Asklemmy

43512 readers

1322 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy 🔍

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

Open-ended question
Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

Lemmyverse: community search
sub.rehab: maps old subreddits to fediverse options, marks official as such
!lemmy411@lemmy.ca: a community for finding communities

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

162

How do we package food products sustainably in coming decades? (lemmy.world)

submitted 6 months ago by j4k3@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

103 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I imagine all plastics will be out of the question. I'm wondering about what ways food packaging might become regulated to upcycling in the domestic or even commercial space. Assuming energy remains a $ scarce $ commodity I don't imagine recycling glass will be super practical as a replacement. Do we move to more unpackaged goods and bring our own containers to fill at markets? Do we start running two way logistics chains where a more durable glass container is bought and returned to market? How do we achieve a lower energy state of normal in packaging goods?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] anon6789@lemmy.world 5 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Do we move to more unpackaged goods and bring our own containers to fill at markets?

This used to seem like a good idea to me too, and from what I've since learned, it seems all grocery stores used to operate this way. Sergei on the Ushanka Show YouTube channel said Soviet stores ran that way too until the end of that era.

The problem which becomes clear when you think about it, is imagine if you had to wait in the deli counter line for half of your purchases. The store only has so many employees, and everything you want needs to be measured. That's a ton of time and labor. Do you want to wait in line for any item not sold in a one size only unit?

Swapping used containers (like we do with 20 lb propane tanks, leave an empty or pay extra, take a full) or compostable wrapping like rice paper or waxed paper seem to be the best shot to save time and material.

[–] stsquad@lemmy.ml 6 points 6 months ago

Unpacked goods tend to have a lower shelf life so can lead to more wastage. It needs a holistic analysis from farm to table to work out the best trade offs for reducing waste.

[–] psud@aussie.zone 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

The co-op supermarket in my city sells cleaning chemicals (shampoo, hand wash, floor cleaner, laundry detergent...) as refills for whatever suitable container you bring

[–] pearable@lemmy.ml 3 points 6 months ago

My co-op and WinCo sell olive oil, vinegar, honey, and more as refills in addition to cleaning stuff.