Zero Waste in the Time of COVID-19

I couldn’t help but make a not so veiled reference to Gabriel Garcia Marquez. With COVID-19 upon us, life has changed in many ways, especially for someone buying things in bulk. On March 5th, Bulk Barn stopped accepting containers. I went to Bulk Barn on the 6th and was given the announcement. The woman behind the cash told me, don’t worry, you’ll still get the discount for bringing your containers. I left empty handed and headed for Vrac du Canal .

Things have changed but buying in bulk is still possible.

However, I fear that my options will become more and more limited as time advances and restrictions increase.

What’s a zero waste girl to do?

Step 1: Accept. Given the circumstances, the safest and most intelligent thing to do is give in and live with packaged goods. If I have to, I will buy items packaged in paper (flour and sugar) and cardboard (pasta, couscous) and cans (vegetables, etc). These packaging materials are quite recyclable and a better option than anything in plastic. Is buying packaged goods what I want? No, but if there is no other option, health and survival have to come first. I would remind each of you to continue to bring your reusable bags to the store. This is something that we are still able to do and helps reduce the number of plastic bags being sent to landfill. No more reusable cups at the coffee shop (if it is still open)? No problem. Time to have my latte at home. Welcome to chez Sandra where you can always find an apple scone or muffin. (Believe it or not, I still have apples left over from the fall that I have been slowly converting into scones, muffins and apple crisp.) The owner is a bit grumpy in the morning but overall not a bad vibe.

Step 2: Think about all the good that staying home is doing for the environment. Fewer people are flying. Few people are driving. All of this is being shown to be extremely beneficial for the environment. Walking to the grocery store is now part of my daily exercise program. I am winning on two fronts: exercise and environment. (I won’t mention that I am losing on the sanity front because I am stuck in the house the rest of the day.)

Step 3: Re-acquaint yourself with your spouse and family. Is this such a bad thing? Being 24/7 with your family can be a challenge and test the strength of your relationships. It can also be an opportunity to realize that the people you live with are really wonderful and fun. It can also be the chance to dream about the day when you can go to work and leave this prison that we call home. Thinking of my Seinfeld inspired mantra: serenity now, serenity now (and insanity later).

Step 4: Think outside the box. With the looming third world war on toilet paper, I am thinking about alternatives. Zero waste alternatives. Like a bidet attachment. No toilet paper? No problem! https://hellotushy.com/

Surprisingly, hubby is not against the idea. Since home delivery is still feasible, I am definitely going to look into this.

Step 5: Smile and keep your sense of humor. No matter what, this won’t last forever, even though it may feel like it will. It’s kind of like getting through a Canadian winter, you think it will never end but then one day, the snow melts, the trees get buds and the grass gets green. (I won’t mention that the g*dd@mn winter comes back in 6 months).

Challenge for the Week: Take it one day at a time, wash your hands frequently and stay a respectable distance away from other people. Tough times call for desperate measures. With much affection, wishing you a happy and healthy week.