Dry Kitchen Trash
I know. I am three months behind in my “A Cleaner Slate” project. I was stuck, to be honest, and frustrated about how things are coming along with this whole zero waste thing. But some people and the zero waste community encouraged and inspired me again to just keep moving forward.
I may not be doing it perfectly but progressing slowly anyway.
So let’s talk about your dry kitchen trash. What are they, anyway? We’re talking about anything outside food scraps that isn’t plastic (coz by this time that should have been limited already). There will be an entirely different topic on that. Here are some examples of our dry kitchen trash:
1. Paper Bags
2. Tissue Paper
3. Empty Tetra Packs
4. Cardboard Boxes
We’ll be focusing on these four because based on my trash audit these were some of my issues.
Paper Bags:
There are some establishments that now pack your purchases in paper bags. Most of them do so I would often find paper bags everywhere from trips where I failed to bring a reusable bag or didn't have enough.
Option 1:
Last year, I saved them and used them to wrap birthday and Christmas gifts. :) You can make it plain or ask your kids to draw on it to make it more festive.
I also use it as packaging for my business. There are many other ways to reuse these paper bags. Pinterest will give you a bunch! But if you’re really stuck then we have....
Option 2:
Send them to Silent Beads. They turn your brown paper bags to beads, seed paper and other crafts that grow into plants after. That’s hitting two birds with one stone - reduce your trash at home and plant a tree in the future! Talk about an eco friendly idea!
2. Tissue Paper
I honestly don't have any upcycling solution for you for used tissue paper. It can be recycled but since it has a lower fiber content, it is very difficult to recycle and doesn't produce as much as your regular paper. The solution is to just really limit your use of tissue paper by using reusable ones.
I made some kitchen wipes at home so I can avoid using tissue paper to wipe the counter tops and other stuff in the kitchen.
It's easy. Just mix one cup of warm water with 1 ounce of castile soap in a jar and put your small rags in it.
3. Empty Tetra Packs
Most people think that these suckers are easy to recycle. They are not because of the material that make up the lining. It's PLASTIC.
There are only a handful of recycling facilities in the US who accepts and recycles these because most don't have the technology to separate the paper part from the lining.
First thing to do is really to just refuse. There are so many other options out there. Juicing or blending is one. For milk and yogurt you can always go to Pinkie's Farm. Their products come in a glass bottle that they reuse. I can't decide which is better - their amazing MANGO MILK or the fact that they use glass bottles and deliver to your home!!!
Back to these tetra packs. I do have some at home. My son really loves the broccoli Tipco juice. I use the empty ones as soap molds. I can use it up to 5 to 10 times as molds. Then, I soak it in water to try to separate the lining which goes to an ecobrick.
You do have one last option and that is to bring it to participating Coffee Bean and Tea Lead branches. You can go to Tetra Pak Philippines on FB to learn more about their Flip, Flap, Flatten initiative.
4. Cardboard Boxes
On rare occasions when I forget my reusable grocery bags, I request for cardboard boxes. (Thank you, ALL HOME, for having this as an option)
This is an easy one. You can turn cardboard boxes into gift boxes, storage boxes or in my case, I used them in my Marie Kondo project. I wrapped them in shelf wrappers and organized my clothes with them. :)
As with almost anything, PINTEREST is your friend.
Have you run out of ideas? Comment and let us know. Maybe we can give you some ideas.
I may not be doing it perfectly but progressing slowly anyway.
So let’s talk about your dry kitchen trash. What are they, anyway? We’re talking about anything outside food scraps that isn’t plastic (coz by this time that should have been limited already). There will be an entirely different topic on that. Here are some examples of our dry kitchen trash:
1. Paper Bags
2. Tissue Paper
3. Empty Tetra Packs
4. Cardboard Boxes
We’ll be focusing on these four because based on my trash audit these were some of my issues.
Paper Bags:
There are some establishments that now pack your purchases in paper bags. Most of them do so I would often find paper bags everywhere from trips where I failed to bring a reusable bag or didn't have enough.
Option 1:
Last year, I saved them and used them to wrap birthday and Christmas gifts. :) You can make it plain or ask your kids to draw on it to make it more festive.
I also use it as packaging for my business. There are many other ways to reuse these paper bags. Pinterest will give you a bunch! But if you’re really stuck then we have....
Option 2:
Send them to Silent Beads. They turn your brown paper bags to beads, seed paper and other crafts that grow into plants after. That’s hitting two birds with one stone - reduce your trash at home and plant a tree in the future! Talk about an eco friendly idea!
2. Tissue Paper
I honestly don't have any upcycling solution for you for used tissue paper. It can be recycled but since it has a lower fiber content, it is very difficult to recycle and doesn't produce as much as your regular paper. The solution is to just really limit your use of tissue paper by using reusable ones.
I made some kitchen wipes at home so I can avoid using tissue paper to wipe the counter tops and other stuff in the kitchen.
It's easy. Just mix one cup of warm water with 1 ounce of castile soap in a jar and put your small rags in it.
3. Empty Tetra Packs
Most people think that these suckers are easy to recycle. They are not because of the material that make up the lining. It's PLASTIC.
There are only a handful of recycling facilities in the US who accepts and recycles these because most don't have the technology to separate the paper part from the lining.
First thing to do is really to just refuse. There are so many other options out there. Juicing or blending is one. For milk and yogurt you can always go to Pinkie's Farm. Their products come in a glass bottle that they reuse. I can't decide which is better - their amazing MANGO MILK or the fact that they use glass bottles and deliver to your home!!!
Back to these tetra packs. I do have some at home. My son really loves the broccoli Tipco juice. I use the empty ones as soap molds. I can use it up to 5 to 10 times as molds. Then, I soak it in water to try to separate the lining which goes to an ecobrick.
You do have one last option and that is to bring it to participating Coffee Bean and Tea Lead branches. You can go to Tetra Pak Philippines on FB to learn more about their Flip, Flap, Flatten initiative.
Here are their participating Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf branches:
- Eastwood Mall
- Greenhills Promenade
- 26th Street Bistro BGC
- Glorietta 2 Makati
- One Archers Place, Taft Avenue
4. Cardboard Boxes
On rare occasions when I forget my reusable grocery bags, I request for cardboard boxes. (Thank you, ALL HOME, for having this as an option)
This is an easy one. You can turn cardboard boxes into gift boxes, storage boxes or in my case, I used them in my Marie Kondo project. I wrapped them in shelf wrappers and organized my clothes with them. :)
As with almost anything, PINTEREST is your friend.
Have you run out of ideas? Comment and let us know. Maybe we can give you some ideas.
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