This week we will give you some tips and information what you should consider when you purchase groceries. How can you combine the best choice for the environment with the best choice for you.
Top 5 Grocery Tips
1. EATING SEASONAL
As well as being important to eat seasonal when you go out, it´s important to buy groceries which are in season and locally grown. It helps to reduce energy in the form of food miles, refrigeration, fertilizers used to help food grow, intensive irrigation, and winter hot houses. Food travels on average, 2,400 km to get from the field to your dinner table.Choose products with “product of Australia” (100 % Aussie) rather than “made in Australia" (at least 50 % Aussie).
A listing which fruits and veg are grown in which season see here:
The eco-centre for example offers a veg and fruit basket which is delivered weekly for 30 $. The content differs because it´s seasonal and from victorias farmers. A lot other solutions to act eco see here: http://ecocentre.com/ecoshop/organic-food-boxes
2. PACKAGING:
Everything we buy seems to come in disposable packaging - but that doesn’t mean we have to accept it.
· Avoid products with a lot packaging.
· Switch from plastic to glass storage containers.
· Switch from plastic cling wrap to non-PVC cling wrap or waxed paper which is readily recyclable
· Switch from plastic to wood cutting boards.
· Switch from beverages sold in plastic bottles to beverages sold in glass bottles.
· Switch from water bottled in individual plastic bottles to water delivered in large glass coolers.
On most plastic packaging, you'll find what's a recycling logo with is a number mostly underneath stamped. Becaues some plastics are far worse than others and there is no claims of recyclability when you see the word 'recyclable', it´s useful to differ the grade of plastics.
Here is a list with all numbers and what they mean. Try to avoid number 3, 6 and 7: http://www.ecomii.com/parenting/safer-plastics
3. BAGS
"Paper or plastic bags?” You will see that none of them are really good for the environment.
Paper is a renewable resource, but pulp and paper mills are among the worst polluters of air and water. Plastic bags, when used in a ratio of 2:1 with paper, require less energy to produce and create fewer atmospheric emissions and waterborne wastes, but plastic is made from crude oil, a nonrenewable resource, and the EPA classifies the hazardous waste from plastics production among the worst in industry.
Reuseable bags are an eco-friendly alternative. There´re sold in the grocery store where you shop! Another source to buy is this link with eco friendly reusable plastic bags.
If just 5% of the population purchased a set of reusable bags we could save 5.5 billion paper and plastic bags each year and in turn save 700,000 trees and 600,000 barrels of oil.
4. CLEANING SUPPLIES
Using one-use cleaning supplies as throw-away wipes, dusters and brushes is energy intensive and downright wasteful. Billions of non-biodegradable wipes and such enter our landfills and sewers each year. See our tips on natural cleaning which do even a better cleaning job for you:
· Do your sponge 2 minutes in the micromave and most of the disease-causing bacteria and germs are killed
· Experiment with half of the recommended amount, because companies always exaggerate to sell more
· Try cleaning with water first
· Prevent dirt build-up and to make toxic cleaners unnessecary
· Use more effective cleaning tools. Steel wool is a cheap all-rounder.
· Give cleaners more time to work
· Use alternatives as bicarbonate of soda, lemon juice, baking soda, soap and washing soda
More of those alternative products and how to use them you can see here:
And a source where you can buy those cleaners besides in the groceries:
5. CHOICE OF SUPERMARKET
Did you know that 80 % of supermarket sales are accounted for Woolworths and Westfarmers (owner of Coles). That creates a hugh power of suppliers and stamps out smaller independent retailers.
Critisism includes among other things market dominance, predatory pricing, restrictive convenants and squeezing suppliers.
House brands are big profit for supermarkets. It means less choice. On the one hand for customers, with the disappearance of family brands, and on the other hand for australian farmers, who often find that they must sell through the supermarkets´own brand.
Another thing is that their labels don´t disclose the manufacturer, so consumers don´t know who they´re supporting.Thus choose Australian-owned brands as preference over house brands and try to segment your purchases because every dollar is your voice.
By Mendis
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