The amount of packaging a person throws away annually is around 5 pounds a day. On average only 1/4 is recycled. I will help you wade through the over packaging and give you these 4 successful shopping tips.
For the majority of people, time and money is the biggest excuse as to why they’re not ready to make a change. There isn’t enough time in a day to make a healthy choice. There are times when it’s near impossible to say no to plastic. For instance, buying juice comes in either tetra packs or plastic containers. For some reason companies that choose to put their juice in glass charge a fortune!
These excuses were mine until one day I realized its important that I learned new successful shopping habits. It’s more important now more than ever since the world around us is overflowing with our garbage.
Four Successful Shopping tips
We have to muddle through right and wrong and decide what is right for us. It’s a journey that is unique to you. We all walk down the same path of consumerism and overpackaging in the stores.
One-time single-use packaging has allowed us to simplify our lives. It’s given us freedom. We rely on it to get us through daily life without having to plan. If we don’t have to prepare our next meal we can work more, play more, plan less!
Motivation in my short eight-month journey to become an Eco-Shopper is the first requirement for change. You and I both know it takes motivation to achieve successful results! It’s the first ingredient and the kick start we both need!
However, for me and most people, this one feeling can quickly subside. Yes, we can all get a little lazy. Ultimately it could very easily turn into that fad diet or another stint at the gym. If obsession doesn’t take over then it most certainly will!
Train your brain to say no to plastic. To do that… Be present and use repetitive behavior as your best friend. If there are distractions somehow plastic can slip stealthily into your life. It happens so easily so don’t be hard on yourself when it does!
Moisturizer, Milk, yogurt, chips, everything we find in the store have the element of single-use. The trick to staying calm is by knowing you have a goal. The goal to shop smarter.
Meat
Walking into a large convenience store like Walmart is overwhelming. I’ve realized that if I wanted to do this right I couldn’t rely solely on one store. You’ve got to be versatile and set a standard when starting your next set of successful habits. Stay with it! I find that supporting your local butcher is the best way to get meat. Quite often they will find suppliers that are close by in order to get the freshest meat. When you pick your food up and take it away they give you paper coated in plastic. The wrapping isn’t recyclable and considered single-use. I suggest you bring your own container.
People on one side of the environmental spectrum don’t eat meat to protect nature. Animals are treated unethically and death is traumatic. Plus, eating meat causes an increase in CO2 emissions. I agree. However, if you’re like me it’s tough to stop. If you’ve grown up eating meat in every meal and don’t feel repulsed by it. You’re like me! Look for an Organically certified product. They’re called Happy Cows because they’re not fed antibiotics, steroids or growth hormones. They also have unlimited access to pastures and shelter. Changing your eating habits for the sake of the environment is a personal choice. It also makes an impact on animal welfare.
Bread
Next, if your looking for a good fresh loaf of bread chances are you’re not going to find it alone. It usually comes accompanied by a brand new plastic bag! I thought the way to avoid the bag was to bake the bread at home. However, when working full time it’s super hard to find the time to bake. The bread goes hard in half the time since it doesn’t contain preservatives. So for families that eat it all the time it has to be baked more often. But, here’s a trick I learned along the way. I realized I could bring my own box to the local Bakery. There are some reusable packaging options online for your bread. A reusable box will do for transportation but once you get home it’s best to use an airtight container.
Baking
While living an eco-friendly lifestyle one of the successful shopping tips includes the time to bake cookies. The great things about baking cookies are when kids are in the house they’ll always get eaten. Plus, single-use packaging isn’t needed and we don’t rely on palm oil. Palm oil is the number one reason why the rainforest is being burned to the ground. Plantations use the fertile soil of the Amazon to turn crops and move on. Therefore, when you buy a box of cookies it’s not really just cookies your buying. It’s also the single-use packaging that impacts the environment and the palm oil that destroys it.
Eggs
Eggs are a go-to food for breakfast, lunch or dinner! It’s a versatile food that contributes to so many dishes including most treats. However, buying eggs from an industry that’s known for the dark, crowded and unsanitary conditions sucks. Start to look for a local farmer that has a flock in his backyard. They often advertise their eggs on street signs or word of mouth. The big business of chicken farming has been operating the same way for over half a century. The demand for eggs has steadily grown with the rise in population. So the business practice won’t stop. It won’t quit unless people support smaller operations.
Bring your own basket or box to take the eggs away. Of course, if you’re doing your shopping and a farm seems too far away go for free-range organic eggs. These chickens are the only ones that are certified to live happier lives. They are better for our health, environment and the general well being of the Chicken.
Try these four successful shopping tips to get you moving in the right direction. So far, the way we have treated our planet has been a series of personal choices. Our choices do make a difference in the world we live in. We need to train our minds to reduce plastic and packaging waste. It’s not hard and if you make it a personal goal then you will develop successful habits.
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I Ike all your suggestions. You have some great ideas ! The cruelty in the killing of animals for meat consumption is the one that has always bothered me the most. The cattle stand there watching the one in front getting slaughtered which causes their fear to be imprinted into their DNA and then that’s what we eat?. I’m just as guilty as the next person for eating meat. If we are choosing to eat meat we need to think about how animals are being slaughtered and that it be done in a more humane way so the animals are not suffering.