One of the easiest ways to make a large positive impact on the environment is to go green while shopping. A lot of waste is created right at the grocery store and negating those effects can have some great benefits – both for your family, and the environment. Plus, it can be fun, too! Continue reading to find out what we mean!

How to Go Green When Shopping

The easiest way to go green when shopping is to make an investment in reusable shopping bags. This will make a very large difference for the environment, and you save the businesses you frequent substantial money over the long haul. This can, eventually, help to reduce prices thanks to lower overhead.

Other ideas on how to go green when shopping include:

  • Purchasing from small, local stores whenever possible.
  • Purchasing products with no to limited packaging, such as bulk cereals or fresh produce
  • Making your monthly shopping in a single trip, OR
  • Shopping at a store which is one your way to and from work or school

The Impact Made on the Environment

The impact made on the environment varies, based on which methods you use to create a greener shopping experience. By utilizing reusable bags and reducing packaging, you can reduce the number of items going to the landfill. By minimizing trips taken, you reduce your personal carbon footprint. By shopping locally, you reduce the need for large trucks to import the items. This makes a significant difference in the overall local carbon footprint.

The Impact Made Financially

The monetary impact is primarily in the long term. By reducing the need of shopping bags, you save your local businesses money which can transfer into savings. Also, by using reusable items and lowering the number of recyclables, you save tax money which is spent on sorting manpower at plants. This can potentially reduce the amount of yearly taxes paid.

The Initial Investment in Going Green

The only initial investment in going green is the purchase of reusable shopping bags. Every other step is free! Reusable shopping bags can range from about $1 to $5 for an average sized bag with limited customization.

How to Make it Fun

Ready to make it fun? Here are some terrific tips!

  • Design customized bags that reflect your personality.
  • Make it a game! Have your children play along to see who can help find the products with the least amount of packaging.
  • When produce is locally available, try to find places which will allow you to pick them instead of just grabbing them at the stand.
  • Use product packaging that you do end up purchasing for crafts and other fun projects, so it will get at least one more use before being sent to the landfill or recycling plant.

If you use these tips and tricks, you can not only help the environment and your wallet in the long run, but have fun doing it! There are plenty of other resources online for more ideas for waste-reducing promotions for individuals and businesses.

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