Green Shopping Tips
Save Money and the Environment
A family of four can save $3,000 a year simply by buying products in the largest size they can use and by buying long lasting reusable items. Think about the effect of your purchases on the environment when you shop. Items with excess packaging and products that need to be discarded after only a few uses cost more money, use up valuable resources and create more waste.
Buy Products in the Largest Size You Can Use; Avoid Excess Packaging
A family of four can save $2,000 a year in the supermarket by choosing large sizes instead of individual serving sizes. Remember, ten cents of every shopping dollar is used to pay for packaging. Small sizes use more packaging for each ounce of product than larger sizes. So, if you buy large sizes, you save money, reduce waste, and help the environment. That is a really good buy. Here are a few good examples, look for others the next time you shop.
- Buy cereal in a large box instead of in individual serving sizes.
- Buy juice in concentrates and use reuseable containers instead of single serving packages.
- Save money by buying bottled water in a large plastic jug instead of six packs of 16 ounce bottles. Reuse plastic water bottles.
- Buy large packages of sugar and flour.
- Avoid the small boxes of raisins and buy the same amount in the 24 ounce box.
Buy Products in Containers That You Know You Will Be Able to Recycle
It is important to familiarize yourself with your what types of containers and items can be recycled in your local recycling program. Once you know what you can recycle, look for products that come in the containers that you know you will be able to recycle when the products are all used up. Examples are products in commonly recycled containers made from aluminum, steel, #1 and #2 plastic, and glass. Check the Earth 911 Reuse and Recycling Services listings to see what types of containers/packaging you should look for in your community.
Buy Reusable and Long Lasting Items
Products that can be reused are cheaper in the long run than those you throw away and buy over and over again. Goods that are designed to last a long time are also cheaper in the long run than those that wear out quickly. A family can save $1,000 each year buy buying reusable and long lasting products.
- Use rechargeable batteries in toys, flashlights, radios. You can save $200 a year by using rechargeable batteries instead of disposables in one cd player used two hours a day.
- Use cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers. You’ll save $600 per child by using a laundry diaper service instead of disposable diapers.
- Use a real camera instead of disposable ones. If you take 24 pictures each month you will save $144 each year.
- Many families spend over $260 each year on paper towels and napkins. Switch to cloth napkins, sponges, and cloth towels or wipes.
- Use washable plates, cups, and silverware for parties and picnics instead of disposable products.
- Use an electric razor or hand razor with replaceable blades instead of disposable razors.
- Buy high quality/long life tires. They cost less per mile traveled and reduce the problem of disposing of used tires.
- Use a washable commuter mug for your morning coffee and eliminate a Styrofoam or plastic cup every day.
- Bring bags to the market, either cloth ones or your old paper and plastic ones. Many markets will credit your bill for using your own bags. When buying only a few items, don’t take a bag.
- Clean and service your appliances, computers, tools, and cars so that they will enjoy even longer lives. And, before you replace them, check to see if they are repairable. Consider sharing equipment that is used infrequently such as hedge clippers, pruners, fruit pickers, or chain saws.
jabenso
posted on July 24th, 2007 at 9:50 am
Cardboard Boxes are a great alternative to plastic & canvas bags. I use (& re-use) a medium cardboard box on each trip to the grocery store. This is great for a few reasons:
-no plastic bags are used
-my groceries don’t roll around while driving home
-the box is durable for longer re-use
-the box is recyclable after I’m finished with it
-a box can be used for additional tasks at home
Ask your local grocery store manager to provide access to some of the store’s cardboard boxes that the products you buy were shipped to the store in. Place these near the checkout lanes to give customers a choice in how they “bag up” their groceries. Not only can you then re-use this box for grocery or other tasks, but this reduces the number of plastic bags bought buy the store and the number of boxes the store needs to dispose of. When finished just recycle the box.
lcollier
posted on January 19th, 2008 at 12:14 am
Skip the plastic water bottles altogether. It would be best to have a home water filtration system; short of that, purchase water in a large plastic jug, as stated above. Use that to refill an environmentally friendly, reusable item, such as a stainless steel “bottle”, or an insulated item (such as a Thermos) lined with stainless or glass. Both stainless and glass are inert; plastic bottles often contain bisphenol A which leach into the water that you’re drinking. Yes, it’s probably in the large jug, but you’re decreasing your exposure to this chemical by eliminating the individual bottles. The release of bisphenol A really kicks into gear when the bottles are cleaned or heated.
Another suggestion: Lugging home heavy, bulky items, like the jugs of water that may be too heavy (or too big) for the reusable bags. I have one of those collapsible rolling crates in my trunk just for this purpose. At the store, I put these items into my car (loose), and when I get home I open the crate, put the items in, and easily roll it into the house.
bravenewleaf
posted on January 29th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
In addition to buying items that are easily recycled, make sure you buy items that are *made* out of recycled materials! Toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, trash bags, toothbrushes, aluminum foil, and many other types of products come in varieties made from recycled material.
This helps support recycling at both ends of its lifecycle!
http://www.bravenewleaf.com
-A new greenie trying to reduce her carbon footprint.
frank
posted on February 17th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
The cloth vs disposable diapers argument is covered in detail in the book “The Consumer’s Guide to Effective Environmental Choices”, which I recommend to anyone serious about going green. Apparently it’s not so clear cut one is more green than the other. For example, cloth diapers consume more water in their lifetime (manufacture and washing). Plus, I’ve never used a commercial diaper laundering service and I’m not really sure where those are, but it sounds like an extra trip to me… time and transportation.
Other than that, it’s nice that the “reduce” and “reuse” are emphasized, since much of the green world seems to beat “recycle” to death. :o)
http://greenitup.e-frank.com
green tips « jessica l. emerson
posted on April 30th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
[...] Earth Day? Keep the environment in mind at the checkout line with Earth911.com’s Green Shopping guide. [...]
Ella
posted on February 1st, 2009 at 10:32 pm
I’m trying to do my bit to make the world a better place for our children.
I’ve discovered that it’s not easy and it’s not cheap.
I’ve been blogging about my attempts to be greener for a couple of months now and I’m surprised at the lack of support. By this I mean that a lot of people couldn’t care less about reducing their carbon footprint.
Mary
posted on February 18th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
I agree with Ella, 2/1/09, and her observation about a lot of people not caring about reducing their carbon
footprint. I am beginning to think that a LOT more education needs to happen to teach children and adults
about ramifications of our actions. I would like to see more educational t.v. shows which give practical
suggestions regarding environmental practices which make the world cleaner and more energy efficient. Let’s also use t.v. to explore energy saving methods, such as renewable energy payments(REP’s) which are
working effectively in places outside the U.S. Let’s ‘pick the brains’ of experts to let them guide us to form
new habits which make a lot more sense in regards to energy use.
Olivia
posted on April 8th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Stop buying bottled water period! Use your own tap water and if you must, filter it first. But don’t feed into the lie that bottled water is safer than tap water unless you are unfortunate enough to obtain your water from your own well and you know it is contaminated.
Food Packaging Waste | Green Eco Services
posted on July 23rd, 2009 at 11:19 am
[...] idea that has gained appeal in the U.S. is precycling, where a shopper thinks about the recyclability of packaging while at the store. You can use [...]