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Sure enough, lockdown presented us with a lot of changes and difficulties across all areas of life. These are strange times we have never experienced before. The lockdown really provided the chance to put things into perspective.
There were and still is a quite a few things that became harder to sustain and maintain. Shopping for food and basic needs became harder, initially with shortages, supermarket deliveries turned up with mountains of plastic bags or not getting the right items. Things that broke down could not be replaced or fixed.
While there are arguably bigger things to be worrying about right now, you don’t have to stop caring about what matters to you. So it’s also a possibility to make changes for the better. Focusing on a few areas you can meet the challenges.
Avoid stockpiling
Panic buying and stock piling has become a real problem not just because vulnerable people couldn’t get the items they needed but lots of these items (food, medication etc.) expired and thrown away. Whilst it’s good to have a pantry with all what we need, it’s really important not to overbuy and over consume.
Food waste
Food waste in my view was the easiest to tackle, especially that there are no more impulse purchases whilst strolling in the supermarket. I have now, like many people, “forced” to reduce my supermarket shopping: I can only order once a week. This means I have to meal plan better, making sure I use up everything I have. This, combined with a fortnightly fruit and veg box delivery works for us. I’m getting better at batch cooking too. Since we eat almost every meal at home, I can make sure that everything gets used up and we throw away a lot less.
Utilise your garden
If you are lucky enough to have a garden and a little spare time, producing vegetables is great way to tackle food waste, plastic consumption and it could even be helpful to educate the children. It’s very hard to buy fruit and vegetables in the supermarkets without plastic packaging, but it comes without it from your own garden and it’s cheaper too. Having a garden is also an opportunity to do something with your food waste: start composting!
Find alternative ways to shop
Find online shops that can offer a variety of products like Tecorra, so you can order most things you need from the same place with the same order. In their shop you find plastic-free products such as bamboo toothbrushes, soap bars, loofahs, deodorants. Everything you need for the kitchen, bathroom, household, pets and even personal care and gifts.
Their products are often cheaper than on other websites, because profits are at a bare minimum to cover the running costs. Each product is checked to be made sustainably and to not contain palm oil or other harmful ingredients. The workers are paid living wages. Furthermore, Tecorra is using profits to create more of their own brand products, which in turn would be cheaper for the customer.
Upcycle, recycle, DYI
Since the lockdown has started I was trying to find ways to make the most of what I have already got. While you review your things at home during decluttering, also rethink what could have another role or be reused instead of given away. I have managed to make a few new planters out of old baskets and wooden cases by paining them. We could take this chance and try not to buy items we don’t really need. Like clothes for every new season. This might be the time to embrace minimalist and simple life.
