Apr 9, 2022
Single-use things you reuse?
A Redditor asked in the ZeroWaste subreddit, "What do you reuse multiple times that most people throw away after 1 use?" I realize that product packaging and single-use plastics are very different in Japan than in say North America or Europe. I'm in the habit of reusing takeout and supermarket bento boxes for my homemade bento lunches. I might get two or three more uses out of these boxes. What are some single-use items you get more mileage out of? How do you put them to use?
Best Answer
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on Apr 11
The main ones for us are plastic bags. We try to remember our reusable bags as much as possible, but if we do we end up using them for bin liners in lieu of buying small plastic bags for that. When my kids were younger, I'd recycle plastic bottles to make sensory bottles for them. Filling them with colorful beads, water, and food coloring and letting them shake them was a fun DIY toy/activity option! There are a few tutorials online about how to make them, like this quick guide: https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/3836/shaky-bottle/ I really like your idea about the bento containers, too. I think that's a big area where we sadly use and toss them at the moment, but I'm sure we could get more life out of ours, too. I was thinking they could also be good for kids crafts like painting, since they have all those sectioned out spots to put paint into and keep them separate from other colors!
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on Apr 26
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on Apr 27
@genkidesu Good idea with the craft uses! For now, I'm using plastic containers as fridge storage.
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on May 5
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on May 5
Oh, this is one that I really wish more people would do. Those umbrella bags stores put out on rainy days. They are absolutely clean, and it is a massive waste for ppl to just toss them when they walk out. So I usually just reach into the bin and grab the one on top rather than pulling a new plastic bag off. I hope this can become a normal trend.
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on May 6
@JapanRamen I do the same!
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on May 19
@JapanRamen Well said! I also do the same and try to make a grand display of doing so, although I think people don't pay me any attention!
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on Jul 9
I'm in the habit of reusing glass jars for food storage. We also reuse the small grocery store plastic bags (to put potentially leaky things like tofu into) for our "nama gomi" which helps keep things tidier in the kitchen. I never thought about reusing the umbrella bags - that's a good one. I only have a folding umbrella so those bags don't really work. I wrap my wet umbrella in a small towel while indoors.
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on Aug 2
9 Answers