They have any spice you could ask for, cacao nibs and goji berries, carrot cakes and fudge, organic yogurt and hummus, salads, cheeses, even wine! And it all comes without wasteful packaging. You bring your containers of choice from home and the friendly people at Unpackaged fill them up with delectable treats, all without the eco-guilt. I am so jealous of the Londoners who get to make this place their everyday food shop.Since I’m not lucky enough to have such a dream store in my city, I think I need to take on the challenge proposed by Bea of The Zero Waste Home (shared with us by Myriah): refuse! How many times have I kept my mouth shut when the cashier at Rite Aid automatically puts my single nail file and mini box of cold medicine in a cavernous plastic bag? Somehow I feel like I’m going to offend them if I say no thanks to the bag after they’ve already taken it off the rack and fluffed it out. And part of me is afraid they’ll think I’m a judgmental eco-snob by refusing to take a bag.
Huh? Writing this now, I realize how crazy this is! Why is it so hard to say no to this stuff? I haven’t even gotten to the point where I’m passing up wine at a party because the host is serving it in disposable cups (the Zero Waste lady does this!). But I like this added wrinkle to the problem of consumption. I think it will help me think harder about what I actually need, as well as what I genuinely want. If avoiding waste means planning ahead, it also means less immediate gratification. I don’t think our culture could hurt to tamp that down a little. What if one day, after sidling up to a café table, the server asks, “What would you like to drink?” and the next question isn’t about appetizers, but rather, “Where’s your cup?”
