A universal errand, grocery shopping collectively holds a large impact on our environment. From a survey from Nielsen, in 2018, 48% of Americans will change what they buy for more environmentally-friendly products. The movement of buying sustainable products continues to grow as more people become more conscious of their carbon footprint. Here are some simple and easy ways to be eco-conscious during your trip to the grocery store.
- Use Recyclable Reusable Grocery Bags: Single-use plastic bags are huge contributors to pollution and littering in oceans. A study done by Clemson University shows cotton tote bags may actually be worse for the environment than plastic bags since it is requires more resources to manufacture. One must use a cotton tote bag 7100 times in order to make up for the carbon footprint of making a tote bag. Therefore, it’s important to use reusable and recyclable bags to carry your produce. The more times you use your bag, the better for our environment.
- Skip Using Plastic Bags for Produce: Too often, many shoppers excessively use plastic bags to cover their produce in addition to using a plastic bag to carry produce. For produces such as bananas or apples, it’s not completely necessary to wrap such produces with an extra plastic bag.
- Buy Fair Trade Products: Fair trade certified products indicate a company is recognized and certified to follow fair trade standards, which ensures equitable farming practices and limits the use of pesticides/fertilizers. The certification encourages sustainable practices, so buying fair trade certified products supports companies with environmentally-friendly initiatives.
- Shop Dry Goods in Bulk: Buying dry goods in bulk is cost effective, and it helps cut down on the amount of plastic packaging required. According to National Geographic, 91 percent of plastic is not recycled. Therefore, buying in bulk reduces the amount of plastic on individually wrapped products.
- Food Packaging: If possible, try to buy your food contained in recyclable packaging or glass containers. This eliminates a considerable amount of waste through food packaging. One way you can do this is avoiding buying water from plastic bottles and look to other alternatives such as water filters.
- Consume Seasonal Foods: In-season food not only does it cost less, but food also tastes best during peak season. Foods not in-season often have to be imported from other countries, so it requires less energy to grow. This upcoming fall, shoppers should plan on buying pumpkins and apples.
- Purchase Locally-grown Meats: Supporting local businesses will not only help the local economy, but also a way to get more sustainable meat. Typically, local businesses will have grass-fed and ethically raised meat. This is environmentally-responsible because the meat is not shipped from far away.
- Shop Only What You Need: Food waste has increasingly become a problem. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, between 30-40 percent of food is wasted each year in America. To eliminate food waste, try planning out meals, so you buy just enough food. Not only is planning your groceries financially viable, but it also saves time. On the occasion there are leftovers, consider composting for your garden or replanting to grow plants such as scallions, potatoes, or avocados.
- Buy In-season Fish: Fish are also seasonal foods, spawning, migrating, and growing during different points of the year. When fish are caught during spawning season, they are not able to mature and reproduce. With the additional effect of overfishing, the availability of fish continues to decrease, detrimentally changing the ecosystem. By buying fish that are in-season, you can help keep fish population at healthy levels.
- Buy Sustainable Foods: Lastly, you can aim to buy more foods with a lower carbon footprint. Some examples of sustainable foods include leafy greens, assortment of nuts, and different varieties of beans. Check out Health Revolution Fitness’s article 10 Healthy and Sustainable Foods to gain a better understanding of the health and environmental benefits of buying sustainable foods.
