Tips To Make Great Eco-Friendly Purchases

Shopping with an environmentally conscious attitude is a lot trickier than you might think. However, once you get the general concept of what “going green” means, then turning eco-friendly practices into habit, you will find that shopping with the same mindset becomes a lot easier. As long as you are passionate about protecting the planet, going green will be a gratifying way of life.

1. If you have decided that you want a more environmentally friendly lifestyle, start with the conservation of water. On average, 5 gallons of water is wasted each day per household. Not a lot of people consider how much water is wasted by a slow drip from a leaky faucet. Add your home to the list of millions of others with leaky faucets, and the amount of water waste per day is much too high. Some green products you can buy for relevant areas of your home include low flow toilets, faucets, and low pressure shower heads.
2. Go through your cabinets and get rid of any cleaning agents with harsh chemicals. Make your own cleaners by using common, all-natural ingredients, or find brands that sell chemical-free, all-natural cleaners in stores. Some popular ingredients for homemade cleaners include lemon, vinegar, and baking soda.
3. Try to buy food and other household items that come in green packaging materials. Not a lot of brands and products have eco-friendly packaging, but there are markets that try to sell products with little packaging or environmentally safe coverings. You can also bring in your own reusable bags for these types of shopping trips. Just refrain from buying anything that comes in too much packaging, or that can’t be recycled afterwards.
4. Try to purchase goods from local vendors, farms, and markets. Buying meat from a local farm that doesn’t believe in the use of chemicals, antibiotics, or hormones in their operation is always a healthy choice for your body and the environment. Even your produce should be organic and purchased from a local vendor.
5. Whenever you are buying anything for your home, consider the mark it makes on the environment. Try to only make purchases that benefit the planet’s future. For example, if you are going to repaint some rooms inside your home, look into eco-friendly paint choices. You can even buy other sustainable and eco-friendly items for the home, such as light bulbs, refurbished furniture, or décor made with recycled materials.