Easy Ways to Be Greener When Grocery Shopping

Take Your Own Bags

In our town they charge 25¢ but not all towns have a fee. My favorite reusable bags are made by Chico Bag. I like these because they pack so small they can fit in your purse or glove compartment. Even though they are small they are super durable.You can get them cheaply from Whole Foods.

Shop in the Bulk Section 

We love our local store, Staff of Life, because they have a wonderful bulk bin section and it is easy to bring your own containers. Some places where I have shopped almost shame you or make you feel bad for bringing your own containers. This kind of attitude really frustrates me. What I love about Staff of Life is they normalize doing the right thing. Once I brought a large cooking pot to the butcher and asked for a whole chicken to be put straight in the pot. The employee was super nice and even gave me a discount for bringing my own container. To shop in bulk you don't need any fancy containers, you can use jars you have around the house or plastic containers from other products. I found a wonderful site that lists some of the best bulk bin retailers. 

Pick Products with Sustainable Packaging

There is so little talk about picking the right packaging. Some times packaging is just an inevitable part of shopping. But you can choose wisely. Opt for glass (your best bet!), cardboard or plastic that is recyclable (1s and 2s are accepted most places, other numbers are problematic). Here is a great example of the problem with our packaging education: We found a wonderful company that sells milk in glass bottles at Staff of Life. Strauss Family Creamery sells a quart of organic, cream top, milk at Staff of Life for $2.29. You pay a $2 glass deposit that gets refunded when you bring the bottle back to the store. Great! Love it! However, we went to our local Safeway and the same bottle is on the shelf for $4.29. This is the price plus the deposit added. There is no mention anywhere in the display about the deposit. So a regular shopper would look at it and think it was way overpriced and reach for a carton of milk with single use packaging. When you learn tricks like this make sure to share with your friends so that they can become informed consumers as well. 

Purchase Produce from Local Farmers Markets 

When possible, purchase produce from local farmers. This cuts down on transport waste, packaging and helps support your local economy. Food that is local and in season is best for the environment. It can be hard when you are craving something specific but every little bit counts. Here is a great website to help you determine what is in season locally. 

Plan Out Your Shopping In Advance

This can be hard but the extra, last minute trips to pick up ingredients uses extra fuel. Thinking through your shopping and limiting stops can reduce your carbon footprint and save you some gas money 

Incorporate Plant Based Proteins

I am not advocating that you cut out meat completely, but cutting down in a good idea. This could be as simple as Meatless Monday. Meat and dairy have a high carbon footprint and a lot of it goes to waste before ever making it to a consumers home. Plus the amount of packaging is very high. For a good visual on the carbon impact of food products take a look at this chart from GreenEatz.com  

Rank	Food	CO2 Kilos Equivalent	Car Miles Equivalent
1	Lamb	39.2	91
2	Beef	27	63
3	Cheese	13.5	31
4	Pork	12.1	28
5	Turkey	10.9	25
6	Chicken	6.9	16
7	Tuna	6.1	14
8	Eggs	4.8	11
9	Potatoes	2.9	7
10	Rice	2.7	6
11	Nuts	2.3	5
12	Beans/tofu	2	4.5
13	Vegetables	2	4.5
14	Milk	1.9	4
15	Fruit	1.1	2.5
16	Lentils	0.9	2

How do you keep your grocery shopping eco-friendly? Let me know in the comments below! 

Sincerely, 

Samantha