Coffee Spot

Every week I am amazed with the amount of rubbish two people can accumulate. In my household we recycle and separate out our plastics, paper/cardboard and the non recyclables items.

In Spain recycling and rubbish bins are a little different, they’re communal and therefore are situated in the main street. Yes in the street, no cushy recycling bins, parked outside my back door. I like this idea, it makes you get off your ar$e err I mean butt and get some exercise. See, a win win situation I am helping Mother Nature and she helping me get fit.

I love to recycle and for me it starts at the Supermarket no plastic bags, OK, maybe one or two for the non recyclable waste. Yes that’s naughty but I am working on it.
OK, where were we, ah that’s right shopping, food shopping can be a little frustrating in my neck of the woods because there is one shop I go to that unfortunately loves to wrap everything in plastic and Styrofoam. When I say everything I mean everything for instance:

1. Apples & Pears are pre-packed on a Styrofoam tray and wrapped in plastic. How pretty NOT!
2. Bananas in a plastic wrapper.
3. Oranges, Potatoes, Onions and Garlic in plastic net bags.
4. Kiwi Fruit & Lemons in plastic containers and plastic wrapped.
5. All meats are pre-packed on Styrofoam and plastic wrapped.

I could go on but I presume you get the gist, it’s a recycling nightmare. So for me food shopping is a half day event, going to three Supermarkets buying what I need, being frugal and environmentally aware. Phew it’s hard work but it’s worth the frustration, don’t you think?

The best part about food shopping is finishing the shop, and leaving the store knowing your groceries are packed in calico bags or in fold out crates. Fold out crates are fantastic they’re lightweight, compact and they take up a small amount of space in the boot. It still amazes me how one crate can carry so much and the bottom doesn’t fall out.

So the next time you plan to go shopping invest your money and buy a few calico bags and fold out crates. You will be surprised once you start using them they will become indispensable.

Tip: The crates are great for storing camera gear on a trip, packing for a picnic and buying plants from the nursery.

To clean the bags just bung them in the wash or just wipe out the crates and there u have it, as good as new. Ahhh, and once the groceries are packed away you can sit back and have a coffee and feel good about your recycling efforts.