Shopping Green

I have touched on this subject before I am pretty sure. One thing that really bugs me when I go shopping is the amount of waste. Yes, I do buy groceries. I would like to be totally self-sufficient, but I have to admit there are some things that I just can’t live without, so its off to the store I go. Only when I get there I am very unhappy. Not with the products, they are what I came shopping for. Not for the plastic or paper options. I bring my own bags or do without.

What irks me is all the packaging that the products come with to the store. All the plastic, all the filler, all the paper and cardboard that is just wasted.

Electronics seem to be the worst offenders. You go to purchase a simple memory stick and the amount of plastic and packaging is outrageous. Is there anything we can do?

We need to be aware of waste when we are shopping. If you have the choice of purchasing something in a container that can be recycled versus one that has to go to the landfill that is an easy decision. If we can opt for no packaging at all that is even easier.

Use reusable shopping bags when you can. An even better choice is no bag at all. At our local bookstore they have started asking if we want a bag. It is no big deal carrying our purchases out the door. Can you think of other stores where this is an option?

We can even shop green for major appliances. When you are shopping ensure that the retailer your purchase from offers recycling of your old appliance. Many do not even charge you, if you are buying a new appliance from them.

What ever you are shopping for, THINK GREEN. We have become a consumer generation. Let’s make the things we purchase with our mother earth in mind!