Features  

Go Green With These 7 Sustainable Shopping Tips

By Oreoritse Tariemi

24 February 2022   |   11:58 am

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on WhatsApp Share on Telegram

It's the year 2022, and plastics are a no-go.    In 2020, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) recorded that of the 275 million metric tons of plastic waste produced annually, up to 12 million tons end up in the marine, resulting in about $13 billion in annual environmental damage to marine ecosystems.  As…

Sustainable Shopping Photo MyDomaine

It’s the year 2022, and plastics are a no-go. 

In 2020, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) recorded that of the 275 million metric tons of plastic waste produced annually, up to 12 million tons end up in the marine, resulting in about $13 billion in annual environmental damage to marine ecosystems. 

As the world becomes more conscious of this damage, it has become our individual responsibility to turn to sustainability to reduce, if not totally retrace, the damage. So as we go green to reduce our carbon footprint, we can also go green in our shopping. 

Here’s our advice on how to go green with these 7 sustainable shopping tips: 

• Switch out plastic bags for reusable cloth bags

Instead of carrying your groceries around in numerous plastic bags, opt for reusable cloth bags, 

These bags aren’t just eco-friendly; they also save you money in the long run. To replace paper and plastic with heavy-duty bags, you can take them to the market anytime you go shopping. 

• Reuse containers

While completely cutting out plastics in shopping might be impossible as they provide great storage, improving product shelf life, we can reduce our use of them. 

Instead of plastic containers, choose glass jars, stainless steel or canning containers to store food and laundry items. And when you buy a product, think of new ways to reuse whatever packaging they come in. Boxes can be used for packing, food containers for storing leftover food, and so much more. 

Sustainable Shopping Photo LoadU Junk Removal

• Recycled packaging 

Many manufacturers have opted to use recycled packing, so if you can get any, buy products with these packaging. You’ll definitely be doing something for the environment. 

• Shop local and in season 

If your plan is to do more to improve sustainability, you should shop local. Local products haven’t been shipped via air or sea, which means less carbon footprint. 

So take a short trip down to the market for fresh produce and if you can get local alternatives for other products, choose them. 

Remember to buy products in season; shopping products out of season means you’re paying for the long distances and even higher carbon footprint it took to get them to your supermarket. Also, you spend less on products in season.

• Consider buying thrift products

Not everything has to be new, and if you can get great second-hand alternatives, taking them off the shelf means they wouldn’t be dumped somewhere, in turn reducing the carbon footprint. So not only do you contribute to the environment, but you also save money. 

• Reduce online shopping

Just imagine the huge carbon footprint one online order fulfilment leaves on the environment. If you can get an item from a local store, opt for in-person shopping rather than online. 

Also, avoid impulse buying; shop as much as you can when you can. Rather than driving to the store everytime, you need a glass of milk.

• Metal Straws and spoons

As small as they might seem, metal straws and spoons actually have a ton of effects on the environment. So choose stainless steel straws and spoons as they are not only reusable, they are also environmentally friendly. 

Going green can be extended into our daily life, from choosing bamboo toothbrushes over plastic toothbrushes to opting for reusable containers in storage. Following these 7 tips will help you leave a smaller carbon footprint improving environmental sustainability.