Earth Day is a great time to think about things you can do to Go Green. I believe that any effort, big or small, adds up to make a difference for our planet.
Everyone goes to the grocery store on a regular basis. You may even make multiple trips in one week! You can become a savvy Green Grocery shopper by making a few simple changes to your routine. Try the Easy Ways to Go Green at the Grocery Store listed below and let me know how it goes!
Make a shopping list and buy only what you need. Stick to your list – even when you see those tempting Buy 1 Get 1 Free Sales. Buying more than what you will actually need and use can lead to excess waste.
Choose paper cartons over plastic jugs. It takes more energy to produce a plastic jug than a paper carton. And don’t forget to recycle. One recycled paper carton can produce 5 sheets of paper!
Bring your own reusable shopping bags. Reusable shopping bags help eliminate a lot of waste. Keep bags stashed in your vehicle at all times, and remember to bring them into the store with you.
Skip the produce bags. You don’t really need to put your produce in a separate plastic bag for a trip home from the store. You can reduce waste by skipping the produce bag altogether or by using a reusable produce bag.
Buy organic. Organic foods can be found at most major grocery store chains. They are healthier for you and for the environment. If it’s not possible to buy everything organic, try to start with one or two items from the EWG’s Dirty Dozen list.
Buy Local Foods. Locally grown food has a smaller impact on the environment because it does not need to be shipped from faraway places to get to your table. Plus, it supports your community! Try to find a food coop near you.
Shop the Perimeter. Grocery stores put the basics you need around the perimeter of the store. Think real food like Produce, Dairy, Meats, etc. The processed foods you should avoid are found in the middle aisles.
Buy in Bulk. Buying bulk foods reduces the waste that goes into landfills and can save you money. Check out the Why the Earth Loves Bulk Foods infographic.
Skip the Beverage Section. Individually bottled beverages contribute a lot of waste to landfills. Filter tap water and fill reusable water bottles. Skip the soda. Consider making your own fruit and vegetable juice at home.
Avoid individually packaged items. Reduce waste when you buy the larger size packs and split them into smaller portions at home. This can go for anything from snacks like crackers and chips to yogurt and cheese to meat. You will probably save money, too.
Are you a Green Grocery Shopper? Do you want to be? How do you Go Green at the grocery store? Please feel free to add your own eco friendly grocery shopping tips by leaving a blog post comment below.
Check out the other participating blogs for more great ideas about Going Green:
Cascadian Farm
Marianna: What Earth Day Means to Me
The Pistachio Project: WHy My Family Does Not Celebrate Earth Day
Green 4 U: Earth Day is a Holiday in Our House
Mom Always Finds Out: 10 Easy Ways to go Green at the Grocery Store
Don’t Mess With Mama: Don’t Judge Me If You See Me Dumpster Diving
Simply City Life: Come On and Celebrate the World
Jean says
Great reminders and tips! I use reusable shopping bags and rarely take home ANY plastic bags. I also use a shopping list and work very hard to avoid waste by juicing stray fruits and veggies before they go bad. My husband does his part by making sure leftovers don’t go to waste!
Robin Wilson says
So glad to see that I do most of these things! Glad to help the Earth every chance I get!
Myron says
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There’s a lot of people that I think would really appreciate your content. Please let me know. Thanks
ANN*H says
Interesting tips some I never really thought of doing. Tho we do all we can to be green and recycle or reuse. Thanks for all the idea for us.
Janet W. says
These are all wonderful tips! We always buy in bulk so I’m happy to be more eco-friendly that way!
Denise Taylor-Dennis says
These are great tips, I regularly practice buying only what you need.
md kennedy says
There are some great reusable produce bags out there that are easy to keep clean, which is and important thing to remember: throw your resuable bags in the washing machine every couple of uses to keep the germs off them! (Line dry, though – it takes no time and you’ll use less electricity!)
Robin O says
I nearly always remember to bring our own reusable shopping bags. I need to be better about buying local and/or organic foods, and I wish our grocery store had a bigger selection of bulk foods.