Simple Ways to Go Green with Your Shopping Habits
Shopping is something that we all do on a regular basis, whether it’s the weekly grocery shop or shopping for a new wardrobe for yourself and your family. However, when it comes to shopping, many people still have a number of unhealthy shopping habits that can be harmful to the environment. If you’re serious about going green, want to reduce your carbon footprint and be as kind as possible to the environment in your everyday life, then taking a look at some of your shopping habits and determining what you can do to be a greener shopper is a great place to start. Let’s take a look at some green shopping habits that you can put in place next time you hit the shops.
#1. Re-use Shopping Bags:
As a nation of shoppers, one of the worst things that we are doing for the environment is getting new plastic bags each and every time we shop for groceries or other items. Whilst many stores today are getting on board with a green initiative and providing more sustainable, paper options instead, it’s down to shoppers to make the biggest difference. One of the best ways to do this is to re-use and recycle your shopping bags. If you have old plastic bags, using these again instead of purchasing new ones is a great idea. Wholesale cooler bags are also excellent for keeping groceries fresh and can be used time and time again.
#2. Check Out Second Hand Items:
The more brand new items we buy, the higher the demand will be – leading to more factory productions, increased energy use, and the use of resources all around the world. Instead, looking for second-hand options when you’re in need of something new will not only be kinder to the environment, but also to your wallet! Thanks to online selling platforms such as eBay, Gumtree and Craigslist, buying second-hand items has certainly increased in popularity recently. Local thrift stores can also be treasure troves when it comes to finding bargain pre-loved clothing and more.
#3. Go Veggie with Grocery Shopping:
Did you know that the meat production industry is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases in the world? Simply cutting down on meat, or even cutting meat out of your diet altogether can make a bigger positive impact on the environment than you may have realized. Avoiding the deli counter when grocery shopping is a simple change with massive results.
#4. Shop Online:
Today, you can buy almost anything online – and the good news is, online shopping is a greener option if it means that you can avoid driving to the mall. Whilst there’ll be some impact from your delivery driver, this is usually less since multiple deliveries can be done in the same day and many delivery companies now use electric or hybrid vehicles. So, go for the more convenient option!
Would you like to add to this list? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
