Zero Waste Grocery Coming Soon

We've gotten rid of some waste by using reusable cloth bags for most of our shopping.  This is a step in the right direction, but what's going on in Europe in cities like Berlin, Vienna and Barcelona will really reduce waste.  The shopper brings his own reusable glass jars or bags, and buys just what he needs.  For example, you are baking a cake and don't often use sugar except for baking.  You can bring a reusable bottle and buy just what you need, maybe one or two cups of sugar.  The same for honey, vinegar, oats and other cereal, rice, even milk.

Dispensers in the grocery store would be filled with these items, and you would buy just what you need.  In many cases, the milk and other dairy products would come from a local farm, in glass bottles, which shoppers could then bring back to the grocery store on their next visit.  The goal is to encourage shoppers to buy only what they need.  This would cut down on waste from unused food and unnecessary packaging.

The Fillery will open soon in Brooklyn and there's another zero waste grocery store set to open in Vancouver.  Just when you thought there was no room for more grocery stores, along comes the zero waste store.  This is something I had never thought of, but it makes perfect sense.  Americans waste more than 29% of the food they buy.  Granted, a lot of this is perishable food, but not all of it.  I thow things like oil and old spices out all the time.  If I'd bought just what I needed, much of this waste would be reduced.

Will it be more difficult for the consumer?  Absolutely, but just as bringing one's own bags to the market became a habit, so will bringing one's own containers to buy just what you need.  It will take years to convert people to thinking this way, but those that are concerned about the mounds of garbage we produce, will make the change.  Think of the packaging on cereal, rice, crackers and cookies.  The packaging is recyclable, but wouldn't it be better if you didn't need the package in the first place?  Many markets have already incorporated bins, which allow you to buy only what you need, and save the packaging, except for the bag.  Great idea, as it saves money, creates less waste, and allows you to buy just what you need.  The zero waste grocery store is the logical extension of this, and I look forward to seeing one in our neighborhood soon.