Stay Informed, Stay Inspired: Subscribe to Our Good-News-Eco Newsletter + Unlock a Free E-book!

Shopping local

Day 6

Welcome to Day 6 of the zero waste challenge.

Summer is almost here, which means fresh veggies at your local farmer’s market are becoming available again. The best part is they come without packaging. Delicious organic, locally grown veggies that we put in our mesh produce bags.

Actually, we just ordered a new mesh bag today. Why? Well, if we don’t bring our own bags to the farmer’s market or bulk food store, they often provide you with plastic bags. The best way is the zero waste way. It’s easy, bring your produce bags or glass jars with you when you go shopping.

Thanks to the rise of zero waste living, new entrepreneurs are developing new businesses, and we have seen a lot of new zero waste/bulk food stores popping up.

Now, I can’t promise you that there will be one in your area that is location dependent, but you have some alternatives.

  • A farmers market is usually in every city around the world. Just do a quick google search “farmers market near me,” and you will find one or two or three.
  • Services that do the shopping for you like Cartly
  • You can get a veggie box from your local farmer, Ourlittlefarm.
  • Ourlittlefarm only grows organic food, and for just $37.50 a week, you can get your veggies delivered to your door for 16 weeks.
  • Bulk food stores

If you type into google “veggie box delivery,” it will most likely come up with some results that are local to you.

Usually, they will come in a cardboard box, and most of the items are loosely packaged. Plus, you are getting organic veggies, and you save time. You can avoid the supermarket completely. Win-Win

shopping local

Be healthy

Even for the busy person who doesn’t enjoy shopping, there are options out there.

This is a straightforward task, and once you get into the habit of avoiding the supermarkets, you are automatically avoiding processed foods. Remember, yesterday we briefly touched on why it is good to avoid heavily packaged food?

If you don’t remember just jump back to yesterday’s zero waste challenge.

Now, we all know that processed foods aren’t good for our health. Sure we need to cook or prep more food now, but your body will thank you for it later. If you want to live longer, that is.

The Problem

Shopping for bananas in winter??? Where do you think they come from?

That’s right; they have to travel halfway around the world to get to your supermarket. This causes CO2 emission, and most of the time, they taste like an old sock.

Plus, they are not cheap, and the money you spend on them doesn’t stay in the community. Most of the veggies we get from shopping locally are actually cheaper and not packaged.

I think it is a misconception that the supermarkets are cheaper than the farmer’s market. We spend around $40 per week on our veggies. By we I mean, my fiancé and I, and yes, we are veggos for the most part and sometimes even vegan.

Comes summer, this number will even decline since our garden will start to feed us more. That’s for another challenge, though.

Other benefits of shopping local are:

  • Eat seasonal produce
  • Mingle with the locals maybe you make some new friends
  • bring your own container
  • Less use of palm sugar = destroying the habitat of orangutans
  • Keep your money in the community = supporting the small farmer, not the big corporation
  • Being more connected with your food
  • Becoming healthier.

Do:

Today you are going to jump on your computer or phone to google “veggie delivery box near me.”

Jump on your computer or phone and find the nearest farmers’ market or bulk food store. Next up is to prepare ahead of a little. Put a box with some produce bags, some mason jars, and some tote bags into your car. Be ready for your next zero waste shopping adventure.

pinit fg en rect red 28