About packaging: paper good – plastic bad?
by Mach Vegbox March 1, 2023
Not quite, but if you were looking for a simple bullet point answer, I’ve got to disappoint you, the best I can do is this: Well, it all depends…
So paper is better than plastic because paper composts quickly and plastic takes forever? Well, a quarter of solid municipal waste in landfill is paper. Let that sink in: A quarter! When paper goes to landfill, it decomposes under anaerobic conditions and creates methane, a greenhouse gas 30 times more powerful than CO2. Not everybody has home composting facilities and thus a lot of paper packaging will still go to landfill.
So, recycle it then? Well, paper or cardboard contaminated with food or other organic dirt (mud, oil) cannot be recycled and a lot of fresh veg will be muddy, making the paper packaging unsuitable for the recycling waste stream.
But paper is made from trees and trees are a renewable resource, whereas plastic is made from fossil oils, which is not renewable and should be kept in the ground, as it’s bad for the climate? Yes, but the paper making process is not exactly a clean industry either. It requires a lot of energy to harvest and process trees and when forests are clear felled to harvest trees, entire ecosystems are destroyed in the process. Yes, you can re-plant, but it does take a very long time to get back to being a fully functional forest. Also the en-masse planting of conifers where they are not a native species can lead to acidification of both soils and water courses. Then there is the actual paper manufacturing process, which has a very large water footprint, consumes significant amounts of energy and can involve very toxic chemicals. The latter is especially true if recycled paper is used to make the new product and 70% of the UK paper industry’s raw materials are recovered papers.
Let’s look at transport next: Research has shown that to ship the same number of bags, it would take 7 lorries of paper versus 1 lorry of plastic. This is because paper is far heavier and bulkier than plastic, meaning that paper packaging causes greater transport emissions than plastic by a significant margin.
Durability and re-use ability: Paper packaging for fruit and vegetables tends to be cheap and poorly made. If the produce to be packed is at all damp (freshly picked veg will often be picked in the rain), paper bags are worse than useless. Most paper bags for packing fresh produce are single use items; use once and throw away, so when we compare plastic versus paper, this is an important and often overlooked factor. Plastic bags, on the other hand, can be reused multiple times and are not affected by damp. Research from 2006 looked into how many times alternative packaging had to be reused to be more environmentally friendly than plastic and found that paper needs to be reused at least three times and cotton more than 130 times.
Then there’s suitability: packaging is used not just to make produce easier to handle, but also to keep it fresh. Freshly picked salad leaves will keep in good eating condition for days, if refrigerated in a plastic bag. In a paper bag, under the same conditions, it will last less than a day before going limp. Food waste is a big problem for the UK. When we waste food by buying more than we can consume before its use by date, and throw it away, most of that will end up in landfill where it will decompose under anaerobic conditions, emitting methane. That also means that all the energy to grow, package and refrigerate the produce has gone to waste. Plastic keeps fresh produce fresh for longer, allowing a much larger window of time for the food to be consumed and thereby prevents food waste.
Pricewise, it is marginally cheaper to use paper. However, packing veg in paper bags can be a frustrating and slow process, due to the fragility of the material. When weighing out produce into paper bags, we often must repeat pack, as the paper bag does not survive the process the first time round, necessitating slower packing and thereby costing more in labour and time.
Given all that information, how come that the public’s perception remains that paper is more environmentally friendly than plastic? The main reason is the way we deal with plastic after we’re done with it. It is indisputable that we have a plastic disposal problem. It’s great when we are all recycling our plastic bags, but a big problem when that recycling ends up halfway across the world in rivers and oceans, which is clearly unacceptable. It is also a waste of a resource, as plastic packaging can be recycled into many durable products, not least plastic timber, which is long lasting and avoids the need for wood timber and thus deforestation. But as shown in earlier paragraphs, replacing our plastic food packaging with paper is not a silver bullet either. Plastic pollution is undoubtably an important issue to be addressed, and has rightfully received a lot of attention recently, but the source of this pollution lies with lack of regulation, corruption, and crime, rather than with the plastic product.
Another reason for the public’s confusion is the lack and quality of the available research. A lot of the research on the topic is old and production methods of both plastic and paper have evolved. It is also not easy to find truly unbiased research, as plastic manufacturers will be inclined to show that plastic is the better option and paper merchants will do likewise for their product.
But this we know:
Plastic prevents food waste. Plastic can be re-used. Transport of plastic bags is less carbon intensive than that of paper bags. Plastic is more suitable for packing damp produce. Being that the main problem with plastic is its disposal, MVB addresses this by offering their customers the service of allowing them to return our plastic packaging for us to sustainably dispose of, after they have hopefully reused it several times.
What about the newer eco packaging materials? The biodegradable or compostable plastic bags made from a variety of organic materials, such as bagasse (sugarcane), nettles, potato starch, bamboo, cane starch. Lets rule out biodegradable plastic straight away, as these products are worse than ordinary plastic and they break down into microplastics and various other toxic substances. Truly compostable plastics, made from plant starches do hold some promise as they break down during the composting process, however: some types are not suitable for home composting, as they need high temperatures to break down and many councils’ composting equipment is not set up for dealing with these bags, which clog up their equipment. Therefore, the majority of councils will ask that you put these compostable plastic bags in general household waste. If that goes to incineration then all good, as most of these schemes now generate heat and/or power, but if it goes to landfill, it will decompose under anaerobic conditions and emit methane, that powerful greenhouse gas.
So far, compostable plastic bags are a lot more expensive than the ordinary plastic ones, meaning that the price of the products packaged in them has to go up. And what’s more, customers do not like them. They tend to be opaque, rather than clear and some brands go wrinkly in response to damp. How their production energy and water footprint compare to plastic, I cannot find any information on, so more information and research is definitely needed.
So why do brands and businesses that are perceived to be more environmentally conscious continue to use paper for perishables? It is exactly because there is a lack of easily available, unbiased, recent research and thus an unclear picture persists. The public focusses on the issues that get media attention and recently, plastic pollution has been front and centre of the news. People also like simple explanations and as this epistle shows, the picture is complex and changeable. And rather than giving a 20 min lecture or a two-page explainer to each customer who queries the use of plastic packaging, it is easier to just go with public opinion and choose to use less sustainable, but more socially acceptable paper packaging.
By Ann Owen
Lazy Cook Risotto
February 22, 2023
Ingredients:
300g risotto rice
700ml chicken or vegetable stock or 550ml of stock and 150ml of white wine
50g grated parmesan
1 medium onion, chopped fine
Tbsp of oil
Some vegetables:
500g of a mix of peas, green beans and broccoli, you could replace the parmesan with soft goat’s cheese 500g of parsnips, chopped small and 5g of fresh rosemary, added at same time as parsnip 600g of pumpkin, cut into small cubes, you can use cheddar instead of parmesan 500g of finely sliced leeks, you can leave out the onion 300g of mushrooms, add a handful of chopped parsley with the cheese. Optional: some chopped garlic added to any of the above Risotto is such an easy dish to make and a proper comfort food. Serve it with a green steamed vegetable or a salad, winter or summer, you can’t go wrong. And if you have leftovers, you can turn them into arancini, which are the best leftover food, ever!
Now what if, like me, you don’t like standing in front of a hot stove, stirring for what feels like ages? Simple: bung it all in the microwave! Start by putting your oil in a microwave dish with a lid. Always use a lid. I use a glass Pyrex bowl with lid. Add the chopped onion and put it in on high for 1 minute. Then:
If you are using a vegetable that takes a little longer to soften (parsnip, pumpkin), put that in next with a third of the stock. As microwave oven can differ, cook it on high for anywhere between 6 and 10 mins. The vegetables should be nearly done. Stir. Add the rice, the wine (if using) and another third of the stock. Cook on high for 6-8min. When using veg that cook faster, start by putting the rice with the onion and one third of the stock. Cook on high for 8-10min. Stir. Add the veg, the wine (if using) and another third of the stock . Cook on high for 8-10min. Stir. And lastly, add the rest of the stock. Here it comes down to personal taste: if you like a more al dente feel to the rice, add less and cook for a shorter time, if you like a more well done, creamy risotto, add more and cook for longer. Anywhere between 10-12min. Then add cheese and parsley (if using), stir, put lid back on pot and leave for 5min. Serve with some freshly ground black pepper on top.
So don’t be put off by the thought that risotto takes ages and takes lots of stirring, because like this, it doesn’t. And it’s pretty good for the energy budget too!
To make the arancini: just roll the leftover cold risotto into balls a little bigger than a golf ball, push a small cube of cheese inside (Mozzarella works well here), roll in flour, dip in beaten egg and roll in breadcrumbs. Then deep fry until golden brown.
Have you got a favourite risotto recipe? Share it in the comments.
By Ann Owen
The Power of Community: Mach Vegbox is bringing you some good news in these dark months!
January 25, 2023
The festivities have passed, the last of the wine has been drunk, and the chocolate’s been eaten and we’re barely halfway through the month of January! None of the news is particularly cheerful and most of us are feeling the pinch due to higher food and energy costs. The growers and workers at Mach vegbox have been wondering how we can continue to bring healthy, fresh, sustainable produce to our community and keep the vegboxes at affordable prices.
For the last twelve months, the production price of our veg has been going up, mainly due to higher fuel and labour costs, but also the price of wholesale veg has risen. Somehow, we’ve managed to keep the price of our bags down, in part because our growers have not sought a price rise for their produce while times are hard, but also thanks to loyal customers keeping our member numbers steady. The more bag members we have, the lower our production and admin costs are per bag and thus we don’t need to raise prices.
We know that some of you are finding it hard to keep your commitment to Mach Vegbox going, due to financial constraints. Some of you might be thinking of leaving, and that would have a cost impact on all the members of Mach Vegbox and on the ongoing resilience of growing chemical-free food locally.
So here is the good news: unlike the big energy producers, our local renewable energy company, Bro Dyfi Community Renewables, have decided to share their windfall profits with their community and Mach Vegbox is one of the many local initiatives that are benefitting from a grant they have generously donated to us. This means that we can now offer a number of reduced-price bags to members who need some help over the coming months. If cost is becoming an issue, then get in touch with our administrator, Sabrina (01654 700115 or [email protected]), and she will make sure that you will get the reduced cost vegbox (£10) to see you through the next 6 months. It’s our normal mixed vegbox (£15.50) that you will receive at the reduced rate. Please take us up on this offer and stay with us. We are stronger together and we aim to not just fill bellies, but also to make these dark months a little easier on the soul.
If you know of anybody who’s not a Mach Vegbox member yet but would like to be, if only the bags were a little cheaper, send them our way, we have some places available for brand new members at the reduced rate as well. Remember: with each new Mach Vegbox member number we become more resilient to any future challenges!
Dyfi Dairy is also joining us by offering a number of reduced cost milk shares. If you are interested, get in touch with Sophia at Dyfi Dairy.
But that’s not all: thanks to further donations by some of our own long-time customers and the food security group “Just Food”, we are able to extend this offer beyond the winter months, into spring and even summer, so hopefully we can make a real difference to our members, at least until summertime and the living is easier!
By Ann Owen
CrowdFarming and the joy of sustainable seasonality
November 23, 2021
When I was a small kid, living with my parents in Belgium, the winter held a highlight that featured even more prominently in my life than did Christmas: the celebration of St. Nicholas day. Every year sometime in November, St. Nicholas* would arrive by steamboat in the port of Antwerp, all the way from Spain. Along with St Nicholas came toys and sweets, which, if you had been “good”, you would receive on the morning of the 6th of December. I still remember the excitement that made it so hard to get to sleep the night before, it was a heady mix of anticipation, joy and worry, the latter because there would have been more than a few times during the preceding year that my parents had warned me that they were going to write to St. Nicholas to tell him I wasn’t being “good”!
The other thing that came with St. Nicolas were oranges and more specifically: mandarin oranges. They preceded the now ubiquitous easy peeler satsumas, that watery, flavourless cousin of the aromatic mandarin. The oranges balanced out the sweet speculoos, marzipan and chocolate gifts that came on that December morning and they were a real treat! I looked forward to them as much, if not more, as to the sweets. I think the reason why they were so special was that you would only get them for a short time of year and once the season was past, you had to wait another whole year before you could get them again.
"When in season"
Seasonal produce is no longer something that people are aware of these days. With most fruit now being available all-year-round, who would know that less than 50 years ago, you had oranges in the winter, strawberries and peaches in summer, followed by grapes in autumn and the only fruit that was about most of the time were apples and bananas. Yet, what we have gained in availability, we seem to have surrendered in taste. It is rare these days to find fruit that packs such a sweet, juicy punch it knocks your socks off.
This autumn, however, I discovered the mangoes from the CrowdFarming project. I love mangoes but have become disillusioned with the version that is commonly available; the hard, dry fruits that rot before they get anywhere near ripe are nothing like the succulent sweet, melt in the mouth flesh of the of my memory. Then I heard about the Crowd Farmer mangoes. As a special treat, I ordered a box which arrived 12 days later. Inside were 11 mangoes of different sizes, with one monster being twice the size of the smaller ones. All were green with a light blush of red and hard to the touch. I picked out two to ripen in the fruit bowl with some apples and put the rest in the box somewhere cool and dark. About 8-9 days later, colour, scent and a slight “give” when pressed told me that they were ready to eat. I’m tempted to go overboard here with my description of how good this mango was, but I haven’t got whole day, so suffice to say that this was a proper lush mango, messy juicy sweet, just like they are supposed to be. I put the second one in the fridge for the next day and refilled the fruit bowl with another two to ripen, feeling incredibly pleased that, at last, I had found a source of mangoes worth eating. Once again, my year will be marked by the anticipatory joy of knowing that my favourite seasonal fruit is nearly there.
Cutting out the middlemen
CrowdFarming is an internet platform that allows producers to sell direct to consumers. There are no middlemen and farmers can decide what price they want to sell their produce at, empowering them to vary their prices as needed. There is no supermarket locking them into contracts where they end up having to sell their produce below the cost of production when harvests are poor. Do go and have a look at the website and read all about it. To me, it’s what the farmer-to-eater food system of the future looks like. It heralds an end to the exploitative conditions that farmers who are tied into contracts with big foodco must suffer.
But what if 5kgs of avocados or lemons are just a bit too much of a good thing
for you? That's why at Mach Vegbox we decided to trial facilitating the purchasing of CrowdFarming produce. Via our website, you can order just the one mango or three avocados. We are offering those two fruits from organic CrowdFarmers to start with and we’ll see how it goes from here. Note that the produce on offer is strictly seasonal and will therefore not be available all year round.
The revolution is edible!
You might have thought that Mach Vegbox were only about local, fresh food? While that is still our primary reason for existence, our endgame is bigger than that; we want no less than a farmer revolution, where farmers get a fair price for their harvests and consumers get the best and most sustainable food available. No more profiteering middlemen, no more externalities, no more poor quality produce grown by unsustainable methods. No more food waste due to unrealistic esthetic and size standards. And with this aim we stand shoulder to shoulder with our CrowdFarming compadres.
Mach Vegbox does not make a profit from CrowdFarming produce. We only add a small charge to cover admin costs. This is a service to our customers because we want to share with you the sustainable and ethical deliciousness that the Crowd farmers offer along with the joy of seasonal fruit.
We hope that you will also join with a few friends and share orders of other CrowdFarming produce, check out their virtual farmer’s market. Please note that not all the farmers on this platform produce to organic standards, but there are plenty of those that do.
*The tradition of St.Nicholas has become controversial lately, both for the notion that only “good” kids get rewarded and for the depiction of black people. My mentioning of my childhood experience is not to be considered a tacit approval of this cultural tradition.
By Ann Owen