There
are many ways to make a positive impact on the planet while shopping.
Doing business with companies
that provide natural, organic and fair trade products is certainly
one way. But the way that we carry out our local shopping can also
make a big difference. These suggestions sound simple but they are
often overlooked as effctive ways to save time, money and gasoline
while making a positive impact for our future.
1) Make a detailed grocery list - The more detailed the better.
I used Excel to make a spreadsheet of all the products that I buy
most often. It includes the normal price for the products AND it
is laid out in the same order as the aisles in my favorite grocery
store. This allows me to go through my pantry and refrigerator each
week and make sure I am getting everything I need - which saves
extra trips! Also, listing the normal price allows me to know when
another store has a great bargain.
2) Reusuable shopping bags - Many major stores sell them
now - Publix, Walmart, Home Depot. But if you are like me, you are
often going to find yourself in a store without one of your bags.
A good solution is compact shopping bags that fold up and can be
carried in your purse: compact
reusable shopping bags
3) Call ahead - Although it isn't feasible to call ahead
to check every product in the grocery store, it does make sense
for department stores. Call ahead to check if the store is open,
if they carry a particular product and if it is in stock. In some
instances, it even makes sense to check the address. I recently
called ahead to see if a store was open before I made a trip. I
drove to the address listed in the phone book only to find a sign
on the door saying they had moved. The person on the phone had neglected
to tell me that.
4) Get to know your grocery store - Produce and meat deliveries
and stocking usually take place at a particular time. Getting to
the store at the wrong time of day might mean less selection.
5) Plan your shopping trip: schedule your shopping trip on
the same day and route as your other chores to save trips. Set a
goal for yourself to only make one shopping related trip a week.
6) Buy in bulk - Larger containers of products (pet food,
detergent, etc) usually cost less and create less packaging in the
landfills
7) Visit local farmer's markets - Buying locally grown produce
helps the local economy and saves money in transportation charges.
8)
Shop
online to save gas - Shopping online gives us access to
more vendors, allowing us to patronize those businesses which focus
on helping to create a greener, more sustainable future. And shipping
costs often cost less than the price of gas.
