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What are some ways that I can "shop smart" for the environment
at the grocery store?
Three major ways to green up your trip to the grocer come immediately
to mind. Try to shop for local food, organic food, and food that
isn't over-packaged.
Local Food Is Better
Local food is food that is grown close to home. If you live in Florida,
for example, buy yourself oranges. If you live in Idaho, try some
potatoes. The closer the farm where your food was grown is to your
home, the less distance that food had to travel. That saves energy.
Big diesel trucks aren't pumping greenhouse gasses into the air.
What's more, the food is generally fresher — meaning there
could be fewer preservatives in it.
To find local food, look for labels saying that it was grown in
your state. Better yet, try to find a farmers market or community-supported
agriculture program in your area. That way you'll know exactly where
your food is coming from, and will be supporting family farms and
your local economy.
Certified Organic Is Best
Organic food is food that is grown without the aid of dangerous
herbicides or pesticides. These chemical poisons could potentially
harm you, farm workers and wildlife, so avoiding them altogether
is the best way to go. Certified organic food takes things even
one step further, as many certification programs require farmers
to take special care of the soil on their property to make their
agricultural practices naturally sustainable.
Certified organic food also generally means that the food you're
eating did not come from a genetically-engineered organism created
in some laboratory. Much of the food found on supermarket shelves
has at least some genetically-modified ingredients. It's good to
avoid genetically-engineered organisms, as these plants and fish
are most-often designed to be bigger, stronger and more resilient
than natural organisms. When they "escape" from farms, as they inevitably
will, they can pose a threat to native species, shaking the stability
of entire ecosystems.
Avoid Wasteful Over-Packaging
Finally, don't forget to look at how much packaging different food
items use. Buy whole fruits and vegetables, rather than pre-cut
selections that come in plastic containers. Look for cereals that
come in bags, rather than ones that are in bags inside of boxes.
Stay away from individually-wrapped items, and buy bulk whenever
convenient. Preference items whose packaging you know is easily
recyclable, and bring canvass bags with you to pack your groceries
in, rather than using those hard-to-recycle, thin, plastic bags.
If you try to follow these three steps, you'll be well on your way
to becoming a green shopper for sure!
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