When was the last time you bought something without hurting the global green cover? Global warming and climate change are threatening our planet. Your shopping habits can help reverse the universal harm. Many corporations, individuals, and governments have supported green-friendly measures like reducing carbon footprint and promoting alternative energy sources like solar power and eco-friendly goods and services.
Organic and recycled products are trending these days. There is a growing awareness of using plastic-free packaging for the benefit of the earth. Mindful shoppers have felt the importance of going green in their purchases. However, few people are aware or serious about eco-friendly shopping. Here are nine tips to get you started on buying earth-friendly products.
Use Coupon Codes
The new shopping mantra is making online purchases for groceries, fashion, and lifestyle goods. Using Promo Codes is time-saving and cost-effective and gets you handsome discounts to match your shopping criteria. Coupon codes provide you with instant saving techniques and save you the paper cost and environmental harm. Access the right shopping website and use discount coupons to stop paying full price for the items in mind.
Online shopping is full of coupon code-providing brands across multiple categories like airlines, appliances, auto, clothing, food, electronics, entertainment, party supplies, décor, etc. Pick your coupon from scroogecoupons.com and maximize your potential savings. It takes a little know-how to navigate coupon code information available on the internet.
Buy Products From Local Farmers
Consider buying products from local merchants. Local shopping requires less fuel consumption in moving farm-fresh foods over long distances. It also helps to circulate more money in the local community, enriching direct neighbors instead of corporations and enterprises in far-off cities or countries.
Farmers’ markets are some of the best places to buy fresh foods made with care. They are also a critical ingredient to a nation’s economy by connecting rural to the urban population, farmer to consumer, and providing small farmers opportunities to sell their products. It is heartening to know that 8,144 farmers’ markets are listed in USDA’s National Farmers Market Directory.
Shop at Environment-Friendly Stores
Shopping at retailers that care for the environment can promote a healthy community. Check the manufacturing company or retailer’s website for a company that seriously pursues eco-conservation in logistics and delivery.
Keep checking the ‘About Us’ and ‘Media Room’ pages to know about a company’s devotion to eco-friendly initiatives. Read the company’s reviews to know about the customers’ product experience before shopping for the same. In sustainable shopping, shop for cruelty-free beauty products, refillable soap dispensers, and biodegradable phone cases.
Make ‘In Season’ Buying
Every season presents us with a variety of fruits, vegetables, and produce that naturally grows during that time. For example, berries grow the most in the U.S. in June, while apples are abundant in September-October. ‘In Season’ buying gets you the best possible product with the most negligible environmental impact.
Consider buying in bulk for emergencies. It also means fewer trips to the store and less packaging cost when making an individual purchase.
Choose Reusable Products
Buying used products not only saves you some money, but it’s also a great way to follow an eco-friendly lifestyle. Look for retailers selling used, reused, and upcycled products instead of brand-new ones. Sustainable products are durable as well. Many recycled items look as good as new and cheaper than ‘boxed’ items.
Purchasing recycled stationery items, kitchen crockery, and lifestyle products is the first step to following eco-conscious living.
Carry Plastic-Free Bags
Millions of single-use plastic bags dumped in landfills reflect a shoddy state of affairs. They find their way into water bodies and clog marine life and natural resources. Strive to be an eco-friendly shopper by carrying jute bags. Many stores may even reward shoppers who bring eco-friendly bags with incentives or discounts.
Not all reusable bags like hemp and cotton tote bags are eco-friendly because the material cultivation needs a lot of water and chemicals. Therefore, use bags made from recycled packaging to even reclaim items from landfills.
Avoid Pre-Washed Edibles
Pre-washed items like lettuce and salad mixes are an easy-to-grab choice for most shoppers. However, they increase the convenience cost and can hurt the environment because the used packaging can’t be recycled.
Shop sustainably by buying farm-fresh seasonal produce and washing it thoroughly at home. Although it takes a little more time, it helps you save the environment and benefits your health.
Steer Clear of Impulse Buying
Shopping urges are difficult to avoid considering modern-day bargain-hunting habits. However, it can easily inspire you to buy products that are not of immediate need. This can increase the local landfill faster than you thought. Marketers use various tactics to trigger reckless spending. Social media platforms and television commercials work very well to influence impulse buying.
Slow down before buying anything at the supermarket or grocery store. Ask yourself whether you need it and what advantage it has over the older product. Moreover, keep your budget and attention to earth in mind to reduce your unplanned buying.
Reduce Your Online Order Frequency
Though online shopping is convenient for most people, it may do more harm than good. Many retailers use packaging and shipping options that can spoil the environment. Reduce your orders’ frequency to once a week and buy in bulk to be as eco-friendly as possible in online shopping. A single larger order can reduce the environmental impact by limiting the likely trips to deliver a product. Making small purchases cost you more on transport, shipping, and earth conservation.
Think of the impact of your frequent online purchases on the environment’s health. Order sensibly, as any harm to the environment cannot be reversed.
The Bottom Line
If you have an infant at home, consider buying cloth diapers. Plastic diapers are costly and take a long time to biodegrade and pollute water bodies and oceans. Also, start teaching your kids eco-friendly activities early for environmental benefit. Minimize wastage by reusing everything you can at your home. A minimal lifestyle doesn’t mean leading a life devoid of comforts but buying sustainable products designed to last a lifetime.
Author Bio: This post was written by Emma Wilson, a content specialist with a focus on health and wellness.
