Food is one of the major items that a household consumes. Ensuring that your grocery budget is spent on the most sustainable options is a big step to going green.
1. Buy local. Foods sold at most grocery stores are shipped in from thousands of miles away, using huge amounts of fossil fuels in the process. Buying from local growers at farmer’s markets or from local stores (that work with local growers) is one way to make sure you’re lowering your ecological footprint and eating some of the freshest food possible.
2. Buy certified organic. Conventional agriculture uses synthetic chemicals and relies on practices that are devastating to top soil, water supplies, and the Earth in general. Certified organic foods are held to stricter standards that make sure the land is not abused, and that sustainable practices are used. Anything with the USDA Organic seal on its label has been inspected by the government and has a good chance of being of much higher quality than conventional counterparts.
3. Grow your own. Although growing your own food can be time consuming, it’s the best way to make sure you have a sustainable food supply. You can implement organic methods and use zero fossil fuels in the process. Since the food will likely be grown outside your door, you can use it at its ripest; you’ll have the best tasting food possible.
4. Buy in bulk. Many online stores, as well as some local shops like Whole Foods and natural food stores, make it possible to buy foods in bulk, eliminating wasteful packaging. To make it even less wasteful, there is often the option to bring your own reusable containers, making disposable packaging unnecessary for many grocery staples like grains and nuts.
5. Make meal plans and shopping lists. Every trip to the store is valuable gas and time wasted. To make the most of your grocery trips, plan ahead by creating weekly or monthly meal plans and shopping lists. This will allow you to get everything you need in one trip.
6. Take reusable shopping bags to the store. Instead of letting store employees bag your groceries into wasteful plastic bags that are bound for the landfill, bring your own cloth bags that can be reused over and over again.
7. Eat vegetarian. This last way to green your groceries may be the most challenging, but it’s also one of the best ways to lower your ecological footprint. The production of animal products, especially meat, is incredibly energy intensive compared to vegetarian foods. It’s also a leading cause of water pollution. If you can’t go 100% vegetarian, every meatless meal you consume will help out the Earth.
