I'm always looking for ways to reduce my output of trash. We are definitely a convenient, disposable society and sometimes its hard. But after being in a beautiful place like Hawaii for 2 weeks, and connecting a little more to Mother Earth, I'm reminded that Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, is not just a catchy marketing phrase, it really is important.

Tupperware is an investment, however it's a one time investment (because there is a lifetime guarantee!) and most of my pieces of tupperware are helping me reduce the amount of waste that comes out of my kitchen.

Here are a few pieces of tupperware that help me reduce waste:

1. Silicone wonder mat: instead of using foil on the bottom of a cookie sheet for roasting vegetables, I now just throw down my silicone wonder mat. It's easy to clean and reusable, time and time again. Roasted cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables.
2. Eco Water Bottle: I don't have the exact statistic, but the amount of plastic water bottles that Americans use and dump in the landfill is disgusting. When all it takes is one refillable water bottle for each member of your family. I use this when I'm traveling, going to the gym, taking road trips, and just around the house. This bottle has never seen the inside of a cupboard, it gets used all the time. 
3. Sandwich keeper:  The traditional purpose of this piece is just like the name implies, it's meant to store your sandwich for your cold lunch.  This reduces the amount of sandwich baggies used. Not only that, I found that the sandwich keeper could be used for so many other purposes. When I was traveling, I used it to keep my charging cords corralled, and my make up in one place. Really, it could be used to store anything.
4. Vent n serve: These handy and durable (you can put spaghetti sauce in them and it won't stain!) containers are my favorite for leftovers. I see a lot of people using zip lock baggies or plastic containers that break or stain, and guess what? get thrown away, long before a tupperware container would.  Having a set of the vent n serves on hand saves me using saran wrap or foil to top a bowl or container.  Also, if you have homemade meals (leftovers for lunch) instead of lunchables, or prepackaged lunches, you don't have the waste from all of the packaging AND its healthier. You win, the environment wins!
5. Fridgesmarts: The initial investment for a set of fridgesmarts may seem steep at first. But if you calculate the amount of money you waste on produce that goes bad in your refrigerator, you would quickly see that the fridgesmarts make up for their cost within a couple of months.  The venting system at the top of fridgesmarts allows the right amount of air flow (depending on what you're storing) to keep your fruits and vegetables longer. This saves you money, but also helps the environment ..you are buying produce less often, which cuts down on the fuel that is used to ship all of these veggies into your grocery store. And if you grow your own, even better.
6. This isn't tupperware, but for goodness sakes, get yourself some reusable bags, and make it a habit to keep them in your trunk. I really like my 31 cooler and bag, they fit a lot of groceries. The Clear Lake Farmer's Market is selling some too...check it out here!

   

I have noticed since I started selling tupperware, I have not been using my ziplock, foil, saran wrap, or wax/parchment paper as often. Which is saving me money and saving the environment. Love it!