a revolution

in growing, cooking, packing

a packet of crisps,

who’d think it;

a salty snack could

save the world

in small ways;

solutions from re-thinking

how crisps were packaged,

no plastic,

each compostable packet

eco, logical,

inside, taste,

all natural, renewable

energy supply,

well grown

ingredients

from one locality

blended and encased ethically;

clever.

Yes, I really am this excited about a packet of crisps! Just in case anyone is concerned, I get no kickbacks for saying any of the following. In our quest to lower our plastic use and become more eco while meeting extra health and mobility needs, I have discovered Two Farmers Crisps, which uses 100% compostable packaging, is hand-cooked using local gubbins, with salt harvested by hand and crystallised using renewable energy. It contains no palm oil and has limited food production and transport miles. It goes to show you don’t have to be a climate scientist or member of a government to be a pioneer in protecting the future of planet or people! Nor do they cost a fortune, though they’re not dirt cheap either; £1 a pack, less in bulk. At that price, we can enjoy them as a treat but not get fat on munching them.

This revelation comes as we open the box from Plastic Free Pantry. Delivery is important. (We’ve no car as yet, I can’t walk more than 5 yards aided or propel my wheelchair). No, we could not afford to buy all our stuff from this store. We chose bulk buys and a couple of subscriptions. We unpack rice, nuts, spice, and wrapperless chocolate drops all in easily recycled paper, card, and compostable cellophane-like material. Chocolate, I have chocolate! A jar of stock, and an experiment; a bag of locally grown yellow pea power; an alternative to chickpea power for those trying to cut out or cut down on egg. At the bottom of it all, hessian cleaning squares, made from old coffee sacks at 75p. Add the basic tins and bottles we buy from a supermarket and the vegetables from local grocers and we’ve massively reduced our plastic already.

Then the bag from Surfers Against Sewage and there’re tears of joy again. Yes, seriously, I am that emotionally invested. Steal straws – I need them because of dexterity issues, – a stylish reusable bamboo coffee mug and water bottle for my husband. Little things that, longterm, save time, environment and money. Eco cotton buds, a bit more expensive, but we’ll save in other ways. We have to.

We’ve found a zero waste shop. It’s not accessible but it is linked to a wheelchair accessible vegan cafe run by a celiac, which means our whole family can eat there safely and comfortably. I can linger over a cuppa while my favourite human nips upstairs to refill house and body cleaning stuff. Maybe not everything, but what we can. We make some ourselves too; vinegar, lemons, bicarbonate of soda and eucalyptus oil go a long way and are less expensive than many big brands and some supermarket own brands.

I talked to the cafe and shop owner and she said that in quiet times they are happy to go to do the legwork for us and bring what we want to buy down to the cafe. Warmed and encouraged by this, I suggested putting a basic ‘menu’ of what the shop sold in the cafe. They’d drum up more general custom and help people with mobility issues buy stuff.

steel straws

and bamboo cups

for coffee on the run

water bottles, not single use,

clean tools –

behold my weapons

against ocean being strangled;

bamboo cotton buds!

Antonia Sara Zenkevitch

I’d love to hear your sustainability stories. It would be great to share inspiration from around the world on the ways, small or large, that people are shifting the tide. Please add your news to the comments or give me a pingback, so we can celebrate and reblog your triumphs on upcoming Sustainability Sundays.

And remember, hope can be found anywhere, even in some packet of crisps.