Shop Green

1 BRING YOUR OWN BAG

Bring your own reusable bags to the grocery store. Using the store's plastic or paper bags creates environmental waste, raises pollution output, and poses a danger to wildlife.

2 GREEN TRANSPORTATION

Before you shop green, start out on an environmentally friendly foot by hoofing it to your neighborhood grocery store. Bring along some sort of wheeled cart to protect your back and a cooler to protect frozen foods. I use my child's stroller storage basket to help transport groceries back home.

If the nearest supermarket is too far to walk to, then try biking there or using public transportation. Carpooling with a neighbor is another option for reducing carbon emissions and other environmental pollutants from automobile usage.

3 VEG OUT

Make the produce section your first stop in the grocery store. The energy used to produce fruits and vegetables is much lower than for meats. The care and feeding of livestock also takes greater water usage and plays a big factor in soil erosion.

4 RICE IS NICE

Head over to the aisle where the grains are. Grains, such as rice and couscous, take less natural resources and energy consumption to produce than meats do.

5 STOCK UP

Purchase foods in bulk whenever you can. Buying in bulk is better for the environment because it reduces the packaging needed for a product.

6 BE SENSIBLE

Last, but not least, make sensible purchases during your green grocery store visit. Buy only the foods that you'll actually eat. This reduces landfill waste (and wasteful spending!). It's better to have to make an extra trip to the supermarket than to have to throw away spoiled food.