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It might be the last day of #PlasticFreeJuly, but for one local resident, it's a way of life. Express followed her on a typical shopping trip to find out how islanders can drop plastic while they shop - for good.
Sheena Brockie has been shopping plastic-free for over a year and says it is getting easier and easier with more options popping up on the island.
When she set on a challenge to live a 'Year Without Waste', Sheena found it easy to find packaging-free fruit, vegetables, fish and meat whether in the Central Market or farm shops.
Finding alternatives for things like pasta, flour, rice and others was a lot of harder, however. There was also no possibility of buying household products in bulk or to refill bottles.
Over the past year however, the situation has improved with outlets like the Organic Shop now offering refills for laundry detergent, conditioner, washing up liquid, and other household products. The shop also stocks a number of toiletries including shampoo, deodorants, toothpaste and re-fillable shampoo bottles.
Pictured: Plastic-free toiletries at the Organic Shop.
With the upcoming opening of MiniMall, a minimal waste shop offering bulk whole food, vegetables, as well as cleaning and self-care products free from packaging, Sheena is hopeful that shopping will be made easier.
But there is a lot more to be done, especially in educating islanders on best practice. While local supermarkets like the Co-Op offer loose fruit and vegetables, they sell more in packaging, despite loose produce being cheaper than its packaged counterpart. The shops have even resorted to putting the package-free produce at the front of the aisle to make it easier to reach than the packaged one. Still, the numbers show that islanders prefer to buy produce that is packaged.
Pictured: Even though it is cheaper and easier to reach on the shelves, plastic free produce is still not a favourite.
"It doesn't make sense to me," says Sheena. "Why would you pay more for something that comes with plastic? It seems like such an inconvenience to me. We need people to stop buying packaged fruit and vegetables. Because shops say the only reason they sell them packaged is because people buy them. Consumers have a voice and if they stop buying packaged produce, it will disappear from the shelves."
Whether you don't know where to start to shop plastic-free or are looking for more options, watch the video below to pick up some of Sheena's shopping tips...
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