We can't wait to use our new barbeque grill! Shrimp or burgers? Maybe both! Plus grilled asparagus. Yum! Did I mention in my last article that it's a tabletop model that folds up so it's only 18 inches by 11 inches by 9 inches? Perfect for van life. But we've had a delay in using it because I forgot to order the four-foot adapter hose. It's set up for a small propane tank and we have a 20 lb propane tank. Saves multiple trips to refill you know. Anyway, this was entirely my fault but it's all fixed now. All this barbeque anticipation had me thinking about how to reduce or eliminate waste from the equation. No paper products if I can help it. Cloth napkins, cloth towels and cleaning rags, regular plates and utensils. And I have these awesome acrylic wine glasses. Super sturdy and washable. Way nicer than a red solo cup. There isn't much any of us can do about food packaging. Or is there? We get our shrimp and meat at the butcher's counter. It's not zero waste since it's wrapped in paper but at least the paper is recyclable. Better than plastic-wrapped styrofoam. We shop at the Farmers Market before the chain store. Local producers use less packaging, less fuel and it's fresher too. Of course, we use our reusable produce bags so we don't have to use their packaging. It works for the Farmers Market bread too! As a side note, we reuse our egg cartons at the Farmers Market so we aren't throwing them away all the time. And we get wonderful pasture-raised eggs there. I haven't figured out how to eliminate the glass wine and beer bottles. They get recycled. So, it all comes down to very small, mindful, choices that lead to small, mindful, changes. Which when combined with make a bigger impact. If each of us thinks through our small daily decisions they will eventually add up. I'm not bragging (well, maybe a little) but since I started thinking this way our recycling goes out maybe twice a month and the waste bin once a month. The most astonishing thing? It's not even full! And we did it by making small, mindful choices and changes. You can too.
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