Plastic bags! I do not use them.

[johnhcrf]

When you take control of your waste, to reduce the landfill impact, it quickly becomes obvious that most of the remaining waste is plastic bags of all sizes. There are the very big ones for carrying big boxes, the standard size used at your superstore, a slightly smaller bag for traders, bread bags, smaller individual meat/fish portion bag, even smaller sweet bags. Believe me, when you stop using plastic bags a whole mountain of waste is removed!
The last time I used one , before decimalisation? no, about 1 month ago. Never again, unless environmentally safe, will I use these bags. The standard plastic bag was discontinued by myself, several month ago. That is why a 1 year bin bag is attainable.

[johnhcrf]

There is a tendency to lose your resolve when other "plastic bag lovers" rail on about their convenience. Remember the next landfill site could be in your area. Far better to reduce the landfill impact , eventually to zero.
Then we can reclaim our beautiful countryside, thinking "landfill never again!"

[johnhcrf]

There is obviously a counter argument and I would like to hear these responses. It is difficult to make the change but having done so, I see the benefits. At one time I struggled to ditch them because they are pushed on the consumer everywhere he/she shops. But taking control, you can say "no plastic bags please". That is a good ice-breaker and you'll probably find that most staff appreciate the effort for the environment. Take charge of your waste, leave unnecessary waste behind!

[MKG]

I do, and have for a long time, refused to pack supermarket shopping in plastic bags. Most of the bags we do use have been supplied by the same supermarkets (at a price, of course, but that's OK). Sometimes, though, the checkout people have no choice - they have been positively instructed to put fresh meat products into separate plastic bags, for instance. They do this because it's part of their job, and I'm not going to put them into an embarrassing situation by insisting they don't.

Where I do draw the line is allowing the local cub scouts to pack for me. I'd rather pay them to stay away. Cub scout packing has to be one of the primary causes of waste in this country - crushed produce at the bottom of bags with sacks of potatoes on top of them, upside-down dairy produce (and it ALWAYS leaks), cleaning products next to the pressed tongue (the only time they leak is when you pack them with pressed tongue).

I sometimes think I should start a Zero-Cub-Scout campaign.

[tim&fatima]

I sometimes think I should start a Zero-Cub-Scout campaign.

I totally agree.

[johnhcrf]

Fair enough, MKG. Buying meat/fish from superstores is difficult without plastic at present. I mainly use local traders butchers, fishmongers, bakers, fruiterers and bring my own containers for fish/meat. This is an awkward practice, but I have complete ZWP doing this and that justifies it totally. Try it yourselves.
As for scouts, minor issue.

[MKG]

Yes, I have to admit that I also use a local butcher. He's absolutely brilliant. He now knows what we want, he serves us with a smile and a chat about meat, and the only thing he can't tell us about the meat we're buying is the name of the animal. His sausages are beyond description, his beef is hung for 28 days by default, he tells us the name of the farms all of his produce comes from (and we did check in the early days), and he listens and takes action when, on the very few occasions we've had an issue, we've needed to say something (actually only one occasion when a trainee sliced sirloin steak too thinly at one end - but we all have to learn).

I wouldn't change him for the world. But guess what he does when we've finally decided and bought something? Straight into a placky bag. To be honest, after all he's done and continues to do to improve things, I feel it would be churlish to complain.

Basically, he gets 99 plus points and one minus point. He's OK by me.

EDIT: His reaction to our comment was to slice some more sirloin, which he gave to us free of charge with an apology. What a man!

[johnhcrf]

Make your butcher go that extra mile and bring your own container(s). It is a culture shock for the butcher staff but the customer is always right. I do it and have no packaging at all, complete ZWP. Keep bacon away from mince, chicken in a separate container. It is a hassle but I choose the package free way.

[Annpan]

Butchers can use greaseproof paper (like they used to) It can be burned or composted.

[MKG]

I think you miss the point. Having a butcher with the knowledge and conscience about meat which ours demonstrably has is a blessing. Most don't. Most will cheerfully sell you s**t and laugh all the way to the bank. For the sake of one plastic bag per transaction, I'm willing to take my ecological concerns elsewhere. That one man is doing more for the world I'd like to see than am I. I'm not going to complain.

[johnhcrf]

I use no packaging at all. It's good practice to avoid any material since plastic will always slip in undetected. The meat is weighed and then placed immediately in the plastic box. Initially the staff are disorientated but if you keep a friendly approach you both can laugh at it. You are saving them work by using the meat directly. All the meat is raw, apart from a steak pie whish is partly cooked. I do not purchase cooked meat or non-meat produce in the butchers.

[red]

we are in the same place MKG, good local butcher. we dont take his carrier bags.. I always bring one with me.. but he puts the mince in little flimsy bags.. and I am ok with that.. as it is such a huge improvement on the packaging that meat comes in in the supermarket and as you say once you have choosen a consciensious butcher who buys locally reared animals etc.. you have come a long way.

[MKG]

Let me put it another way. The chickens we get from our butcher taste wonderful (just like chicken used to taste ...end quote). He says that that is because they're reared slowly (i.e at a natural rate) and allowed to roam and feed freely. I believe him. So, one point for naturally raised chooks. His beef tastes wonderful, and he says that he buys well-raised stuff from local farms which was slaughtered in a thoughtful way ... and I believe him ... and he treats it thoughtfully after it's dead. Another point for naturally-raised cows. I can't speak for his pork, because I hate the stuff and wouldn't know what it really should taste like, but his lamb is stupendous (he agrees with me in saying that the "Spring Lamb" con is a waste of time). He doesn't do mutton, although he'd like to, because he says that very few people would buy it - and I believe him. I can get the cheaper stuff from him - breast of lamb, pork belly (the one bit of a pig which I do appreciate), offal which sits proud and stares at you rather than the sad, flaccid offerings from supermarkets, skirt of beef - most butchers would just shrug and tell you that they can't get hold of it, which tells me that they're buying pre-cut vacuum-packed rubbish rather than an animal which they butcher themselves ...

It goes on. I cannot, in all honesty, put this man down for using a plastic bag to deliver his product to me. I will cheerfully accept his plastic load on the environment and deal with it somehow myself because he has gone such a long way to deliver what I consider to be good, environmentally-sound, animal-conscious and delicious meat.

You know, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I really should be pushing him to go that extra yard. But I can't help feeling that if he just told me to p**s off and closed his business in sheer desperation, it would be my fault and the world would have lost another good one in the pursuit of pedantic happiness.

There has to be give and take. Leeway, please, for those who deserve it.

EDIT: Oh, I forgot to add - he charges only marginally more than our local branch of Morrisons for free-range eggs, organic meats, etc. He's welcome to it.

[johnhcrf]

Support you local butcher. He is a gem. But you are responsible for your waste. Take that responsibility, explain your reasons, as I have done, and I am sure he will respect your choice. I mention my local traders in my website and thank them every time for their patience. I refuse to compromise on this issue because the consumer can lead the changes required.

[MKG]

No you don't, John. I've just checked your site, and there's no mention anywhere of local traders.