Capetonian Sue McConnell shares her zero-waste journey.

Three months ago the Two Oceans Aquarium hosted a Zero Waste Home with Bea Johnson event, and I’m reflecting on the changes that I have made in my house since then.

I used to have one single big bin in my kitchen that I emptied into my outside wheelie bin twice a week. A few years back, I started using Recycle 1st to collect my recycling and this enabled me to reduce the volume of trash in my bin. But I was still emptying it twice a week and sometimes had to deal with maggots (argh)!

A composting bin solves a lot of waste problems

The most transformative change that I’ve made is that I’ve now got a Bokashi composting bin, into which I throw all my food-related kitchen waste (that the dog doesn’t eat). The Bokashi bin is great because it doesn’t smell, it doesn’t attract rats, and I can take it to the Oranjezicht City Farm (a lovely outing for me and my three-year-old), which swops out the full bin for an empty one.

I have started reading the labels on packaging that I do buy and I was horrified to learn that most of the products that I purchased from Woolworths were packaged in non-recyclable plastic.

Most of Woolworths' packaging helpfully indicates whether it can be easily recycled or not. A step in the right direction! 

Previously, I was ignorantly just throwing all the packaging into the recycling, assuming that it was recyclable. But most of it wasn’t. So another big change that I’ve made is that I’ve (almost) stopped shopping at Woolworths. I went there this week to buy a bulk pack of chicken schnitzels because they are so good and I haven’t found an alternative for them... Yet.

But I’ve found good alternatives for everything else:

• The Oranjezicht City Farm Market on a Saturday morning at the V&A Waterfront is amazing, and I can get all my fruit and vegetables for the week with no packaging. I don’t even take the paper bags anymore because, inspired by Bea, I made some fabric drawstring bags and I collect my smaller veggies in these bags, and they go directly into my fridge when I get home.

Drawstring bags inspired by Bea Johnson

• I now take my glass containers to Komati Foods in Observatory and ask them to fill them with what I need, directly from the warehouse. Then I return later in the day and collect my produce in my own containers! Fantastic! Anyone can now sign up to Komati’s zero-packaging service.
• I bought my meat from the butcher on Kloof Street and he happily cut it up for me and placed it neatly in my own glass container to take home. I found out later that I was the third person that day to take my own container to him.
• The SPAR down the road from me has yoghurt in glass containers, which I really like. Woolworths’ yoghurt has always been a reason to shop there.

The very green friend that I went to the Zero Waste Home evening with advised me to write a list of the products that I regularly buy and then to find a source for each of them that involves no packaging. This is great advice that I’ve not entirely finished implementing, but it’s making a big difference to my shopping choices.

Some other experiences that you may find interesting:

• My daughter and I took our own cups and teaspoons to the ice cream shop.
• I’ve done a massive cleanout of my wardrobe, inspired by Bea but also by the Hout Bay fires. I’ve probably still got about 50 times more items than Bea, though! I’ve found a second-hand shop in Rondebosch that I like the look of. The size of my wardrobe won’t permit me to shop there, but next time I need something, I’ll start there for sure.
• I’ve declined promotional items from a children’s play centre that we go to – a T-shirt, plastic medal, and a CD – because it's just more stuff to eventually go to landfill.
• Once I went to Pick n Pay without a reusable shopping bag, so I just took the basket to my car and unpacked the groceries directly into my boot!

Bea Johnson at the Aquarium in May 2017

There are still lots of things that I need to work out. I haven’t started using hankies instead of tissues yet. I’m still freezing food in plastic. My daughter is still in disposable nappies at night and she likes straws and balloons. I haven’t used Bea’s advice on cleaning products... Yet. And I’m very interested in inspiring somebody to start up a zero-packaging store in Cape Town.

My mum emptied my rubbish out for me last week while I was away, and she was surprised that there was so little rubbish and that the liner bag was still so clean. She could just tip out the rubbish into the wheelie bin and reuse the liner bag. So the next thing to go will be liner bags!

I’m scrutinising the rubbish that is in my bin every week and I’m sure I’ll be able to reduce it further. I don’t think I’ll ever be Bea-perfect, but - yay - I’m feeling victorious!

It's Plastic Free July! 

In July this year we’re challenging all our readers to join the Plastic Free July movement  and refuse single-use plastic items for the entire month. With plastic pollution being one of the top threats faced by the ocean today, we think you’ll agree that it’s time we all step up and make a few small, easily attainable changes.

Join us in saying “no thank you” to single-use plastic bags, cutlery, water bottles, takeaway cups and straws (or more!) in July … You’ll be amazed at how easy it is, and how good it feels, to be a little bit less dependent on single-use plastic.

Show us your bag and win a bag!

During the month of July we will be giving away one beautiful reusable bag worth R150 (designed by Two Oceans Aquarium members and produced locally) every week. All you need to do to stand in line to win this bag is to show off your reusable shopping bag.

How to enter:

• Take a picture of yourself using a reusable shopping bag
• Post it to the Rethink the Bag Facebook page or share it on Twitter, tagging @RethinkTheBag
• One winner will be chosen through lucky draw every Friday.