Buy in Bulk to Reduce Packaging Waste
The Lesson of Kitty Litter
BUY IN BULK. I’ve seen that suggestion so many times in lists of how to live a green lifestyle. I just didn’t “get it” until recently. I tried (unsuccessfully) to imagine how buying large packages at the big box stores would reduce packaging waste. The only waste reduction I could think of is fewer lids to throw away. The problem isn’t that the suggestion is faulty; I had to adjust my thinking.
Here’s how the suggestion ought to be phrased:
Buy Products Using Refillable Containers
Now THAT is something I can understand.
Six years ago we adopted a kitten. Our local animal shelter is very protective of its charges, and instructs adoptive families to keep pink-nosed kitties indoors lest they develop skin cancer. So we promised to do so, not fully understanding that our kitten would grow into a cat who had no intention of being housebound. But during her period of incarceration, we tried several brands of kitty litter. We settled on the Petco brand because it works, smell-wise. The stores have big tubs of kitty litter and funnels, so if you bring in your container you can fill it up for a discount. I don’t know the relative “green” merits of different brands of kitty litter, but Petco’s bin makes sense from a reduced packaging waste perspective.
Recently I wanted to get some nuts and discovered that they’re cheapest at the local health food store (go figure!). They’re in bins; just scoop ’em into the provided bags. OR, as the sign suggests, bring in your own containers (which the store will weigh while still empty). They sell nuts, flour, rice, oatmeal, cereal, dried fruits, pancake mix, cookies…all sorts of things that one would ordinarily purchase in a disposable package.
Ah ha! Now I understand the exhortation of “BUY IN BULK”. It just took some kitty litter and nuts to figure it out.