You cannot deny that the world has been affected by climate change, pollution, and the ‘disposable’ mentality of society. And it is definitely not cool to just stand by and do nothing about the issues. Reducing your carbon footprint and having a more sustainable lifestyle should not be just a trend anymore. It should be a requirement. Most of the times this is easier said than done. But with baby steps, you can slowly make some big changes.
A great place to start is grocery shopping. Most products you get from the store are packaged in plastic containers that end up in landfills or oceans. You also sometimes end up buying more than you need or stuff that you don’t actually use. So for your next scheduled shopping day at the grocery store, use these tips to lessen your waste.
Plan Menus
Start small so you don’t feel too overwhelmed. For example, you can plan a breakfast menu for one week, the next week include lunch, then the following week include dinner. By planning what you’ll be eating the whole week, you can identify what ingredients you need and avoid wasting any food items.
Make a List
This will make sure you buy everything you need and you don’t purchase something you actually don’t need. It will also help you stick to a budget. Observe how much you consume of everything (toiletries, milk, laundry soap, etc.) so you also know how much you need to buy and when you need to restock.
Bring Reusable Containers
Reusable shopping bags and baskets are becoming more of a norm today and some stores even give incentives to shoppers who bring their own bags. Also, use produce bags for your fruits, vegetables, breads, grains, and other dry goods so you can avoid using plastic bags. Have the merchandise weighed, place the items in your produce bags, and stick on the price tags. As for liquids, meat, and other wet produce, you can bring your own jars. Some supermarkets let you weigh your jars and mark how heavy each container is so the weight can be deducted when pricing the items you put inside. Just ask their customer service before you begin your shopping. Put all your bags and jars in your ‘zero waste grocery shopping kit’ so they’re ready whenever you need them.
You can search which stores in your area encourage sustainable shopping practices or try buying from farmers’ markets and specialty shops.
