We consider ourselves to be pretty eco-friendly in the IQS office. We use recycled paper, mostly ride or walk to work and even have a worm farm for our scraps.
So, when given the challenge to go packaging-free for two weeks, many of us jumped at the opportunity! How hard could it be?
The rules.
We focused on single-use packaging. That’s anything plastic, paper, glass, tin, wood or styrofoam you use once and throw away. The only exception was personal care and hygiene essentials.
Getting motivated.
To get in the spirit, we read up on some sustainability stats. For example, every piece of plastic made still exists today – and will probably outlive you, your children and your grandchildren.
“I feel like I am pretty conscious of my foot print, so this won’t be too difficult,” said our customer service team lead Becky. Famous last words!
The struggle is real.
In the beginning, it seemed like we’d just have to make a few simple swaps. Continental cucumbers instead of Lebanese, for example (why are those ones always shrink-wrapped?).
“Someone pointed out that tea bags are packaging. So we have to use loose leaf,” noted our marketing executive Alyssa.
But the obstacles soon piled up as we realised you couldn’t get meat, milk or eggs (and, even worse, chocolate!) without some kind of packaging.
Eating out is out.
Even though some places were happy to put food in Tupperware, our officer manager Maddy actually pulled out of the challenge after a particularly frustrating dinner.
“I asked if they could put my chips on the plate with my main rather than in a little cardboard cup. The manager said he’d try his best but they had a process they like to stick to. Of course, the chips still came out in the cup, because the plate would have been too difficult!”
Shopping local.
Local suppliers were our lifesavers. Over the two weeks, we found lovely places that wrapped meat in paper instead of plastic, sold chocolate by the scoopful and even had milk on tap.
“I will be living at the bulk food store for the duration of this challenge,” said recipe development assistant Olivia, who also made her own almond milk and yoghurt from scratch for the challenge. Impressed!
Planning ahead.
A little forward planning made the challenge much easier as we headed into the final few days.
“I now have a mental list of eco-friendly shops and I take Tupperware and cutlery with me everywhere, just in case,” said Camilla, our senior writer and editor.
Final reflections.
At the end of the experiment, we all had little piles of packaging that we couldn’t avoid. But even if it wasn’t perfect, the challenge seriously made us reconsider the way we shop.
“It’s impossible to exit a supermarket with no packaged items. After this challenge, my weekly visit to my local markets has moved up in my priority list!” says Becky.
Alyssa agrees: “It’s also made me ask questions about packaging – is it necessary? If yes, then what is it made out of? Has it been made sustainably? Is it biodegradable?”
“Going packaging-free makes you feel like you’re making a difference. As a bonus, your fridge, pantry and rubbish bin are much more organised!” says Olivia.
It has also reaffirmed why we swear off the worst offenders, including plastic straws, plastic bags, takeaway coffee cups, paper napkins, and, of course, shrink-wrapped Lebanese cucumbers!
Could you quit all packaging for two weeks? Let us know how your own experiments go!
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