This topic was the perfect end to this challenge and relates to all of the waste I create - with some advanced planning (menu planning, making sure I have supplies in my car, determining what I want to buy - some recyclable plastics but the bulk in paper/cardboard/glass/aluminum), it is not hard to do better in reducing the waste I create.  There is an art space here that always needs materials and scraps.  This in turn creates art and is free for the artists/students.  I think the main point is we always need to try to do better and if each of us does a little better, the end result will be tremendous for the planet.

It seems like everything is packaged in plastic!  It is hard to not choose something with plastic.  Since I have been cooking at home for this month and I am trying to do whole foods and not prepackaged, it is easier to user my mesh bags for fruits and veggies and go to the bulk bins and use my own bags for those items as well. 

I always make sure to have some pyrex containers in the trunk of my car in a nice bag.  That way, if I am going to a restaurant or somewhere where I know I will need a container, I have it.  I also have 10 mesh bags that I use for grocery shopping and when I go to the local farm to pick up produce.

This has made me and my parents much healthier - prepackaged snacks were easy (at least I thought so), but now we have cut up veggies to have with almond butter or homemade hummus and then lots of fresh fruit that we can grab and munch on.  The prep only takes a few minutes a day or every other day and it is tasty to eat fresh food throughout the day.

In my local restaurants, they always put straws down as soon as you order your drink.  One server told me that even if you do not use it, they have to throw away everything on the table when they are cleaning it.  So now, I make sure to speak up and let them know that I have my own stainless steel straw (yes, I get lots of odd looks) and I don't need one of their straws.

I watched Wasted! The Story of Food Waste.  It was interesting, terrible (the waste), and very informative.  I already compost, but it made me think about the scraps I am composting - how can I better use the whole plant in my cooking?  It talks to many chefs to learn how they are using ingredients that would normally get tossed - or parts of animals or whole animals that normally aren't eaten, and changes that in order to waste nothing (or as little as possible).  It shocked me how much we, as humans, throw away - we buy it and don't use it, we don't like what we buy, etc. - and how that is contributing to deforestation and climate change.  I highly recommend this movie - it will change how you feel about the food you eat, prepare, and purchase.

It has been a challenge to cook at home every day, but I have explored so many new recipes and have found great things that I will definitely continue to add to my repertoire.  I also have replaced all of the plastics with reusable and sustainable alternatives.  I find I use my dishwasher more often, so I am not sure if that is a sustainable alternative - but I am on a well, so at least I do not have to worry that my water bill has gone up.