Zero waste on the go - 10 tips for less (plastic) waste when shopping, in the restaurant and on the go

The zero-waste lifestyle has already created many great reusable alternatives to plastic products. This protects our seas, our environment and in the long run our wallet. We at puremetics think this attitude is great. That's why we're doing our bit for a greener future with our 100% plastic-free products, from the packaging to the ingredients!

Zero waste is easier for many at home than on the go. Shopping, eating out or taking away food often means a flood of plastic from packaging, bags and the like - it is thrown at us everywhere. Today we will show you practical tips and tricks for everyday life, so that you can swear off (plastic) waste on the go!

In addition to these tips, we are pleased that there are also legal innovations. From 2023 there will be a returnable obligation for gastronomy. Restaurants, bistros and cafés are to be obliged to also offer reusable containers. The Federal Cabinet initiated this amendment to the Packaging Act on January 20, 2021. This means that every time you get coffee to go or takeaway food from restaurants or delivery services, you are not only offered a disposable container, but also reusable packaging.

We think that's a good approach! Of course, we still have to take action ourselves and change our habits. Here are our tips on how to reduce waste and get a few steps closer to the zero-waste lifestyle:

• Store purchases in jute bags, baskets or backpacks.
• Find out – where in your area are there unpackaged shops or supermarkets that offer packaging-free concepts? Here you can then shop completely in containers you have brought with you; for example at the bakery or at the fresh food counter.
• When shopping, vegetables and fruit go into a reusable net instead of into the disposable bag.
• Disposable coffee cups are very complicated to dispose of because they are lined with plastic to keep the coffee warm longer. But you don't have to do without the coffee-to-go - just try to have a refillable coffee mug with you (they usually keep your hot drink warm longer than the paper cup anyway).
• It's not new that you should drink enough, but instead of throwing disposable or at least returnable bottles in your bag, create a permanent alternative. Options range from glass to stainless steel bottles. Can't afford that right now? A cleaned juice bottle or something similar will do for starters. The best part? Our tap water in Germany is so good that you can always fill up your bottle on-the-go. Incidentally, more and more restaurants and cafés are also offering a free refill service for tap water.
• Go on a discovery tour, there will also be restaurants and cafés in your area that have made it their mission to produce less waste - they are definitely worth a visit.
• You love the cocktail evening with your girls, but the plastic straw in your glass dampens your exuberant mood? When ordering, simply say that you would like your drink to be delivered without a straw. When your cocktail is in front of you, it tastes just as good without a straw. Without a straw is not the same for you? Then you simply pull out the glass, stainless steel or bamboo straw that you always have in your pocket and can use again and again.
• At events and festivals, people often eat "on the go" - instead of using disposable plastic cutlery, you clean up the dish of your choice with to-go cutlery that you have with you anyway. Such cutlery is available in a wide variety of materials, usually packaged practically for on the go. Otherwise, take a spoon, fork, and knife from the cutlery drawer in your kitchen. Also, when you place your order, you can ask for the food to be delivered with as little waste as possible.
• What's better in summer than an ice cream from your favorite ice cream parlor? You make yourself and those around you happy when you order the ice cream in a cone instead of in a paper cup with a plastic spoon.
• Have you ever tried meal prepping? Instead of eating out at lunch or for breakfast in the office, or grabbing a quick bite at the diner, you prepare your food at home and bring it with you. This saves money and packed in jars and boxes, it protects the environment. And everyone has a lunch box or something similar at home to start with. You stow your sandwich in it like in elementary school days. It's a lot of fun when you meet up with a few people once a week for meal prepping and prepare food for several days at once.

We hope that these tips have helped you a little and help in your garbage-free life. :-)

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