I tried zero waste grocery shopping at COSTCO... (i gave up) ♻️🗑🍌 

So... in defense of the cans being wrapped in plastic, much of the time they come to regular stores like that, and the stores take them out of the plastic and put them on the shelves for individual purchase. Costco just leaves them in the plastic since they are basically a "buy in bulk" store. I get it's frustrating, but buying that way isn't necessarily making any more plastic then purchasing from a normal store. Who is removing the plastic is just different.

I read Costco and zero waste in the title and literally was like “you can’t”

I make an "exception" at Costco for things that are difficult to get without plastic. I'd rather get one MASSIVE bag of insertitemhere than three little bags.

I think that Costco has the perfect business to introduce refillable/reusable products to the general public because 1. they have already trained their customers to be used to fewer choices on the shelves and 2. because the quantities are larger, the packaging is already sturdier and therefore ripe for reuse. I wish they could add refill stations in the warehouse for laundry detergent, eggs, nuts, maple syrup, shampoo, oil, etc. Maybe rather than feeling sad about the choices available at the individual level, we should advocate for changes at the systemic level. I will try offering this suggestion to my local Costco, maybe if enough of us do the same we could see some change.

Former grocery worker, that’s just how pallets of inventory come, period. And that’s really the onus of the brands the store buys from. Load days where we got in inventory and had to break it down and stock the shelves resulted in a lot of garbage, even just at a small family shop. It’s the limit of zero waste at the consumer level, because anything “package free” you’ve found at Walmart or target originally came as the pallets you see at costco, you’re just further downstream and don’t see it.

Surprisingly, Costco is probably as low waste as any other grocery store. Though, consumers have to see all the packaging, instead of it being thrown away before it's put on the shelves. I'm glad that they're at least honest about about it, and their employees have way better benefits than at other stores. I have a family member that's been working there for something like 8 years, making as much as another family member that's a nurse. Given the choice between Costco and any other big chain grocery store, I'd take Costco, and buy a huge bag of beans rather than use "bulk bins" that are filled up with the same big bags.

Please remember how the food you buy at other stores is packaged when delivered to the store. Mangoes usually arrive to grocery stores in those same boxes, they are just removed from the box when put on display. Or, those canned goods are just removed from the plastic wrap before getting shelved. Some of those foods are the same amount of waste but at other shops you aren’t seeing it. I can buy a 25# bag of cashews in plastic or I can go to the bulk section and fill up my own container with cashews. In the bulk section I get to feel like I didn’t make any waste, while the 25# bag was made of plastic and now I feel guilty, but the reality is that in the bulk bins the store had to deal with the plastic instead of me but the end result is the same amount of waste.

“Exhaused, stressed, full of anxiety, and my eye twitching,” perfectly describes every Costco trip. If you check out Costco’s website they have a whole page on sustainability and their plan to reduce their plastic packaging. So they are aware and working on it.

I understand it seems like more plastic but they sell bulk items. The cans wrapped in plastic go to normal stores like that and then the store opens them and gets rid of the plastic. At Costco they sell the whole case of cans and the customer disposes the plastic. In stores where you fill your own containers of rice, granola, etc., they come to the store wrapped in plastic and they open them to put them in the refillable bins you use to fill your own containers. At Costco you buy the entire bag of rice etc and dispose of the bag yourself. So there is still waste just the consumer getting g rid of it instead of the store. It really only makes sense to shop at Costco if you have a large family and go through these things a lot. I have 2 hungry boys and shop there a lot.

Everyone keeps saying this amount of plastic is how much goes to almost all grocery stores, and it's really about who is having to put the plastic into the trash. Is there anyway you could do an in-depth video about this? Are there some brands better than others? Are some stores buying in smaller amounts and creating less waste? Just a thought!

I buy some things at Costco like flour, rice, and beans. They also have the cheapest beyond burgers. Some of the canned goods come in a cardboard box like their corn. I don't like all the plastic, but on the staples like rice they have the best prices and the least amount of packaging that I can find.

Your ending rant is SO true and appreciated. Costco is terrible with the amount of packaging they have on every single thing. BUT they are very good for buying things in bulk, which can, in a weird way, reduce A LITTLE waste. Like I don’t have any bulk stores near me... so I’ll never be able to find olive oil or oats in bulk bins. But if I buy them at Costco, at least I’m buying one big package rather than 5 little ones. I only wish that those packages were more reusable, like if I could refill them or use them elsewhere. Ultimately, Costco is never our go to for food shopping. It’s good for large amounts of meat, for pantry staples we can’t get without packaging, and for large amounts of cheap standards like toilet paper which we then split up with friends and family. But it’s frustrating as hell that ridiculous amounts of plastic is cheaper than bulk bins and lower waste items.

We use Costco to buy large quantities of things that we cannot find without plastic at any store 🤷

After learning about the shake test from you, i also realized when trying this at aldis a lot of this can be confirmed by looking at the recycling notes, if there was a plastic type instert or flavor packet that would be listed on the box as non-recycle or different form of recycle. Just wanted to share that in case it helps eliminate some of the shakes that seemed to pass but at home turned out to fail.

Uhhh am I the only one that noticed her driving before she put on her seatbelt and playing pokemon go while driving (and filming)? Please be safe when you drive Shelbi!!

Kirkland (costco) brand tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste are cans in cardboard. No plastic at all. That's why we get ours there!

I’ve worked at Costco. There is an extreme amount of people that will buy a rotisserie chicken and get a box JUST FOR the chicken lmao. One good/interesting thing about Costco is that all the product that is bruised/unsellable gets donated to farms to feed livestock. So it is not fully wasted.

This video made me think about buying bulk in a regular store. How much of what we are seeing as package free came to the store over packaged? Mangoes probably come in the case you were forced to get. BUT I don’t think the cases of cans come with the second layer of shrink wrap, etc. I used to belong to a buying co-op that sourced from the same wholesaler as the local food co-op stores, so I was getting the same big bags, etc. usually plastic. Rice comes in woven plastic sacks. Flour in brown paper bags with a plastic liner. That is what the stores have before they put products into bins that we put in our reusable bags. But certainly less packaging than single packaging in regular stores, and from your excursion to COSTO, they appear to be special repackaging large amounts for bulk buyers at these wholesale clubs, and in plastic.

There is no way to be ZERO waste at Costco...BUT it is possible to be LESS waste, because of the reduced packaging from buying in bigger quantities, rather than individual packets.... Also, if the packaging is recyclable I count that as relatively zero waste.....cardboard, paper, metal.....and of course, reusing packaging like the box is a good idea... I DO shop at Costco regularly, and the canned goods I buy come in cardboard, not plastic....so I do pay attention to the packing,and I try to but recyclable packaging....I think it may be different region to region.

Costco parking lot feels like being in the Hunger Games

Costco is pretty much a necessity in my life right now. Still living with family and with four working adults here, we have to get things in bulk. But we usually don’t need to go get replacements every month but maybe every two maybe even three months. Less waste in general on our end. I try my best in all aspects of my personal life to be zero waste but Costco is my exception for the time being.

Trust me I understand your anxiety from how busy it gets there!! I worked at Costco this past holiday season and are stressed from how difficult it is for shopping zero waste, restocking for them opened my eyes even more behind so much waste larger companies create. During orientation they talked to us about how they are being green by recycling, but someone has to buy that waste for it to be recycled 🙄. Also they throw away tons of things that don't meet their customer product quality. I offered to buy all of these amaryllis and orchids that had finished blooming and I was told even as an employee I'm not allowed to purchase them for not meeting the Costco quality. Honestly I felt so bad about how much waste I had to produce working for them. Also I never really shopped there because everything is offered in large quantities on some items that it would go bad before I'm able to finish them.

So frustrating. I know this playlist is more like grocery chains, but I'd love a "zero waste grocery shopping at a farmers market" palate cleanser lol.

Your emotions during this is me every time I go shopping because there are no zero waste options close to me.

Yeah but you can take big bag of stuff like big big bag of rice because when you buy zero waste rice it came in big bag like that. Because for me being zero waste is not about don't bring waste in your house! Because big big bag is as well zero waste because it's what zero waste store use as well

I've written customer reviews to Costco of where they can reduce their waste. Also read their "green/sustainability initiative" and called them out on it that it has not translated to their stores *at all*. It's awful. But dammit I love the place.

I recently moved near a Sprouts and have been exploring their bulk section. I just finished my last Costco bag of oats and took my container to Sprouts to refill. Costco is $0.95/lb and Sprouts is 0.$99/lb but there is often a discount if you use the app. Nearly the same price, or even less expensive, but without the plastic! Thanks for introducing me to Sprouts and their Bulk section!

this showed me how truly unreasonable and unrealistic zero waste expectations are

Even the regular stores have their cans come together in plastic. It's just taken out of the packaging before being put on the shelf.

I actually work inside Costco and you think it's bad, just wait until you see all the extra waste that happens before customers come in its insane and extremely irritating, the one I'm at doesnt even offer any type of recycling

When you went in the fridge, i felt that 😫

So there’s a breaking point right? Yeah you had to buy six mangos in a cardboard box, but aren’t the mangos you find in regular stores also shipped in the same cardboard? I’d love to see a behind the scenes look at a bulk store and see what shipping materials they discard before it gets to the pretty bin at the store. I’m new to the low impact movement and love how educational your channel is, I’m just surprised you didn’t touch on that in this video when I’m fairly certain you’ve brought it up before. I don’t think one should feel guilty about packaging in one of these stores when the plastic you see at Costco is still being used other places (and you just don’t see it)

When you called the cart a buggy😂 you're so right tho I love your message at the end! Saving money and being eco-friendly usually go hand in hand but not always 😅

have you considered doing a series on vegetables you can get at the grocery store that can rejuvenate itself at home? there are things like celery, carrots, spring onions that you can buy and then grow from the tops or bottoms in soil at home!

Costco has a suggestion box. Everyone should share their concerns regarding all the packaging, maybe they can go to the companies. Say you are reconsidering whether you want to continue with a membership because of it. I can see some easy fixes. They can have it set in the system of how many of each product a customer needs to get.

Yes it is impossible. But if you think about it, regular grocery stores get lots of plastic packaging and than in wrap things like cans to put them on the shelves. Also on the plus side they don’t use bags at check out at all.

Omg I died with the double plastic spinach seriously?!?! Then plastic wrapped bananas..... then NO you must buy 6 mangoes? I ❤️❤️ mangoes and I can’t eat 6 mangoes in a week Girl I got the eye twitches too

A lot of people in the comments mentioned how most stores (restraunts as well btw) get that much plastic shipped to them anyways, so I'd like to talk about what the disposal from restraunts looks like. Every restraunt I've worked in had the same disposal set up. (I'm in Canada, so keep that in mind) Two massive metal, one or two ton, bins with plastic lids that need to be lifted with a garbage truck. One is for garbage, one is for cardboard. Than the container for plastic, these look like larger versions of canadad green bins. Depending on how much plastic is used there will be 1, usually 2, or several of these bins. In the kitchen there are usually garbage bins everywhere that most things go into, than the small plastic bins for metal/plastic, and cardboard. Sometimes, if the outside bins are far away you don't have those bins, and just leave recyclables in a back hallway to be taken out with the garbage at the end of the day. I have never been in a kitchen that had a compost pile. Even though most kitchen waste is food waste.

omg when I saw that plastic packaged spinach inside a plastic container, it reminds me of one of the grocery store back at home!!! They literally wrapped a fruit (I don't know what the fruit was called but it was like apples where you don't really need plastic to protect it) with a plastic bag and put an individual price tag (the plastic one) on it when they already labelled the price tag on the shelving area! I was SO outraged when I saw it!

Love this video! I hope more influencers use their platform to put pressure on large companies to cut back. Someone correct me if I’m wrong but I think all bananas arrive from their home countries in cardboard boxes lined with plastic. I don’t think zero waste bananas exist unless you hop on a plane. And that’s not ecological either 🤪

I work at a natural foods store. The stuff we get in for bulk is in this paper packaging but it usually has a plastic lining inside. Boxes usually have extra packaging in the inside for fruits. That’s why I don’t have a problem buying in bulk from BJs. Also, the natural foods store I work at gets a lot of it’s products from BJs. That’s why a lot of us that work their get free memberships.

I've only been watching you for that two months and I found wonderful wonderful ideas from you. I appreciate you and your channel so very much. Today I found out that you play Pokemon which is my wonderful zero-waste hobby. I was so happy to see this. Catch them all Shelby

You do what you can do. That's all we can do. I love what shoppers did in Germany, who removed all the plastic and ott packaging at the supermarket while packing their groceries into their shopping bags. So the store had to deal with it. Maybe if people stuck together and did something similar, stores and manufacturers might change their ways.

So I'm trying to live zero waste, but just a couple days ago in the town I live in, 2 guys were found spraying some sort of chemical on fresh produce at my local Walmart. They had to throw away thousands of dollars worth of food. I fortunately don't shop at Walmart, but I'm thinking that packaging in plastic would definitely would have protected the food. I'm sure this is rare, but people touch, sneeze on, cough on, and basically get germs all over food in bulk bins. It's really disgusting. So, it's a challenge living zero waste and trying to keep your food safe. Just a thought.

Shelbi, you should make a video on how to email/get in contact with these companies and inform them of these issues. We need to keep them accountable. Id love to get in contact with Costco but I don't even know where to start.

What I hate the most are the “hangers” they use for kids clothes. They don’t even hang! You can never reuse them!

I'd love to see the good Zero Waste grocery stores and house goods stores that you recommend and visit! And ones that may be local and widespread across america too, so that i can know where to shop.

Would love to see you try zero waste shopping at farmers markets throughout the seasons. Not sure how much would be available this time of year in your area, but if you try it every few months, you could bring awareness to seasonal produce, supporting local community, AND reduced carbon transportation.

The spinach in the clamshell AND the plastic bag made me crazy! Also, the bananas with a band around them -- why?? They are already naturally attached to each other. I do appreciate that Costco doesn't use plastic bags; that's about the only low waste thing they've initiated.

Whatever store you do next, ask if you can see how stuff arrives from the truck. Lots of things are delivered with plastic packaging you won't see on the store shelf.

I work at a Costco in Canada and omg it's such a struggle. I try to be as low waste as possible, but yea I make an exception when I'm shopping there because at least it's in bulk. My managers have told me they are working on sustainability initiatives but I'm not sure what they are.

The only real way to buy low waste is to go local. Warehouse clubs sell and transport all over the country. I doubt they can cut much of the packaging. I have a BJ’s card, but I buy very little there. I pretty much have to go to the co-op to buy bulk with my own container, so I do. Even the Sainted Wegmans 🙄 doesn’t have much bulk. We just have to keep trying!

I shop for my produce at a specialized fruit and veggie store or at a lovely small local markets where I can get what I want in the quantity I want so there is less food waste. I will open bags of grapes in plastic zip locks and put the grapes I want into my reusable mesh bags. I also shop at my zero waste store and a bulk food store.

I love the background music, makes me feel like I’m watch Rugrats or something!

I legit sent this to my mom. We buy things like dish soap, paper towels, and TP from Costco. Dish soap is in plastic but the jug lasts FOREVER so better than teensy bottles. The TP and Paper Towels kinda make me angry because the individual rolls of paper towels are WRAPPED IN PLASTIC then bundled together with MORE PLASTIC. Same with the TP. It's IRRITATING

This gave me anxiety too 😂 I remember going once to Costco and being completely overwhelmed by the size of everything. Why was it SO HUGE? The quantities were simply ABSURD for my mind to comprehend. Like I understand a restaurant owner could shop there but a family?! I can't... It felt like a massive waste. Don't even get me started on packaging...

I would like to see a re-do of this video after you’re done with the series, that is low waste instead of zero waste. There are things like almond and oat milk that come in recyclable tetrapaks in a recyclable box (added bonus: they have less than half the sugar of the brands at Sprouts). If you go through a lot of rice and beans, you could get the massive bags of those at Costco, since that’s way less waste than a bunch of little packages at a normal grocery store. You and Sedona Christina mentioned that buying in bulk stores is ideal, but buying in bulk sizes (that you can go through before expiration) is good when the other bulk isn’t available. It would be fun to see that played out in a store like Costco, with the additional tips and tricks that you might know about making the least impact while buying packaged foods (especially in places where plastic-free packaging doesn’t exist at all).

I pretty much only go to costco for the vegan yogurt. Its comes in glass jars and the brand sells lids so you can reuse them. I also think I'd rather recycle the packaging myself then hope that the grocery store recycles it

Costco also reuses their boxes for people to carry their groceries out. If you didn’t want to use the mango tray, you could possibly leave it behind for someone to carry their groceries out with.

I choose glass packaging whenever possible, over cans, because most canned items, especially drinks, come in plastic wrap. Glass will usually be packaged in cardboard (at least from what I've seen in the remaining packaging in the stores) and that can be recycled at least. Buuut of course, then you also have the bigger carbon footprint over glass compared to cans so yeah. It's complicated. But at least whenever you see that one company doing better (like cans tied together with cardboard not plastic) you should support it.

My sister thought i was funny . I got excited that the bananas came with tape on them this time instead of plastic bags

How frustrating! I'm guessing the regular grocery stores buy in bulk, then unpackage the cases like those in Costco to stock shelves, so the wasteful plastic is still being discarded "behind the scenes" at those stores as well. That stresses me out. Farmers' Markets make more sense to avoid all the packaging.

I usually get Amy’s lentil soup which comes plastic-free in cans and a thin cardboard box. I’ve also seen their bulk rice and flour packaged in paper or burlap. Also some of their pasta sauces come in glass jars, as well as their kombucha! :)

Hey Shelbie, I don’t live in the US but we also have lots of plastic. Most of the products, even canned products, come to the stores wrapped in plastic to keep the packages intact and with no bumps during delivery. Most stores separate the plastic wrap from the products so they can sell them in signals but I guess that if you sell on bulks you don’t have to.

Thank you for all you do! I just watched “Recycling Sham” on Broken series on Netflix. Overwhelmed but glad I have you to help and guide me.

Biggest frustration with something I got at Costco: my coworkers love their Keurig machine for coffee. Instead of fighting it, I wanted to get compostable pods to make “being sustainable-ish” not so scary. So I go buy a box the pricing is decent! I bring the box to the office and explain why the pods are different looking, etc.... open to discover that it is ALL individually wrapped in NON RECYCLABLE packaging. I was so mad, what is the point of making that product if that’s the end result?? Ps: I’ve tried to get them to use the reusable pods (where you put your own grounds) but they don’t work well... if anyone has a good version of reusable pods of recommend, I am still interested!

I buy low waste at costco by buying large jugs of hand soap shampoo conditioner, big bags of pantry items, or refrigerator staples. I used to try zero waste on a small budget for a large family and found that costco was best for my family. I dont buy individually packaged items. Yes the oat meal has 2 plastic bags but those are large bags. It's better than buying 10 packs of oatmeal. I could go to the bulk bins at sprouts but it was too hard with 3 little kids a toddler and being pregnant.

I know you’re exhausted, stressed, and have a twitching eye, but your eye makeup looks amazing! It makes your eyes pop! 😊

This video popped up and I was like “oh honey nooooo she’s not gonna find shit” lol 😂

Most grocery stores recieve things like cans in plastic, it's just unwrapped when they put them on the shelf, so really the waste is just being passed on to the customer. When shopping at costco, normally that waste has happened and been thrown away before you interact with the product.

I struggle at costco too, I try to only buy things there that I know I can reuse the packaging. So I buy a huge thing of folgers twice a year and refill a smaller glass jar that sits next to my coffee maker where I use a metal refill pod. So yes the original packaging is plastic but I buy it twice a year instead of the k cups and when I finish it, I put soil in and I plant herbs in them. But it's so frustrating to try to buy dried goods there.

I think your sentiments towards the end of this video are bang on...it really is the responsibility of manufacturers and distributors to strive towards zero/low waste. As consumers, we can support those businesses that have environmental / sustainable practices (voting with our dollar). As others have pointed out, we may proudly purchase plastic-free items from Whole Foods, etc BUT, the food/items probably arrived at the store in tons of plastic packaging, that was simply removed before putting the items on the shelf. I recently watched a RU-vid creator talk about her extreme guilt over using paper plates for all her family's meals (they live off grid, and have a very large family). At first I was so disappointed when I learned of this, but now I'm more disappointed in MY judgemental attitude towards this hard-working young mother. I think it really is time to be kind to ourselves...do what we can to help the environment, but don't beat up ourselves (or others) for not being able to achieve a low-waste lifestyle, for whatever the reason.

My boyfriend is obsessed with Costco. I don’t shop their often because I can’t stand the crowds & the amount of packaging everything comes in is absurd. However if you have a friend that can get you into their tire shop when you need new tires I highly recommend it. They have the best deals on tires & we all know how expensive good tires can be.

Hey Shelby! I saw your comment on Financial Confessions with Graham Stephan and just wanted to throw out that I would love a video on reconciling/compromising environmentalism with personal finance. Being less consumeristic is good for the planet but the best index funds support some terrible industries....and I would love to hear about yours and Madison's financial plans!

Yeah that's how things are in grocery stores. Everything comes in plastic HOWEVER tostitos tortilla chips come in reusable bins that trucks pick back up on the next load. I thought that was so cool when I worked in a grocery store.

I used to work at Costco and there is so much waste that you don't even see. The samples are super wasteful, tiny plastic cups and spoons. They go through so many of those every single day.

I buy my soda water by 18 cans and it's packaged with cardboard (not plastic!)at Aldi, same for the beer at my local store. It's not impossible to replace plastique by a better alternative which many companies already use. I hope in the future I will see less plastic especially when we already have part of the solution... Good try Shelby, I though you will end up with absolutely nothing!

This video really makes me want to start a massive garden when we move into lit house and advertise zero waste produce for people in the area. Goodness, it’s even more terrifying realizing Costco is doing what every store does, they just don’t remove packaging for us.

Our grocery store brings out a magazine monthly. This month they had a bit of a 'waste free' approach. I was very happy, but appearantly they just tell us how to keep the produce 'in their packaging'. NO! The packaging doesn't grow in the ground with them. In a few months I hope to have room to grow my own vegetables and I can't wait. So I already planted the musroomstumps from yesterdays meal. Hope it works!

I’m in the beginning of my zero-waste journey but I can relate to getting anxiety of seeing so much plastic. For instance, I have a 3 classes with the same professor in the same room. So at the end of the day I see the trash can is overfilling from college students and just feel guilty but happy knowing I didn’t contribute to throwing trash away!

I was a member of Costco for 1 year, but when I found the zero waste movement about a month ago, I canceled my Costco membership! It was the best thing I've done to cut down the waste I have in my life. I shop at Frys, Sprouts, and the local farmers market now.

I know this may not have been the general message you had in mind to spread but THANK YOU for sharing the fact that you got stressed out over the amount of people/plastic. Since I decided to cut down on plastic in December, I experienced it two/three times that I walked through the store and realized I could not buy anything I wanted for it came in plastic. o.O That really made me feel unhappy and powerless. Nevertheless, I really find your videos interesting since it raises more attention to the general issue. In addition to them, it might also be a great idea to get in touch with people responsible at the respective market. You frequently mention that you want input for ideas what we would like to see, or which issues still bother us regarding the zero-waste-lifestyle. I will try to share my current struggles (incl. examples) here: a) gifts and wasteful behavior of others who don't follow a zero-waste lifestyle in your home: I have a friend coming over for cooking/dinner once or twice a week and since he likes me very much, he always brings a treat (frequently gross things I neither like nor would buy because the amount of plastic), beer for the two of us (glass bottles - that in general is fine but I hardly ever drink alcohol for dinner, so I am collecting full bottles now) and some additional food because he can (in those horrible plastic bags for veggies)/just in case/because he does not want to use flour that might be past its due date (but still totally eatable). The remnants he then insists to leave at my place because we could use that again the next time. I am currently reducing my stock and would rather prefer to keep it as small as possible. Another friend: Wants to prepare the left-over pizza for me to take home (it already was in the box of the delivery service). So, he cut it into pieces and wanted to wrap each of it into aluminum foil, because he can. I - maybe a tad too franticly - said: “No additional waste, please!” I got quite some eye-rolls, but no additional waste as requested. b) eco-friendly giveaways as thank-you for participation in research projects (target group: students), besides money and gift cards. Currently I have a gift bag à 1,50 EUR (I live in Europe^^) with several items a student needs for everyday survival bought in bulk so there is less packaging at MY HOME, but most items are either wrapped in plastic (treats) or are made of plastic (pens) c) less-waste office: you already suggested dry markers instead of felt-pen text markers and I usually use both sides of a piece of paper. Do you have more ideas? Thank you for being an inspiration and example on my journey.

Welcome to South Africa this is what basically all of our affordable shops are like.

Finallyyy!! New video from you. I tried watching other zero waste youtubers? Annnd your channel is still my fave. Maybe im just Not feeling their content?? 🤷 Loljk ♥️ From Philippines

The minute I saw it was Costco, I knew it was a lost cause. Bulk stores always wrap their items in plastic. Only thing I could see buying is massive large glass jars of pickles or pasta sauce. Sam's Club you can get a daily pass, the only fee is having an addition 10% of whatever you buy tagged on. I go to Sam's for my mom's yearly Nesquik supply. I recycle the containers. She's 65 and frail and for her to be happy with her cocoa while I do the rest Low waste, works for us.

Your hair looks amazing in this video :)

I don't know if you will see this or not but I thought a good video idea would be ways to throw a holiday or birthday party or BBQ while also being low waste/environmentally friendly!

I usually buy my berries and stuff there because I can't find berries plastic free anywhere so I would rather get a giant thing rather than a bunch of packages! It's also a good alternative if ppl don't have access to bulk, cause you can get big bags of nuts and Frozen berries and things like that

Now you know what it’s like for people who only have like two local stores. To get it cheap, everything comes prepackaged. I can’t buy anything at my stores without packaging except Mangoes and melons(things no one wraps)

Costco is not a place I go to for actual groceries but rather for items that are typically priced way higher at a regular store like electronics, appliances, storage items, decor, furniture etc. In many ways the items in plastic are still less plastic then if you were to buy them at a regular grocery store that doesn’t have bulk sections. But I get the frustration for sure.

After the series can you do a wrap up video? Like how at some stores you see the waste like Costco but other stores they toss it before it hits the shelf. And how to get them to change. Like is emailing companies better than just trying to avoid plastic? Obviously there is a cap to what consumers can do so when we dont have good options what should we do? Also how much does the plastic really matter if the food is getting air freighted to the US. I use farmers markets a lot in the summer but find myself at conventional grocers more in the winter. Anyways great video tho ik many people rely on coscto!

That's funny, I actually got rid of my Costco membership because it was costing me too much money to shop there. Like I only shopped for food and I was spending like twice what I would in a normal grocery store and get much less variety, but a lot more of one thing. Also, I avoid it because it's on a major road and you can never find parking and there's also no just "running in" there's always like a massive lineup typically it took around 10 minutes just to check out. Craziness.

You can search Kirkland items on ebay....I used to get my supplements that way...I don't do Costco or Sams....here in the desert we also have Winco which is membership free and huge bulk bin pkg free area.....but a lot of theor regular grocery items tend to get expired and still stay on the sale floor.....I dont shop in such places....I live by myself.....yet I understand your anxiety 100%.....I shop at night for that same reason 💜

You should do Winco next! ( if there's one nearby)

try to do a winco if you have one nearby!

I don't shop at Costco, but I do shop at Sam's Club. Yes, most things have plastic, however, shopping in bulk does save money and materials. I also like that they don't have bags.

Someone gave us a free Costco card that we don't really use, but I remember waiting in the car one time while my husband went in to buy a pillow. During that time, I saw SO MANY people coming out with SO MUCH plastic, and I thought my head was gonna explode lol

I only buy a couple of things at Pricesmart (Costsco in Costa Rica): canned diced tomatoes and milk being an example, they come in a cardboard box which I recycle. They are cheaper than in the regular grocery stores and I buy in bulk so I don't have to go back for more on a regular basis. I used to buy liquor there too, cause it's more affordable, but I've stopped drinking so I don't buy it anymore.

Also mangoes and other fruits and veggies show up to regular grocery stores in cardboard boxes so your mangoes were just as "package free" as buying mangoes anywhere else. Costco stresses me out so much.

That is a canary melon, that’s why it’s a different shape and colour ❤️