As one of our main missions at Faircado, we are trying to form green and sustainable shopping habits to protect the planet’s scarce, natural resources. You may worry that going green means spending more, but in some instances, you could even save more money in the long term. Sustainable shopping can enrich your life and ensure you are doing your best for the environment. We believe that sustainable shopping values people, the environment, and profit in equal measure. This is why we have compiled a list of tips to help you shop more sustainably, and more ethically to reduce your impact on our planet when it comes to shopping.
Buy Local to Shop More Sustainably
When you go shopping, think about how far the product has traveled to reach you. Buying items that have been sourced, made, or harvested locally, means less carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, purchasing food and other goods that are produced locally is believed to be one of the best ways to become more environmentally friendly. It helps stimulate the local economy, supports families, and strengthens communities. Furthermore, supporting local and small businesses will allow them to grow and spread their sustainability impact.
Reduce Plastic Waste
Avoid buying excessively packaged products, or those packed in materials that cannot be recycled. Excessing packaging, especially plastic, results in a mountain of waste. Instead, especially when shopping for food, try to buy fresh fruit and vegetables that are sold in bulk and free of plastic wrapping. An alternative is to take your own fabric bags with you to place the produce in. As you may already be aware, plastic is a real environmental problem, both in its production process and how it is disposed of that is filling up landfills.
Buy Food in Season
One of the best ways to shop more sustainably is by buying food that is in season. If you are spending money to buy food that is out of season and grown in other parts of the world, you are encouraging products to be shipped over long distances which contributes to accumulating a higher carbon footprint. Also, buying food that is in season is typically more affordable and better tasting!
Buy Second-Hand, Refurbished, or Recycled
Products that have been recycled are better options so stay on the lookout for these alternatives. There are countless benefits to buying second-hand so we created a whole separate article that explains it in details. Or instead of buying new all the time, search for a variety of second-hand and refurbished items such as ones that are available on faircado, which can help you to shop more sustainably.
At Faircado, we are on a mission to reduce waste by making second-hand shopping easy and accessible. Faircado aggregates second-hand offers from the biggest marketplaces into one platform to make you save time, money, and the planet, for free. You can save a lot of money by shopping this way, and can often come across a real gem of a find.
Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
Next time you want to buy cleaning products, ask yourself, “Can I make it myself?” Many cleaning products that we use daily can be made at home from common ingredients like baking soda and vinegar. Switching to this homemade option will save you money and is better for the environment and your health.
Avoid Impulse Buys
To shop more sustainably, avoid impulse buys. When you buy things that you do not need, they usually end up in a landfill somewhere. One way to avoid impulse buys is to go through your belongings and identify anything you have not used in a while or are in no need of. Then, get rid of them by selling them second-hand, exchanging them, donating to a local charity, or giving them up for recycling. To go more in-depth about how you can do the following activities, especially when it comes to your clothes, read this article “Why Reduce Consuming Fast Fashion and How?”
Shop Less Frequently
Reducing the number of trips you take to go shopping contributes to a more eco-friendly way of shopping. If you can cut down the number of times that you go to the store, you can save fuel and make a big difference to the environment. By planning ahead of time on what you want to buy, you are more likely to go on fewer shopping trips and save on gas. The key to success is making a list before you go shopping and sticking to it.
