If it is possible to reduce waste in everyday life at home, it is possible to do it outdoors as we have seen with the zero waste picnic.
But this is clearly not the only place or time where you can be careful and reduce your waste, this is also the case for shopping in stores! Whether it’s food, just like when you do your usual shopping. Let’s find out together!
Say stop to unnecessary packaging!
When doing your shopping, and when you walk through the aisles of your favorite supermarket, you will now see “bulk” aisles. Not all stores offer it yet, but it is starting to happen more and more.
So, rather than buying, for example, your usual kilo of dough in a nice cardboard box, or in its plastic bag, head to the bulk section to help yourself. Of course, this includes that you will have to come with your own storage and storage boxes!
And this also applies to other products, which are not necessarily found in bulk sections, for which you can avoid packaging. For example, opt for toothpaste directly in its tube instead of a brand that packages it in a cardboard box.
Refuse pockets/bags at checkout!
Although plastic bags are normally removed from supermarkets, once you get to the checkout, you will still have to carry what you bought! And this is valid in all stores and for any type of purchase!
Whether it’s clothes, food, a book, whatever you want, once at the checkout say no to the bag that will be offered to you! Whether it is cardboard, recycled paper, whatever you want, the less you take, the more you will reduce waste!
Forget receipts!
Unless you are an accountant, or need proof of purchase like professionals for example, you will normally not really need your receipt. Simply hold back the amount if you need to do your budgeting, accounting or otherwise, then politely refuse the receipt.
This will avoid wasting paper! But remember to say this before cashing out, so that the cashier does not print this receipt, otherwise it is of little use!
A few tips in passing!
To summarize, the next time you go shopping and in order to reduce waste, you will leave with your own pockets, shopping bags, bags, shopping cart, etc. This will prevent you from being given any at the checkout.
You will also take some containers like food bags, for bulk food, or something else in this sense, for liquid, and so on. Then who obviously notes the amount of your shopping if necessary.
The importance and benefits of doing it!
Shopping in a “zero waste” spirit is an important step in reducing our individual and collective impact on the environment. Making minimal footprint choices when we shop is one of the most impactful ways each of us can make a difference.
By choosing items without packaging, such as bulk items or local products, we create less pressure on the environment by using fewer resources for production and transport.
Plus, when food is reused or recycled, it helps reduce methane emissions from landfills that contribute to global warming – an added benefit of zero-waste shopping! Every choice counts: When we commit to eliminating single-use items and packaging, research has shown that our collective actions matter!
Zero waste shopping is complicated, but possible!
Of course it will be difficult to do zero waste shopping, because you won’t have control over everything. However, as we have seen in this article, it is possible to considerably reduce waste by making the right choices at the right time!
As I don’t remember who said, a small step for man is a big step for humanity. More seriously, although it seems trivial, these small gestures, if they are carried out and accepted by everyone, can little by little change the situation. You just have to get started.
Mise à jour le : July 22, 2024
