Zero-Waste Grocery Stores
Canada’s first permanent zero-waste grocery store – Green grocery store on Salt Spring Island – opened in early 2016. Since then, zero-waste grocery stores have been opening up across the country, including pop-up stores such as Vancouver’s Zero Waste Market and Halifax’s Unpacked Halifax.
Earlier this summer, Ottawa opened its first zero-waste grocery store – Nu Grocery.
The goal of these zero-waste stores is to minimize waste by selling products without packaging – typically there are no plastic bags, plastic wrap, plastic containers or any type of unnecessary packaging.
Customers can bring their own reusable containers – or borrow or purchase them from the stores.
Zero-waste grocery stores are just one way to help reduce household waste. If there isn’t a zero-waste grocery store in your area, there are still things you can do – use the following tips to help reduce your household waste.
Shop in bulk when possible.
Avoid food waste by buying only the amount you will need and use.
Choose foods and products with the least amount of packaging.
Bring your own reusable shopping bags when shopping.
Be sure to recycle any recyclable products.
Find ways to reuse products. The following are just a few ideas.
- Reuse glass jars and plastic food containers to store dry foods that should be kept in airtight containers such as flours, pastas, rice, cereals, nuts and seeds.
- Reuse plastic food containers to store leftovers and to pack your own lunch.
- Save your milk bags and give them to a group that uses them to make sleeping mats and handbags to donate to developing countries.
- Reuse box containers and plastic liners and trays to organize and store small items such as nails and screws, or buttons and other sewing items.
- Reuse bread bags and sturdy plastic grocery bags for used kitty litter or bathroom garbage bags.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/nu-grocery-zero-waste-officially-opens-hintonburg-1.4254336
