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If the practicality of buying all our packaged food It leaves us with a mountain of waste that grows every day, so what’s practical becomes inconvenient. Is the time we promise to save by buying everything ready to eat really worth it?
Created in the 1930s and popularized in the 1950s, the use of plastic film or “cling film” to wrap food became indispensable in kitchens around the world due to its practicality, especially when storing snacks or (misnamed) leftovers. This invention marked a huge shift in our shopping habits; the introduction of packaged and frozen foods, pre-sliced bread in bags, and peeled, cut, and packaged fruits and vegetables became part of our daily consumption, leaving behind historically more sustainable traditions.
In exchange for our convenience, we are compromising the environment and harming our health. Plastic film is practically impossible to recycle because it contains very thin layers that are extremely difficult to separate. If it decomposes, it increases the amount of microplastics, threatening the health of marine ecosystems. If it is incinerated or accumulates in a landfill, it releases dioxins, toxic compounds that, according to the WHO, “end up in the food chain, entering some soils, sediments, and foods, especially dairy products, meats, fish, and seafood.”
We just need to look back and learn from the generations that used to reuse everything: lunches were transported in metal containers (lunch boxes), glass bottles for milk or drinks were returnable (like the ones some restaurants use now), wicker baskets or carts were used for going shopping, fruit, vegetables, eggs, meat and fish were wrapped in brown paper and cloth bags were brought from home to buy bread or bulk products.
The speed with which we adapted to the introduction of plastic into our daily lives hasn’t given us time to consider its long-term effects. The seriousness of the environmental situation is what leads us to reflect on when what’s practical becomes inconvenient and what measures we can take regarding our consumption habits.
Although there is a privilege in accessing certain products and the ways to obtain them, and despite the fact that not all of us can have the freedom to choose all the time, it is in our hands to go for the “uncomfortable” option as a way to rebel against the mass consumption system.
A visit to the neighborhood market where you can buy bulk food from small stores without packaging, bake bread at home, prepare a family meal… choosing the long way will give us the satisfaction of having dedicated a moment to be more aware of planet-friendly alternatives, and enjoying that time will help us adopt these habits.
We have to be able to find satisfaction in every action and be aware that the extra time we dedicate is worth it.
An excellent option for reducing the use of plastic wrap is indeed the use of reusable containers, bags, and beeswax wraps. Go back to the materials we used before, reuse glass jars to store food in the pantry, or carry a bag with us so we can say no to plastic bags for any last-minute purchases.
When it comes to food preservation, we can look to the eco-friendly alternatives used in ancient times, such as cloth bread bags or beeswax wraps to keep fruits and vegetables fresher longer. With this compostable option, we can easily wrap food without harming our health or that of the planet.
Do you put any of these actions into practice? Share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comments!
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