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 are moving… again. Since we have started leaving green things like this make us question.

When you think about it, packing is pretty much a green process. While moving boxes can only be used a certain number of times before they break down… yes, I do have a few that are on their last legs. Cardboard and packing paper are all materials that are easily recyclable. Most moving companies will come and pick up your boxes once you are done unpacking them. They will either use them again, or send them to be recycled. Same with packing paper.

If you are moving yourself and wondering what to do with all those boxes and papers you have a couple of different options. You can save them if you have the room for storage. I have done this and it does help the next time you need to move yourself you have the supplies.

I do know that some people just don’t have the storage space. You can set them out to the curb to be recycled. But here is another idea you may not have thought of. Last move I saw someone on freecycle that needed moving boxes and packing paper. My moving boxes helped someone else out… gotta like that!

I have also heard of people selling their moving supplies. People need moving supplies and these boxes are not cheap. If they can get gently used moving supplies they are willing to pay for them.

Shopping for organic ingredients is not as hard as it once was. It isn’t as hard as it was a few years ago either. You can now find many organic ingredients at your local Target store.

Still there are a few tips to getting Organic ingredients.

The first thing I recommend to getting organic ingredients, remember the closer you have towards scratch the more quality control you have. Yes, there are organic TV dinners. Now take a look at the content. Organic does not always equate to being healthy for you.  Organic sugar and fat are just as bad for you calorie and health wise as the non-organic. You may be missing some of the preservatives and chemicals, but fat is fat and calories are calories.

If you are going to spend your money on organic, go for the good stuff. Make your food dollar count.

Like they tell dieters, shop the outsides of the store.  This is the area where there is the produce, the dairy, the meat. All of these can now be found in organic varieties. Instead of that organic prepackaged enchilada, pick up some certified organic chicken, herbs, produce and tortillas. Remember the fresher the ingredients, the more nutrients that are in the ingredients.