Meet the Johnsons
Sunset magazine recently published an article about a zero-waste family in California. Although I'm not ready to decrease my dependency on packaging to this level I was really impressed with some of the things the family has been doing.
Photo courtesy of Sunset Magazine
I love that they take their glass jars to the grocery store for cheese and bulk food items. That is so easy. I really want some cute glass jars. I am adding that to my 2012 purchase list.
I like the suggestion of using kitchen tools in as many ways as possible. This may be because I already do this. I use my grater as a zester and my muffin tins for kid snack trays, meatball cookers, individual omelets, individual serving cheesecakes and mandarine orange upside down cakes. You could use them for crab cakes, meatloaf and mini pizzas if you want.
Photo courtesy of Sunset Magazine.
I love that she outfitted her family of 4 for $40 last year. That is amazing. This is one area I'm not ready to commit to. After going through my closet and getting rid of everything I didn't love I don't know how she does "6 pairs of shoes, 7 tops, 7 pants, and 2 skirts (1 also wearable as a top)." That is amazing. I need a little more variety that that. I'm happy with whatever number I happen to have. But, I do like the idea of getting rid of something if I buy something new. That will keep the number the same and it will be easier for me to make a decision whether to buy a new shirt. If I can't think of the one I will get rid of, I can't buy it.
I also loved this:
Question: Living like this must take a lot of time.
Answer: I save time. While other people are zigzagging the aisles of the grocery store, I shop the perimeter. The deli and cheese departments take extra time with my jars, but then I shop the bulk-foods aisle for all dry goods. I do the farmers’ market for produce. And I go to malls only occasionally, for shoes.
Answer: I save time. While other people are zigzagging the aisles of the grocery store, I shop the perimeter. The deli and cheese departments take extra time with my jars, but then I shop the bulk-foods aisle for all dry goods. I do the farmers’ market for produce. And I go to malls only occasionally, for shoes.
I'm starting to feel that way too. I have more time because I'm not shopping as much. The Johnson family would make great neighbors.