Why Zero-Waste Grocery Shopping Matters | One Small Step | NowThis

How to shop without plastics? Shopping for food can be one of the most wasteful parts of our lives - here are some tips and tricks for going waste-free at the grocery store.
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According to the EPA, 23% of the trash Americans are sending to landfills comes from containers and packaging, mostly of which is food packaging. The zero-waste grocery movement is helping to change this.
Zero waste grocery shopping is a movement that is striving to change our grocery shopping habits, in order to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, or worse in our oceans.
In this episode of One Small Step, your host Lucy Biggers heads over to Precycle, a zero waste and bulk grocery store in Brooklyn, New York. Precycle was founded by Katerina Bogatireva. Bogatireva hopes that more Americans can live a less-waste or zero-waste lifestyle, saying, "We've lived without disposable plastic before, and I think we need to unlearn some things."
It's important for us to be mindful of how much waste is being created when were shopping for food at the grocery store or buying food for takeout. So the next time you head to the supermarket keep these three tips in mind:
TIP 1: Avoid unnecessary packaging by buying unwrapped produce.
TIP 2: Bring your own reusable produce bag.
TIP 3: Find a bulk section and use it! Fill your own containers.
Happy shopping!
#ZeroWaste #Shopping #Plastic #ClimateChange #Environment #OneSmallStep
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What happens to everything we use after we throw it away? How does our trash impact the environment and contribute to things like pollution and climate change? From plastics and recycling to food waste and composting - we're breaking down the issue of waste and sustainability piece by piece to answer one of the most important questions facing the world today: How do we save our planet?
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[@victoriadaniel13]

Can i just say. Most people tend not to go to stores like this due to the products being very overpriced.

[@chrisperez2055]

That’s so true! Places like these are way more expensive to shop at. Especially for family. It’s just not ideal.

[@timp1876]

Chris Perez I’m about to go to college & I always like healthy food but whole foods is is expensive!😭

[@atsumumiya9576]

Army...

[@justjordan3563]

it’s possible to reduce waste shopping at just a normal grocery store. you might not be able to cut it out, but doing your best is all that matters

[@A-Wa]

its more expensive because the stores are waaay smaller and dont have so much power on supply chains. but if we buy plastic free in a normal store and even complain several time to the manager that for instance bananas dont need plastic wraps, then they can change it. one person cant change a grocery store but a whole community can

[@rushabhchheda8238]

That's how we shop in India. From the vendor who directly buys from the farmer. No plastic, no sticker. Pure.

[@finalislytan8342]

Not all India dude

[@Kirsten_is_cursed10]

I mean, you also don’t have environmental regulations, and when you do they are rarely enforced, so you need to be careful about pesticides and other contaminants because the street vendor might not know or care about the farming practices

[@upasanaacharya8208]

India is not even bothered about recycling. People are not bothered or interested.

[@eurekamreum5458]

Not at all, yikes.

[@AasthaHingar]

A lot of people prefer buying from supermarkets instead of local vendors because DISCOUNT AND SCHEMES

[@simonjrobinson]

It's a crime that so few people have seen this video. This should be compulsory viewing in schools (and indeed anywhere else)

[@alybean4211]

Simon R nah

[@thecookingnerd8384]

Simon R schools would rather show us useless information like how tectonic plates are going to kill us all in a billion years

[@king.kthebest6158]

@Inconsistent disease Is this a joke or are you serious? Just curious.

[@isabella4529]

Simon R i agree

[@americasingapore822]

compulsory? so, you gonna FORCE people to watch? sounds like a FASCIST...

[@jessicag.1055]

Instead of composting your vegetable scraps you can freeze them and add more scraps over time... and once you have enough you can cook vegetable broth with what you collected...and THEN you compost them. ;)

[@yodaclay4840]

Jessica G. TBH she could’ve ate those!

[@marley7659]

Great idea. I should try that once I clear up my freezer space. Currently it is filled with nuts, seeds, and frozen veg/fruit.

[@victoriajenkins1424]

Homemade veggie broth is the best! But some veggies don’t work well in broth, and compost needs “green” materiel to get vitamins just like we do. Freezing usable scraps does cut down on trips to the compost bin though. 🌏💜

[@CmorCro]

Lœa Cläy well maybe next time she mightve not know of the information. Its a great idea though!

[@mariadocarmosarmento9487]

I’m doing exactly that with my veggie scraps!

[@boosay568]

I appreciate how she says we don't need fancy mason jars because those things aren't cheap, heavier and fragile. But is that how the West perceive bulk of spices? Girllll those won't even last a week haha

[@scarletteros7017]

Naim Noor you can get mason jars superrrr cheap from thrift stores!!! 🙌🏼

[@lifemyway200]

Zach and Sabrina // but you don’t need them....reuse what you have therefore creating less consumer waste:)

[@scarletteros7017]

cindy, i’m meaning if you don’t have containers already... i don’t and i go to thrift stores and reuse. if you go to thrift stores you’re not making more consumer waste you’re helping keep things out of landfills. if things don’t sell in thrift stores they get thrown away. so it’s an amazing option if you don’t have containers :)

[@lifemyway200]

Zach and Sabrina // gotcha😊

[@yodaclay4840]

Naim Noor that’s not how the west perceive bulk spices! Don’t rope a whole group of people/countries into your ignorant perception from a 7 minute video!

[@AnnieNugget]

TIP : Before deciding to throw away all your plastic containers/plastic items, keep reusing them for multipurpose ways until you need to get rid of them. Then switch over to a more sustainable option. Transitioning lifestyles shouldn't be a fast wasteful process!

[@eggroll1090]

Waverley Terlizzi, That is dumb why would you throw it away in the first way regardless. I believe the plastic container is still reusable is it not? Even if it’s plastic if you don’t throw it away it harms not to the environment.

[@miadonahue7117]

@@eggroll1090 That's their whole point, if you still have plastic and you're being more sustainable, at least extend the life of the plastic by reusing it.

[@oliviacarmona6277]

Exactly. At my house whenever we get takeout we keep the plastic containers and then use them for other food

[@AlisonClaires]

@Challenger Shallow it matters to every turtle at risk of eating a plastic bag if your plastic bag doesn't end up in the ocean. Strength in numbers. Reducing plastic use can become the norm if people keep at it.

[@porogami7yearsagoedited754]

Yup. Most of our waste comes from large corporations and industries. Getting them to change would be the first real step. Also reusing plastic containers to store food which could be microwaved is risky as the plastics degrades and increased the risk of cancer.

[@izzyshine19]

I love the personal responsibility zero-waste movement, but I can't help but think about how much more effective it would be if a company would move first

[@fireblossom9618]

Unless we can find an extremely altruistic multi millionaire then it probably won't happen due to the simple fact that it's not economic.

[@NicholasLittlejohn]

We have to ask for both. Saving energy saves money too.

[@hamstertypewriter2787]

But in the reality, big companies dont care abt the environment, they only cares abt the money they will get. They dont care abt how unhealthy or destructive their product is, if it profitable.

[@marieeiskindadead5865]

Yeah but that means voting with our money

[@landonp.4073]

Ever heard of supply and demand? The consumers must demand it for the producers to supply it

[@justin7964]

These types of zero waste stores are only in popular places like New York or California

[@porogami7yearsagoedited754]

Yup. Perfect for single, hip, trendy minimalists whereas many shoppers are people on low wages or with large families to which, money for the next meal is more important than living zero waste.

[@carolineshute744]

The closest one I have is in a completely different state 😭

[@sofiarahmati9933]

This is true! I live in ny but I know that in California they banned plastic straws and in stores you have to buy your shopping bags (this leads more people to buy reusable ones)

[@itspricila]

Porogami you can still bring your own bag and avoid items with unnecessary plastic

[@hnys7976]

California is one of the dumbest places in the world...nobody cares about Climate Change there...

[@humahanrattykamgar1393]

In france you have to bring your own fabric bag to grocery store cuz they stopped giving you plastic or even paper bags for your groceries and this has been happening there since 2005 when i went there

[@brookelouise4347]

My country only just started doing this in nz they put a ban on plastic bags unless its reusable

[@gsbb6453]

How u get a plastic bag in the first place? Have a nice trip to germany and get it?

[@aaabatteries5576]

there's still plastic bags in France

[@bubbletea3277]

In Australia (I think in most states) single use plastic bags have been banned for a year

[@iceseic]

In my country the cashier gives my mom a smirk because they think my mom didn't want to spend a single coin for a plastic bag.

[@briana.9921]

After traveling through Europe, I realized how normal it was to never use plastic bags at supermarkets. It’s not seen as an “eco-hippie” action, just something normal. Meanwhile in America you’re offered a bag even for a candy bar. Don’t get me started with recycling haha.

[@SS-Connect]

No disrespect but these "zero waste" stores and shops that sell food loose charge just as much as the stores that package them if not more. I'm not sure if it depends on the neighborhoods (because they're usually in pretty gentrified places) or because of their aesthetic but they are overpriced. If you go to areas people would normally avoid like those packed little corner shops in an Asian area, you'll find less packaging but for a fraction of the price of a "zero-waste" endorsed store. Practical purchases are great for the environment, but making it "fashionable" or "trendy" with buzzwords to grab a pretty specific populations is not good for the wallets of people with smaller budgets. Just a thought. Great ideas though!!!

[@hotinmybags]

Shreya i totally understand what you’re saying but even some Asian supermarkets and corner stores rely on packaging Many zero waste youtubers have made videos about trying to do zero waste shopping at normal stores and there’s so much unnecessary packing for things like tofu, corn, or even noodles Overall the food industry needs to shift away from wasteful packing so that everyone can shop more mindfully and not just rich white people in Brooklyn and Austin

[@michellem5647]

Lmao who cares if it’s a bit pricier...go to a farmers market then. 🙄🙄🙄

[@raapyna8544]

It must vary a lot. All these stores are small, one shop companies. They don't have major competitors that would start a price competition.

[@nesslam4832]

I think its a sacrifice you have to make when switching to more sustainable shops. Large corporations can cut down a lot of their costs just due to sheer size, making their prices quite flexible (and allowing them to adapt quickly to competitors). On the other hand, small neighbourhood shops like these ones do not have the luxury and so would still require higher prices to even out costs. That's my take on this, but if an econ expert could help me explain this that'll be great :)

[@rey7662]

yes i live in Cali & there are tons of smaller areas of Latino people who sell their produce with no packaging & everything. these specific type of stores are usually in gentrified areas... another store has $7/lb for PASTA. no way a poorer family would be able to keep up buying that.

[@amysofia5783]

I discovered that a lot of the grocery stores near me package a LOT of produce- but it turns out that Asian markets are a lot better about not using plastic. So if you're struggling, try an Asian market!

[@auraluna7679]

I really like your advice, because not everyone has a Zero waste store as an option.

[@orbitbella2335]

princessicy02 just any local asian market. google search asian market or korean market or chinese market or indian market

[@kristoffersparegodt420]

Depends... Asia's big. In Japan they do way too much packaging

[@emmad7299]

Kristoffer Sparegodt that depends where you are. Japanese lunches are packaged in cloth with everything in a bento box. If you like outside of the city, there’s always somewhere to get fresh produce from farmers. My moms from Japan, but the city does use too much plastic.

[@alia_babo]

@@kristoffersparegodt420 um I think what they mean by Asian market is those stores that sell Asian grocery, not the stores in Asian countries.

[@RayPossibleGT]

The only problem with these "Plastic Free" stores are the price. They are expensive, definitely not your weekly grocery shopping go-to.

[@GabriellaRodriguezx23]

RayPosSiable well that’s why it’s bought in bulk. Once every few weeks or so truly wont break your bank. Buying in bulk is much wiser and less expensive when you compare the two in monthly food expenses.

[@christiecrawford1653]

The "issue" is the fact that the other stores and corporations continue to package foods in plastic. It is annoying!!! I've seen individually wrapped cucumbers, coconuts, bell peppers, etc. So stupid. Lol Ahhh!!!!!!! 🤣

[@zettaanderson946]

It's also about just using what you have in creative, affordable and resourceful ways. A lot of products in these stores are investments too that are high quality, last a long time and prevent the hassle of restocking often, beyond being 'aesthetic' (which is a plus :P)

[@Raja1938]

They're more expensive now because they're boutique. As they increase in popularity and scale, prices will drop.

[@denross99]

Something I’ve noticed people don’t seem to think of: If you’re flying somewhere, you can get an empty water bottle through the security check and fill it up in a water fountain afterwards. Saves money and plastic.

[@Squaretable22]

I did this and it was amazing, 1 litre of water for free rather than paying £5???

[@debbieframpton3857]

My daughter and I did this when we traveled before the pandemic

[@zippy3253]

It's funny how all these “hacks” are things that I do just because I'm not able anything else 😂

[@sidneyboo9704]

In the past month, I shop as much zero waste foods as I can. I bring my bags and use the bulk section, i bring my own containers for take out and travel cups. My trash has decreased so much. I didn't realize how much trash grocery shopping/ eating out was. I now throw trash out once every 3 weeks instead of twice a week. Crazy!

[@user-sq2uw]

Environmental friendly but not wallet friendly

[@amandajohnson1348]

we she did get 2 meals out of it, with evens out to about $6 per meal, which actually isn't too expensive. also, if you were to go to a restaurant, 1 meal would be about $15

[@ilovesparky13]

Amanda Jay $3 is kind of expensive for a home-cooked meal though…

[@justfine8647]

@@amandajohnson1348 compared to other stores to make the same meal, ii IS expensive :/

[@zettaanderson946]

It's also about just using what you have in creative, affordable and resourceful ways. A lot of products in these stores are investments too that are high quality, last a long time and prevent the hassle of restocking often, beyond being 'aesthetic' (which is a plus :P)

[@missannie8012]

Yeah that all would be about $4-5 at my store.

[@sup_monica3597]

I never understood why sometimes veggies and fruit come packaged in plastic. They already have their own nature made packaging. I never buy them with the packaging

[@pedrobraz2809]

Preservation. This is what enables big corps to sell loads of stuff, they last longer.

[@pablomuzzobar8940]

The last 10xlonger because its sealed in inert gas

[@iair-conditiontheoutsideai3076]

Because I don't want people touching my food at the store it's gross

[@kennethsicat4041]

You shouldn’t recycle items that have been stained with food like that tin foil or a pizza box it’ll mess up with the other items when being recycled

[@victoriad2225]

correct it's considered mixed and they don't recycle it. just like a greasy pizza box not recycleable!

[@AlisonClaires]

An alternative is a silicone baking mat. Easy to clean and reusable.

[@ntinasiwkoy4913]

The tin foil wasn't needed in my opinion. She could have just baked the potatoes in the tray.

[@NicholasLittlejohn]

They heat up and melt the foil, just give I a quick rinse and don't overthink recycling. Tear the pizza box in half and compost the greasy half and recycle the top.

[@itskaybe6348]

@@NicholasLittlejohn not only is that still considered contaminated and probably resulted in lots more recyclable things getting trashed. Most machines cant register the foil unless it is collected in a large ball and it just gets stuck in the machine. Reduce is first for a reason, not using it in the first place is ideal. But good on you composting your pizza boxes!

[@matthewwaterhouse9925]

You say 8% of the price of food is packaging. This implies that non prepackaged foods are inherently cheaper. Sadly, I've been to stores where the prepackaged food actually costs less, both up front and unit-wise. This is something I've always thought strange, and it's something that we need to find a way to address. Lower income people and highly price conscious people are going to buy the prepacked. So making the prepackaged cheaper is encouraging waste.

[@pablomuzzobar8940]

Because selling food is about logistics and shelf life and prepackaged food will last way longer so in the end companies save money because they are binning less produce. When produce looks slightly bad nobody buys it. Packaging = cheaper for all retailers.

[@vornamenachname8381]

@@pablomuzzobar8940 in my country the food is in mast cases not packed. But when it is packed it's often more expensive.

[@daizcrochets]

I’m so happy that you pointed out to use what you already have instead of buying new things like mason jars or something❤️❤️

[@matthewwaterhouse9925]

But if you buy something that comes in a glass jar, keep it and reuse it.

[@afernandes2898]

In the UK we don’t have much options as everything is packaged to the limit. The ones not packaged are expensive e.g medium size oranges are £1.50 for 6. While not packaged one orange is 0.40p for 1

[@whatever5922]

A Fernandes why is nearly all fruit packaged in the UK? It’s so odd to me

[@afernandes2898]

cellophaneboy from my understanding part of the reason is bc it comes from abroad grown in mass scale farms. They probably pack it so it doesn’t rot? Not sure but yeah could be

[@chemistrycat]

@A Fernandes I live in the UK too! Seriously thinking about moving to Paris. Literally all those grocery stores have zero waste sections.

[@afernandes2898]

Annaniaaa oh yes, I saw a few shops when I visited.

[@raapyna8544]

Oranges in Finland are cheaper, definitely don't rot slower.

[@Krispie1225]

I just realized another plus about zero waste stores you get the amount of what you want so it cuts off waist from the extra stuff that you think you're going to eat but you're not actually going to eat

[@monica_30]

I just came from Sprouts and everything I got in my own bags and containers. I was so excited to pay for my food! Plus I got a small discount for bringing my own bags and containers ♻️💕💕🌎 (I pour my rice on an old ice cream plastic container that I reuse)

[@margarettinker16]

Monica Flores How does that work out when they weigh it??? I’m just curious cause I want to do the same, but not sure how the weighing works with my own containers at normal grocery stores.

[@monica_30]

@@margarettinker16when you come into the store ask for a manager and ask if they can do a tier weight on your container. At the register they place your container on their scanner and look how much it weighs empty. They will tell you for example (.17oz) then write it on a paper so you remember for that particular container. Fill it up with your food content and bring it back to pay... they wiegh it again but this time they subtract the teir weight of .17oz. So you pay only for the food weight. Its important that you write down the look up number for your food. This is the PLU # you see next to the name on the labels of the bulk bins ex) PLU: 6625 for jazmin rice. Give the PLU # and the tier weight to the cashier. And that's it. There are some videos on KZbin that explain this too. I hope that helps.

[@AnnBearForFreedom]

@@monica_30 I'm fairly certain its called a "tare weight", not tier. The reusable.washable cotton produce bags I use have their tare weight printed on a little tag on the bag itself. The only problem I have is getting a checkout person who knows what to do with the tare--often I have to request a manager.

[@monica_30]

@@AnnBearForFreedom lol... thanks English is my second language, but thanks I appreciate you correcting me.💞😊

[@31oise]

@@monica_30 what does PLU mean

[@CameronMoorecamdaman231]

Good to see, people trying to make changes. There's hope yet.

[@lukakitchen8398]

I try really hard to not buy things in plastic but its hard at times. I am planing to move out of my dads house soon and i want to be low wasted. I want to save this planet because its not doing well and not many people see that its falling apart.

[@cybaitsumi6341]

Even if its hard sometimes, always try to remember that it's not about being perfect to the smallest things, it's about the effort you put in! Nobody is perfect and sometimes, there just aren't any package/plastic free options available, but don't let that discourage you! ❤️

[@michellem5647]

I just bought reusable produce bags & already keep 2 recycled totes in my purse to help not use plastic. Also using my aluminum water bottle with my stainless steel straws. I’m really trying. Next step, making my own products ie toothpaste, face wash ect

[@maidavioletaasi80]

It is good to see people like her in a world full of not well disciplined people. I am trying to be greener little by little by bringing ecobags whenever I shop.

[@benraminprarmin1452]

I hope the trend of zero waste catches on. I would love to go zero waste, but it’s almost impossible since my only options are big chain stores

[@NicholasLittlejohn]

Ask them to change!

[@chocolatechick729]

It's so cute how u put a little disclaimer when you brought your own Tupperware. I do the same . We cant all have Mason jars lol. Thank you for making this video.

[@deepakbehera8508]

That's what we do in India. Sunday markets isn't it?...( Indians will connect with this..😋)

[@happibroccoli8633]

So bored in quarantine. Now I'm planting with my Grandfather. It's fun, and you can choose how big you want your plants

[@zerowkh]

The first thing I did when I first started going zero waste was zero waste grocery shopping. I think it is the easiest one for me and you are right. It does matter!

[@user-zc8yi6zx6l]

i’m 14 and i want to change the way my family lives so i bought reusable veggie bags and reusable grocery bags. i’m trying to change and you should too.

[@maryvoigt8763]

Way to go! You're making a change. That's what it takes. A different way to think. Be the change

[@JuanWayTrips]

They say it's cheaper because they don't have to provide the packaging, but if you look it's still over $2/pound for the jasmine rice at that store. You can still get that for $1/lb or less at places like Trader Joe's...and she basically spent $11 to make one meal (plus leftovers)! I'm all for reducing waste, but the difference in price actually needs to be equal or less than typical grocery stores if you're going to get more people to do it.

[@raapyna8544]

One portion of jasmine rice is like one handful of uncooked jasmin rice. I'm sure she bought more than one portion of some of the things.

[@iegut9449]

This type of store is genius! Need more stores like this.

[@MistressOP]

I think a lot of these stores need to have a cut section where people cut stuff for you. some folks need help.

[@Matt-fl8uy]

Thank you for highlighting that prepared food can help people with mobility concerns!

[@MsLeonor1968]

Thank you for this video. Feel we need more of these loose items stores. We all have jars, or some kind of containers we can take to fill again with bulk items. Such nonsense that our produce gets wrapped in plastic.

[@NicholasLittlejohn]

We need to make that illegal.

[@testaccount1055]

Until I paid attention to my nightly garbage bag and what I threw away when I grabbed something to eat from my kitchen, I realized how much trash we produce. This video is great. For those who can practice this life style, PLEASE DO IT!!!!

[@mollydavis7622]

It's so good that she notes that things do have plastic sticker but she trying to find some without, a plastic free shop in my area it turned out that most of there things came in plastic and they took it out and charged overpriced. This is what is green washing

[@annathompson2314]

“learned how to cook a zero waste meal” *foil covering food*

[@AlisonClaires]

You can't recycle soiled foil or jars. They all need to be cleaned. So yeah...she didn't get it totally right. Close though.

[@NicholasLittlejohn]

@@AlisonClaires Recycle foil after rinsing it. They have to melt it anyway.

[@StrollingThroughLife]

Loved this video! I'm so glad more people are being aware of their waste! 🙌

[@deesmith5304]

Here in Australia we have a soft plastics recycling program called REDcycle. You can take all of your soft plastics to your local supermarket to be recycled into playground equipment and seating etc.👍 It also saves so much room in your bin! Every time a cashier asks if I want plastic I always reply with a "NO, thank you" which usually sparks a conversation about plastic. 90% of people that I have a "plastic" discussion with have no idea that plastic is derived from petroleum and have never heard of garbage island. It's sad how we don't act until it's almost too late.

[@shannonboyd1890]

I love this series of of videos. I am trying very hard to kick the plastic habit. It's hard and sometimes seems overwhelming. It helps to see that others are trying hard and facing the same challenges as I am.

[@kjartanruminy6297]

I would love to see a shop like this in Iceland where I live

[@laurennightshade]

This is a great video to raise awareness and start the conversation. It is important to note however that tin foil that has been soiled by food can not be recycled and you run the risk of contaminating the whole load by including soiled items in your recycling. Rather use a plain baking dish or if you really feel it is necessary to line your baking tray then use a reusable silicon baking mat.

[@shywiz1543]

I recently bought cute reusable tote bags to take to the grocery store, going shopping, etc. I love them.

[@YEUNGMANCOOKING]

been binge watching your videos Lucy! they're very well done!

[@timothylam3314]

I love everything about this video

[@tommo1stoessel]

I feel like we need a zero waste supermarket where we can get everyday products of the brands we already consume but presented in a way in which we can fill our own containers with it.

[@marzettik]

As a person with a visual impairment, I appreciate your large and bold texts in your video. It was also a nice video overall as well. Going to look at more.

[@katelawrence7445]

I am fortunate to have a bulk bin grocery shop near me and love that I can buy tiny amounts like one star anise or 20 cents worth of pepper corns. It also encourages me to try different foods as I can buy just enough for one meal.

[@Bigbrain2611]

Love this channel

[@grisettedirecto3560]

A dollar from my country can buy you the whole ingredients to make a veggie salad dish (and still more!) Mainly because we don't use packagings.

[@sammywebster994]

I have not gotten all the way there yet, but I'm trying to better myself and habits for sure, I already bought reusable bags and that's my first step to eventually go almost fully zero waste.

[@Christoff070]

Dear Nowthis and Lucy, this series is just amazing, thank you for making this videos; even if only one person watching this makes a change, that's good. I'm one of them, plastic waste is obscene

[@languagetraveller]

Omg I'm so proud people from my country (Latvia) do big things and open zero waste shops be ause they care for the enviroment 💪💪

[@Skrimslis]

Saaame! I was so so happy when she said she moved from latvia! Mah home ♥️ ((I was litterally looking for a comment like dis

[@amythepapi]

@@Skrimslis sameee i was suprised when i heard latvia since people usually don't know about it

[@Skrimslis]

@@amythepapi yea

[@oscarorfiano5026]

Thank you for helping the next generation to see the natural beauty of Earth😍.

[@bananakiwi7723]

i find it interesting that its the consumers making the change rather than the producers. imagine a school where only the teachers worry about the students and helping them but the students really do not care.. thats what it seems like here...(just an analogy don’t come for me if it doesnt make sense lol)

[@doriweishaar4901]

Love shopping this way from buying non packaged food, bulk things from whole foods to using my own cool tote bags to bring things home. We'r need to share & teach this not only for this generation but the ones to come !!!!

[@knightmareco]

I'm always amazed by how laziness and stupidity generates waste, pre sliced ans pre packaged apples? I was dumbfounded when I saw peeled tangerines in plastic wrappers, now this, do they have pre peeled bananas already or we haven't gotten there yet?

[@ThaliaEatsDonuts]

Those are for people with disabilities, so if they don’t benefit you then absolutely don’t buy it.

[@auraluna7679]

11 Dollar for only one meal is actually pretty expensive and not something everyone can afford. I can eat for two whole days for that price. But I am all for low waste. Just pointing out that it is not as cheap as it is portrayed.

[@gisela2760]

She actually had leftovers for the next day. I would consider that as two meals.

[@auraluna7679]

@@gisela2760 but I can live for two whole days, therefore 6 meals, for that price. So it is still expensive.

[@chemistrycat]

In France, every grocery store I went into had its own zero waste section. They sold stuff like cereals, pasta and of course fresh produce. Where I live, there are like two zero waste stores near me, and they're advertised as "Zero Waste", instead on in France where it's just a regular supermarket. And they also don't really have many stickers on the fruit.

[@MelissaJetzt]

So another thing you can do with food scraps is separate them into what you can boil into vegetable stock (e.g., ends of veggies) and what you can’t (e.g., onion skins). Just freeze the pieces you can make stock with so they stay fresh until you’re ready. That way you get even more out of your scraps before you compost them!

[@dieforlevi8771]

There are no stores like these near me...

[@AnnBearForFreedom]

...YET! There will be if consumers demand them.

[@nafisahafeez5866]

if we do get plastic boxes we reuse it or jars we reuse them

[@mariasakmar3799]

I LOVE this! Me and my mom are changing our habittes thank you one small step!

[@Soniabin]

I just discovered this channel and I love it! Thank you for helping the environment and us! greetings from Spain

[@angelina9508]

Super Happy I found this💛💛 You can find me at sprouts or Whole Foods😂 I’m actually super inspired☀️

[@moereese5254]

Thats how its done in Europe where they still have markets.

[@ntinasiwkoy4913]

Well most markets do have bulk items but when it comes to veggies you still need to use plastic bags unfortunately 😢

[@cami2055]

You are such an inspiration for me please keep on doing these kind of videos.

[@justlikerunningabicycle3783]

Shopping like this honestly looks like fun. Things like that always has been. Sprouts is like that, except you pit the stuff in plastic bags and there are stuff in plastic. But theres a lot of bulk stuff like this

[@finalislytan8342]

I think that it is high time for us to really take care of our planet

[@amythepapi]

when she said latvia my mouth dropped because that's the last thing i expected

[@raapyna8544]

Why? Grazy convenient consuming is a pretty western thing!

[@amythepapi]

@@raapyna8544 because people never even know that it exists usually.

[@robynmcsharry9611]

We need more shops like this in Coventry.

[@jazmineamador1604]

I’m totally giving this a try!

[@90ladylarson]

It's so sad when you see all the trash in landfills and you see the oceans and all the animals that are just swimming in plastic. I wish everybody sees this video and wants to make a change in the world🌎 save the turtles🐢🐢

[@zettaanderson946]

"we've lived without disposable plastics before"

[@lpsmeghan5722]

I’ll try to get my family to reduce our waste from now on! Thanks for the tips

[@joenperkins2138]

You can only do this if there are stores that sell bulk like this. In my area there is no such place. We do grow our food and can. But there are things we can't grow. Parchment paper would work instead of foil. We all do the best we can and your info is great. Thanks. The problem is real.

[@elizabethquach7976]

Is it just me or is $11 for that a lot compared to at the grocery store...

[@marbledillon]

Have to remember supporting a local, small business not a huge corporation.

[@NicholasLittlejohn]

Eating healthy can be seen as a luxury and that needs to change.

[@gukaizhi]

This is easy. The hard part is what do you do when you dont have time to cook and need a meal outside.

[@lifemyway200]

gukaizhi its not that hard. I went to get chinese take out last week.... I went inside, sat at a table, ordered my food. It came to the table on regular plates and then I transferred it all to my own containers. If you are thinking more fast food, many places serve with compostable containers (McDonald’s). I just don’t get a drink or if they have a serve-yourself drink station I fill my own water bottle with whatever. I carry my own napkin as well. I bet most street vendors would be happy to serve you in your own container:)

[@jfrangenheim]

Cindy A that’s genius! Pretending you’re eating in, and then transferring the food. 👏👏👏

[@lifemyway200]

Julie B i still tip them and they don’t have to spend as much time with me:)

[@gukaizhi]

@@lifemyway200 What about if all is available is a convenience store with sandwiches in a plastic package, etc. Do you have a tip for that?

[@TinaPastore]

You guys are amazing! Thank you for this!

[@beautifulstoryteller8105]

Love these kind of videos, as a young mother I think it's very important for us to be great roll models for our kids an the future generations! I'll be definitely making some small changes of my own to become part of this movement!💕🌎

[@killuwhatt1677]

When ur asian and they dont have stores like that in a 100 km radius

[@nowlomme]

Just go to traditional market

[@varnikachandrasekara1478]

Stores like what? That sell plastic or do not sell plastic?

[@Yafama]

Most supermarkets in Asia(near me) have that bulk section for all the fruit and vegetable but they use plastic bags so just do that normally but with plastic bags you’ve saved up at home

[@sipstea9546]

Of they make those "zero waste" foods cheaper more people would do it

[@vixen1143]

Here in the UK I remember going to the greengrocers as a kid in the 90s. It was a fun experience as a kid picking the fruit and veg and weighing it. I do miss greengrocers being sorted everywhere. We still have some but they are few and far between.

[@cindycherry2152]

It's really a huge aluminum foil compares wt the small sweet potato but all you focus on is a tiny paper label🤔

[@glooom6355]

$11 for that? no ma'am

[@pyosomemore6383]

glooom it looked like it was only good for 1 meal

[@blaxkgate6029]

This is an amazing way to deal with the plastic pollution

[@justsomedudeyouknow8372]

I've been using the same 2 bags to put all my groceries in when i go shopping for about 5 yrs now. I still have the packaging that some of the frozen or snack items come in but it's better than nothing. After seeing footage of the great garbage patch it was an automatic feeling that i gotta do something. Just like the first time i saw new york city on a cloudy day and there was piles of trash falling down hills behind houses and trash all over the dirty old grimey looking streets. I haven't littered once since.

[@guillerminamorales733]

I compost veggies by thowing them on my plants😐 Of course nothing else but that

[@ntinasiwkoy4913]

If you wanna get the most you should freeze the leftover veggies you have and make soup out of them when you have enough. Then you can compost them 😄

[@AnnBearForFreedom]

Sounds vaguely cannibalistic, LOL.

[@aninditachatterjee99]

Are you continuing on this zero waste path?? Or did u forget it after the video was filmed??

[@jerrychen2603]

Love how you pointed the fact your plastic is reusable right when you pulled it out.

[@krystalbeauty2234]

This is so inspiring!!. Now I don’t think I’ll use the plastic bags for my veg/fruits! Thank you

[@leslypineda9383]

Save earth save on plastic bags and MORE EXPENSIVE FOOOOOODDDsSs

[@sendijakreslina3151]

i heard she moved from my birth country latvia teehee💖😂

[@akimexgreen5841]

I love your videos. We in the US use way too much unnecessary plastic packaging, I wish there were more stores like this one, but above all, more people need to raise conscious on the damage we are doing to the enviroment and start acting more responsible..

[@MelissaDeLaRosaLVDM]

I LOVED THIS! Thank you so much 🙏🏼