Sustainable development blog : ecology and humanitarian aid

Picture from storegrocery.net

Most people do not realize the impact that grocery shopping has on the environment. When you walk into the store your choices affect everyone. Here are four tips to

help your shopping become more eco-friendly.

1. Before you go shopping, invest in cloth shopping bags. Plastic is becoming a large problem in landfills. It is also a major source of litter alongside many roads and highways. There are other advantages to cloth bags; they can carry more weight and will not tear.

2. You do not have to buy fruits and vegetables in packaging or bags. They can be purchased in bulk. There are advantages to this. You can more easily inspect them. How many times have you bought a bag of apples or potatoes and found a rotten one inside?  This will not happen if you buy these things loose. Bring extra cloth bags to put your fruits and vegetables in.

3. Stop using disposable razors. Disposable razors may be a modern day convenience, however the plastic in them will be around for  years. Perhaps you consider it too much trouble to use a permanent razor? This simply isn’t true. It only takes a few seconds to load a new blade into a reusable razor. Those few seconds will benefit the entire planet.

4. You can save a lot of money if you buy cloth diapers. Disposable diapers can cost a great more over time and your initial investment in cloth diapers will soon pay for themselves. Maybe you are concerned because your busy lifestyle doesn’t leave much time for laundering diapers? So, compare the costs of disposable diapers against a diaper service. This way you will not have to deal with dirty diapers yourself and you’ll be supporting a local business too. Summary You can have a large effect on the environment when you grocery shop. Use cloth bags. They are sturdier and reusable. Buy produce in bulk. Stop using things like disposable razors and diapers. There are safe alternatives to most disposable products today. It may be easier than you think to make your next shopping trip eco-friendly.