You’re faced with thousands of choices at the supermarket. Fortunately, many of the healthiest items often have the smallest environmental impact. Along with your food selections, there are many more ways to “go green” at the grocery store. Read more to know what you can do to make your grocery shopping more environmental friendly.
Look for Local
The further a piece of food has to travel to reach your market’s shelves, the larger its environmental footprint. Purchasing locally sourced meat, dairy, and produce whenever possible is a good way to reduce that footprint. Some research suggests organic produce may be healthier for the planet, but not if it has travelled long distances to reach you.
Skip the Aisles, Shop at the Ends
While many food containers are recyclable, foods with little to no packaging are a greener choice. While heavily processed and packaged foods tend to take up all the aisles in the center of your supermarket, fresh and minimally packaged foods are often found at either end of the store.
Get More For Less
Bulk items use less packaging. But if you have to buy packaged items, selecting the largest size available usually cuts down on the amount of waste per unit of food. For example, a large tub of yoghurt is simpler to recycle and less wasteful than small single-serve cups. When it comes to things like detergent and soap, highly concentrated products often require less packaging than diluted items.
Consider Food Delivery Services
One delivery truck can carry groceries for dozens of people—meaning dozens of cars don’t have to drive to and from the supermarket. Unless you can walk to your grocery store, research suggests ordering from food delivery services can reduce carbon emissions by as much as 75%. That’s especially true for people living in heavily populated areas, where food delivery services can travel to multiple customers in a small geographic area.
Bring Your Own Bags
While most consumers believe paper grocery bags are more eco-friendly than plastic, research suggests that’s not always the case. But there’s little debate about the benefits of reusable bags made from recycled (and recyclable) materials, as long as you use it more than once! The more you re-use a reusable shopping bag, the smaller its environmental footprint. Hence, don't hesitate to reuse your shopping bags or even better, to bring along your own grocery shopping basket.
It’s not always easy to make the “green” choice. But by employing these eco-conscious shopping tips, you’ll be doing your part to safeguard the planet.