Plastic has been a part of our lives for decades and you might not think about how much is in your home. We get it, it’s only since joining the Sharing Shed Melbourne crew that we’ve started noticing how much disposable plastic is around. Sometimes we can see a lot of unnecessary packaging, yet, in some cases, it’s performed an important role, like keeping food fresh. It’s not practical to abandon plastic overnight. But it’s time to start making changes. When trying to remove plastic from our lives, sometimes we need to find new creative solutions. Here are some tips and inspiration from our team.
You will soon be able to borrow a range of gardening gear from Sharing Shed Melbourne to get underway with your veggie patch. Shovels, rakes and hoes, plus mulchers, leaf blowers and hedgetrimmers, will all help you reuse and repurpose your useful green ‘waste’ and get that garden bed in shape.
Lacking space? Every little bit helps. Try growing herbs in pots, or sharing your vegie scraps with other food growers via the Sharewaste app – you might find they’re happy to share their produce with you!
Check out seed libraries in your local area. A great choice for growing what works locally, from seeds contributed by fellow community members.
Nothing beats a fresh harvest. But you can also soon borrow a dehydrator to store up your harvest in your own jars and containers. It all sure beats accumulating plastic-wrapped produce from the supermarket.
It really is possible to reduce your plastic use, addressing one area at a time. Look for where you can borrow the things you need, so one item gets multiple uses. Or replace that plastic with sustainable materials that suit the same purpose. Have fun and get creative with your friends and family to make the move to being plastic-free this July.