Packaging


Welcome to Packaging - one of our "Food Issues" info pages (see menu to the right for other topics).

These Food Issues pages are designed to give you a little food for thought about some of the issues involved with sustainable eating.

Think of these pages as a taster for each issue: just some brief info to introduce the concept and whet your appetite. After sampling each issue, you may like to move onto the next "taster" or sink your teeth into some more substantial fare by using the links on each page. _________________________________________________________
In our disposable world, almost everything has packaging.

And it's far from inherently "bad".
In fact Mother Nature herself is something of a packaging genius!
Think of the eggshell... the banana skin... the seedpod...

What great examples of everything great packaging should be:
  • unique, recognisable and designed especially for the contents
  • beautiful, eye-catching and colour coordinated
  • functional for freshness and portion control
  • tough and protective
  • biodegradable
But the quantity and type of packaging can make a huge difference to the item's sustainability. So in the quest for sustainable food, it is worth considering the packaging as a part of the whole picture.

In general, we reckon less is more.

Here are a few creative ideas for sustainable packaging options here in Perth:

Buy in bulk
There is something wonderful about a 4 litre tin of olive oil or a 5kg bag of arborio. It's so much nicer dipping into an abundant barrel of grains, nuts, seeds or spices among amazing smells and colours, than buying an overpriced dinky package with the supermarket herd.
For dry goods, bulk-buying is more sustainable, far cheaper and you run out less often.

If you store food properly in sealed containers you can buy a year's worth in one trip and take up a new hobby in the time you used to spend food shopping! If you live in a small household or don't cook often enough to get through bulk quantities, consider teaming up with some friends and splitting a bulk purchase between you.

Here are some great places for bulk buying in Perth:
  • The RE Store: (72 Lake St, Northbridge or Oxford St, Leederville) Beautiful Italian-inspired gourmet stores with plenty of bulk buys and wholefoods.
  • The Angry Almond: (Station Street Markets - 52 Station Street, Subiaco) - open: 9am-5.30pm Fri-Sun, Mon and public holidays - A wholefood store which carries a large range of bulk items. Also home delivery.
  • Kakulas Sisters (29-31 Market street, Fremantle and Balga Shopping Centre) - Carries a great range of bulk wholefoods, and international foods. Open 7 days.
  • Kakulas Bros. (14 William Street, Northbridge) Large range of bulk wholefoods.
  • Organic wholefood stores are listed on our organics page.
  • Asian stores are great for unusual and authentic treats. Try Brisbane St or Lake St, Northbridge.
  • European Foods (93–101 Aberdeen Street, Northbridge) A wholesaler offering an amazing wonderland of gourmet bulk produce. There are minimum quantities to purchase so it may not be appropriate for everyone - but definitely worth a visit for your annual shop or a big party. You will be asked for an organisation name at the checkout.
  • Planet Ark is great for cleaning products and eco-goodies.

Home Delivery
Home delivery is not only more sustainable in terms of petrol and so much easier and less time consuming, it is actually a great packaging option too. No plastic bags - just reusable boxes delivered to your door.

Choose better packaging

  • Remember less is more. Deliberately choose the brand with the least packaging and boycott companies with excessive amounts or multiple layers.
  • Ditch "individually wrapped" items. Extra freshness claims are pretty marginal and you're just paying more for extra packaging and less product.
  • Buy larger quantities at a time. One 500g jar is better than two 250g jars.
  • Choose recycled packaging materials.
  • Choose recyclable packaging materials. This may depend on your local council. Only buy stuff yours will recycle for you.
  • Choose eco-packaging. We love stuff made from recycled paper, cornstarch, bamboo or hemp.
  • With conventional packaging, sustainability is tricky and hard to be absolute about. There are many factors which make a material sustainable including if it's renewable, where it comes from and how many pollutants and resoures are involved in its production. In general we choose paper, then glass and metal, then plastics but it's not clear cut.
  • Ditch disposable: instead, go for long-life stuff you can re-use. If you want lightweight, easy and unbreakable, go with melamine or biodegradable bamboo.
  • Take your own bags and boxes shopping or ask for an empty fruit box. We love onya bags which fold up tiny when not in use but open out big when needed. Trolleybags and recycled eskys are also very cool.

Zero Waste WA has a Shopping Guide to help reduce packaging.

Recycling Near You is a great resource for finding out what to do with that unwanted stuff.

posted by Greens WA @