.
So they stretch pretty easily and stay pretty well??? And maintain their shape and usability after being run through the dishwasher?
They stretch and stay perfectly, exactly as advertised. Iāve never put them in the dishwasher, too floppy and too easy to clean with a quick rinse or spot of Dawn.
Hmmā¦ dishwasher safe was part of the appeal to me (especially if they got yukky from bowl contents. But I can see how theyād get tossed around to much.
I have been using these little bowls ALL the time, for many years (well probably almost two decades nowā¦ remember the Pampered Chef party craze?) I put the bowl and lid in dishwasher. Iāve never put my lids in microwave or oven (and possibly that is wise for my vintage of lids)
Example uses:
I also have old pyrex custard cups, but I use these more due to the lid.
Thatās when the third rack in my Miele comes in handy (Bosch and others now also offer D/W with such silverware racks). Or put them in a large mesh basket for washing lids and small objects in D/W.
It looks like some people in this thread have used the laundry detergent āsheetsā rather than liquid or powder. What are peopleās experiences? I love the idea of switching, not only because of the packaging waste savings but the space. Iām skeptical thoughā¦I have 4 boys 10-19 and their laundry can get pretty disgusting. Also I have a high-capacity front-loading washer. Would the laundry detergent sheets work for us? What brand do people prefer?
I started using laundry detergent sheets last year. The first brand I purchased was Earth Breeze and it worked well. My H pointed out that these sheets were made in China and this factor might not make these sheets as environmentally friendly as sheets made in the US. I looked and found a brand made in the USāMolly Suds. Iām happy with this brand. It works well and I really like not lugging huge plastic bottles of detergent and taking them to recycle. Iām a laundry nerd and always pre-treat clothes for stains (Spray and Wash or Carbona Stain Devils).
We have a front loading HE Speed Queen washing machine and I just put the sheets (you tear them up) in the same compartment where youād put liquid detergent.
We have Earth Breeze sheets and they work well in soft water, but not so well in hard water, or so it seems to me. I use them traveling and for things like towels at home, but had to switch back to All Free to get many of our clothes clean at home.
I prefer not using plastic bottles, but I also prefer clean clothes, so have had to modify rather than switching completely.
I have purchased EcosNext laundry sheets (made in CA) at the local bulk store, hyperallergenic/unscented. I think they are OK, but my husband feels his clothes not clean enough. Perhaps I should use more sheets, but that gets pricey. Sometimes I use for a load of just my own clothes. The sheets are indeed a handy choice if you will be using a laundrymat during travel.
Our normal detergent is All/free&clear pods. When buying jumbo container there is a big plastic container, but you get a lot of loads out of it. Sometimes I will buy other unscented pod in a smaller pouch package.
I think itās fair to say that we all can/do justify why we do/donāt do a particular recycle/reuse/compost strategy.
Maybe we use the jugs of laundry soap but dry our clothes on an outdoor line.
Or we use that jug but do oodles of other earth friendly habits in our homes so laundry soap jugs is not where we hang our hat.
Do what you do. Recognize what you donāt and if you could improve or if itās not the right choice for your household. Not a contest!
Totally agreeāfinding the most environmentally friendly option isnāt always as easy as it sounds. There are tradeoffs. I think folks need to do what works for best for them.
