Buy Less, Choose Well, Make It Last
Vivienne Westwood
The One Where We went to the Office
As states (and countries, for all my foreign readers) start opening up, some people are headed back to offices or whatever their new places of work are. My current commute is still from my bed to my home office, and yet somehow, I still run late sometimes. As commutes become longer, like to a building that we do not live in, we have to start packing our lunches, as opposed to that all day grazing that has become an increasingly bad habit. I want to help make the transition to the new normal, as easy and sustainable as possible, by showing everyone some brands that help make packing your leftovers for lunch more waste free. Bring your own cup to get coffee from your local coffee shops, eat your Chipotle with a reusable fork, and put your snacks in reusable bags.
***Disclaimer: All opinions and research are my own. Do with it what you may, but may I remind you, I am an Accountant, not an Environmental Scientist or an English Professor. ***
It’s not about Deprivation or doing Without, it’s about Better Choices
Rachelle Strauss
Think back to your average lunch at work. Did you pack your own lunch or get food nearby? Did you grab their plastic utensils or bring your own with you? Did you use a straw? Did you get a cup there or did you bring your reusable tumbler? Did your food come in a plastic or paper bag? Was the food container compostable? Depending on how you answered these questions, you might be disappointed when you realize how many single use plastics you are going through. As the Simple Swap series continues, here are some ways to make your back to work lunches more organized, less squishy, and a little more eco-friendly. Who thought it was a good idea to put strawberries in bags? Let alone plastic ones.
Reusable Tumbler: I prefer tumblers because they are great for hot and cold beverages and they have a lid so they are laptop safe. They keep ice frozen for hours, and your hot drinks hotter than you would like for far too long. Not-A-Trace has reusable tumblers (in 30oz, 20oz, 17oz and 12oz which happens to be the PERFECT size for a cocktail or a college pour of your favorite wine), loose leaf tea infusers, reusable straws, bags, and a variety of other items. Save a turtle, buy a tumbler. See above for picture.
Cutlery: This one really gets to me. While I am a believer that my vegetarian Chipotle bowl really does taste better with their forks, I know that the single use plastic cutlery isn’t worth it. If you don’t want to spend any money, simply bring a piece of your current cutlery from home. Goodwill is also a great place to get cheap silverware. If you want something more cohesive, Eco After has sets made of stainless steel or bamboo. They both come with a fork, knife, spoon, straw and cleaner, and chopsticks. So bring a set to your office to keep in your desk, and say no to plastic silverware if you get food to go.
Ziplock Bags: I still remember the horrors of trying to get my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches into plastic bags without squishing them. Thinking back to how many plastic bags I used, and realizing that ALL of them are somewhere in a landfill or ocean or somewhere else, is terrifying. Stasher makes reusable silicone bags that are dishwasher, oven, freezer, and microwave safe. They seal extremely tight and have enough structure so that they don’t squish your food. With a variety of sizes, they can replace pretty much any single use, plastic bag. Ecoafter also had a few other options including ones that look like mason jars!,
Lunch Containers: Skip the plastic bags and containers and opt for something a bit sturdier. When I pull out my reusable lunch container, even if my life is in shambles, I feel like I have everything under control. There are many different brands, such as PlanetBox or ECOlunchbox, but honestly, my favorite place to shop for them is at Marshall’s because they have so many different shapes and sizes. I prefer to get the glass, airtight ones because they are great for soups, curries, and pretty much any other food that you would not want to have spilling all over your lunchbox.
On the topic of lunch boxes, many of my coworkers buy lunch from local restaurants or food trucks (yay supporting local, small businesses!) but that creates more waste, and often times, the food you are consuming has come from miles away (see my Farmer’s Market post). Help reduce your carbon footprint and meal prep! Pop over to the Savory Lunches section for great recipes that will make your meal prep easy!
I also wanted to take time at the end of each post to feature some sustenance. This week’s featured recipe is Apple Clafoutis. This recipe is PERFECT and easy. Just some notes:
– I used chopped Honey Crisp apples
– Try it with different fruits. I replaced two tables spoons of maple syrup with mascarpone cheese and replaced the apples with halved and pitted cherries.
– if you aren’t using a mixer, or a sifter that you can use with one hand, you may need some help sifting and stirring at the same time.
As you all head back to work, stay safe and sustainable, and, as always, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for future posts, drop me an email at hello@sustenance-and-sustainability.
Sustenance and Sustainability 