As you may be aware, OrganicBox has now partnered with BioBag World Australia to provide eco-friendly packaging for your produce. This has taken us one step closer to our goal of becoming completely plastic-free, making OrganicBox a great choice for both your health and the health of our planet. Please read on below for some ways that you can reduce, reuse and recycle your household grocery waste.
How To Reuse Our Compostable Bags
You may have noticed that we began using the new BioBag World Australia 100% compostable produce rolls and compostable liners. They are a superior plastic-alternative that is completely non-toxic and made from corn-starch.
As the liners are compostable, you can reuse them to line your indoor compost bin and then put the whole bag full of compostable waste directly into your outdoor bin each week as they are guaranteed to leave no micro plastics or toxic waste. You can also reuse the produce roll bags to collect peelings during cooking and then flip them inside out for a mess-free clean-up.
Reusing Our Bamboo Food Containers
I've recently been asked about the bowls with lid that you sometimes will get your baby spinach, rocket and salad mix in. These are actually compostable Bamboo bowls with a recyclable corn-starch lid. Bamboo is a great environmental choice because it grows so fast it’s classed as a rapidly-renewable resource – in fact, an entire bamboo forest can grow in just a few years. Additionally, for a new crop to grow it doesn’t need replanting as bamboo regenerates from its roots.
Compostable Plant Pots
As well as reusing these containers as storage for nick-nacks or food, they can also be used as compostable plant pots, using the lid to create a mini-coldhouse. Compostable plant pots allow you to avoid piles of old pots lying around and save hassle by allowing you to plant them straight into the ground once the weather warms up. This means no root disturbance, no transplant shock and no down time while roots settle in.
To set it up, simply poke a few holes in the bottom of the container for drainage and fill with a good quality soil. You can either use the lid underneath as a saucer to collect drained water or on top to increase Co2 and heat. then plant your seeds and place on a windowsill.
To plant, dunk the container and root ball into a bucket of water overnight before planting to ensure its wet all the way through for best results. Dig a hole and plant the whole thing into the ground or into a new pot.
Seed Ideas
You may wish to pick up some seasonal seeds from flowers around your garden or your local nursery. Alternatively, you can save some of our delicious certified organic pumpkin, zucchini, tomato, avocado or apple seeds and give them a try!
Barambah Dairy Milk Cartons
- You can wash and use the bottle to store your pantry items such as nuts and rice, or remove the bottle top to create a bag seal that will work for to keep your pantry items fresh. You can find a full step by step here.
- You can use your organic milk containers to water plants around your home and garden buy filling it with water and poking some holes in the lid.
- How about a home-made pencil case for the kids to take to school? Here’s the instructions.
- You can fill a container with birdseed, poke through some twigs for them to rest on and a hole for them to peck at the seed. Poke two holes in the lid and thread through some twine and then screw on the lid and tie it to a tree. you can get the kids to decorate it with paint or items from the garden to make it extra special!
- A terrarium is such a fun activity for kids! Head to education.com for full instructions.
- A homemade scooper is great for gardening, scooping pet food and even to give the kids for the sandpit! Check out this video tutorial.
Glass Jars
You can save and paint your glass jars from organic spreads, Sauerkraut, pickles and the like to use for:
- Make a ‘happiness jar’. Fill your jar full of happy memories, tickets, and little notes from throughout the year, then crack it open to remember all the great things that have happened.
- Make a compliments jar. Fill with little compliments about yourself, a friend or family member to read whenever they need perking up.
- Make a snow globe with the kids this school holidays by gluing shells or ornaments to the lid and then filling with water and glitter.
- Paint with glitter and use it as a container for pens and pencils.
- Use your jar to pickle leftover organic vegetables.
- Make a batch of organic jam, marmalade or chutney by mixing in sugar, water and spices.
- Make your lunch. Fill your jar with soup, stew or layers of salad.
- Store bathroom cosmetic items in your jar, such as cotton buds and cotton pads.
- Cut a hole in the lid and then glue it down for a homemade piggy-bank.
Organic Compostable Egg Cartons
All or our organic egg cartons are compostable. You can use them in various ways, including:
1. They make great paint containers for the kids. You can squirt some colours in the egg compartments and they can mix the colours in the lid.
2. Cut off the lid, fill each cup with potting soil, and plant some seeds. Once the seedlings sprout, cut each cup from the tray and plant it—cup and all.
3. Make some fire starters by separating and filling each cup halfway with sawdust or dryer lint. Ladle in some heated wax from candle scraps and let it cool.
4. Get organised by painting your cartons and using them to store nick-nacks such as nails, screws, fishing supplies, beads and even Christmas ornaments. The kids can also use them to store pretty rocks and shells, or separate items such as Lego accessories.
5. You can even tear up parts of the carton and use it as a food source in a worm farm.
