Food Challenge:
Due to a number of factors, including sick kids and a sprained ankle, I haven't been grocery shopping again until today (excepting milk and bread grabbed by DH during the week). My aim were to:
* reduce the number of imported products by 10%
* reduce the volume of plastic packaging by 10%
* reduce the number of tinned and frozen products by 10%
The results were:
Items purchased = 75
Made in Australia or Product of Australia = 52/ 70%
Made in Australia from Local or Imported Ingredients = 9/ 12%
Wholly Imported = 14/ 18%
Items with plastic or part plastic packaging: 47/ 63%
Tinned/ packaged or frozen items = 21/ 28%
Difference from last week's shop:
MIA/ POA = Increase of 32.5%
MIALII = Decrease of 7.5%
Wholly Imported = Decrease of 25%
Items with plastic packaging = Increase of 6% :-(
Tinned/ frozen/ processed items = Decrease of 8%
Money spent = approximately the same.
I'm pretty bummed on not only not reducing the amount of plastic packaging this week, but increasing it! That was due mostly to the fact that I bought my fruit and veg from Coles instead of the local delivery (the next Organic Feast delivery day isn't until Friday and I'm completely out of fruit and veg so I needed to get stuff today). What I did buy is Australian and organic, but as per usual, Coles has completely overpackaged it all in plastic - NONE of their organic produce can be bought loose. *Sigh* By the way, I still haven't heard anything regarding the letter I sent off to Coles about their organic produce over-packaging...
Still, I'm happy with the 8% reduction in preserved products, and am especially pleased with the 25% decrease in imported products :-) Most of the imported products I am buying are organic, which aren't grown in Australia at all, such as chick peas and kidney beans, so I'm not sure if I can reduce that much further, but I'll be trying harder come this weekend, for Local Food Month, hosted by Crunky Chicken, which I will be posting more about in a couple of days.
Debt Challenge:
Hmm, definitely not so good in that department! Still, I have another couple of weeks to make up the extra 10% mortgage payment, so I am confident I can work something out ;-)
6 comments:
Pretty ironic that the organic food is overpacked in plastic, huh!
Did you find it took a lot longer to do the shopping while being conscious of the MIA type stuff?
What a great challenge! You know I reckon Coles is doing a conspiracy trade off thing with organic food. They are placating the large food companies by buying packaging supplies from them. LOL. Honestly, I hope they start finding packaging alternatives.
I am loving your posts by the way (so good to know that you are well). I have been time poor lately and I'm only just catching up with your blog!
All the best for next week!
Julie, I love the way you're calculating your pruchases. I think our next challenge should be to complain to at least two stores about their packaging policies. Some of us would be comfortable doing that face to face, others could do it by letter. What do you think?
Thanks for your help at ALS, you're a reliable, thoughtful, helpful and valuable member.
Gosh you ladies are making me blush :-)
Kez, It did take a bit longer checking all the lables, although I'd been checking things periodically so I already had an idea about which of my regular items were imported and which weren't, so it wasn't too bad. I always shop without the kids too (even if it has to be at 8pm at night - which it usually is!) so that helps.
Eilleen, LOL, you know I think I agree about the conspiracy! I'm glad that people are getting some use from my ramblings, thanks :-)
Rhonda, you know I have been thinking exactly the same thing recently. I have come to a point where I am (metaphorically) butting heads against the stores now and it's very frustrating. These stores are, in theory, supposed to cater for customer demands, so I really believe that I have so start stepping up and complaining to the relevant people. I feel that there's only so much we can do by putting our money where our mouths are - if there ARE no acceptible alternatives we either do without to buy the best of a bad lot. I'm not confrontational by nature and the thought of a phone call makes me feel ill, LOL, but I reckon that pretty much anyone can write a short letter?
Thanks for your kind words, although I feel like such a slacker when I go AWOL for ages...
Hello there
Did you know about the food co-op in Wickham- Beanstalk Organic Food-there is a bit of a waiting list but all the stuff is from local farmers.
Hi Tracie :-) Yes, I've heard of the Beanstalk Co-Op but I had heard that there was a huge waiting list to join up, do you know if that's true? Are you a member? I usually get my organic fruit and veg delivered through Organic Feast at Maitland which also supports local organic farmers, I've found them really good. They also have a stand at the Farmers Markets at the showground and at Honeysuckle. Cheers.
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