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Ditch the disposables: The problem with hummus...
Monday, 28 September 2009
As you know, I'm doing the Ditch The Disposables Challenge.
But disposables don't end with paper towels. Everywhere we look, there are examples of packaging that could easily be improved. Companies shove a "please recycle" statement on their product, and then assume it is up to us, the consumers, to get rid of their problem products.
It is our responsibility, but not to do the dirty work for lazy, greedy or ignorant companies. Instead, I believe it is our responsibility to tell companies we're not happy with their packaging, and to lobby government for changes to packaging laws.
Yummy hummus, 1000 year packaging...
I just sent off the following letter to Lisa's Hummus company.
- Dear Sir/Madam,
We've been buying Lisa's Hummus for a while now, and really enjoy the product. We buy several products in your range.
However, as part of our family's attempt to reduce the amount of plastic packaging and non-recyclable packaging we use, I have concerns about the packaging of your products, and wanted to contact you about this issue.
Our city council (Dunedin City Council) does not recycle plastic no. 5, which is what your containers are made of. Although your package labels state "Please recycle" it is a bit hard to do this when no recycling for the product type is available!
Plastic is becoming more and more of a problem in our world. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean is now twice the size of Texas. And did you know that every single bit of plastic ever made is still in existence today? When you consider this, using plastic for "disposable" products seems an irresponsible thing to do.
Our family are not crazy "Greenies". We just have young kids, and want to leave them a better world, instead of one with our messes to clean up.
I ask respectfully that you consider another containing possibility for your products. Glass seems an obvious choice, and it is recycled everywhere.
I, and many others of your consumers I am sure, would love to see your company as part of the solution, rather than contributing to the problem.
Yours respectfully,
Leanne Veitch.
I don't know whether we'll stop buying Lisa's Dips or not. I love them (they're so yummy!), but it depends on what their response to my letter is.
Please feel free to contact Lisa's, using my letter as a template if you want to. Or contact your own favourite hummus/dip company about their own unsustainable packaging.
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Cluttercut - Be the change
7 comments:
There's a very easy solution to this one - make your own hummous! First question though, do you have a blender?
One can of chickpeas, 1 tsp minced garlic, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tbsp tahini, a little salt. Put in the blender together, along with enough oil to get to a smooth creamy consistency (add through the funnel while blending for best results). Then transfer into your own re-usable container. You can experiment with the amounts of the ingredients to try to come up with the same taste as this purchased dip.
Cans are recyclable, but better still, you can cook your own chickpeas. I cook up a batch of a kilo of dried chickpeas all at once, then freeze them in usable portions in re-usable containers. I also do this with red kidney beans.
Roast eggplant dip is just as easy - roast an eggplant in the oven at 180C for 30 mins, turn it over and 20 mins on the second side. Transfer it to a plate to carefully peel off the skin (knife and tongs), catching the juice on the plate. Transfer everything to the blender, and add the same lemon, garlic, tahini and salt. You probably won't need the oil as the eggplant juice will do the trick.
Enjoy!
Oops, the above instructions should say to throw out the eggplant skin, and transfer the rest to the blender!
Hi Daharja,
Do you mind if I borrow parts of that letter and the one you sent to the Ice Cream producers?
I want to send a similar letter to some Ice cream manufacturers. Either I'm going blind (highly likely) or the only cardboard conatainers I can find are the very expensive $7 plus for 1L of ice cream.
Hi Pyrrha - Thanks for the recipes :-) I *should* be making my own, it just doesn't happen. I think I will, and solve the problem that way, as you say!
Of interest on this issue, Lisa's got back to me promptly, with an individually written email (I can tell, by the spelling errors!) - I'll post it tomorrow morning, as I'm off to bed as soon as I've cleared my inbox.
Nevyn - borrow away! :-)
Oh yes, go the homemade! Very quick and easy with a stick-whizz. I buy a large tin (3kg) of chickpeas and freeze it into smaller portions and chuck it all together as required in about 2mins.
But, I love that you are tackling the plastic issue headon!
Hi Nikki - Where on EARTH do you find 3kg tins of chickpeas? Please tell!
I'm working on the plastics, product by product, in our home. I figure if I tackle everything we buy, it's a start. I can't do everything, and can't stop buying all plastics, but it's a start.
BTW, I've decided you all have the right idea, and am going to stop buying premade hummus. But I will post the Lisa's response, which is interesting.
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