How to Reuse and Reduce Materials for Grocery Shopping: Part 3

I have been thinking more and more about reducing and reusing materials that are used when I am grocery shopping. It seems that the more I think about the more I realize that so much of the paper and plastic that is getting used while grocery shopping can be reduced and be reused. I have already had two prior parts to this article explaining someways that you can reduce and reuse material while grocery shopping. In this particular part I am focusing on how you shop and you can reduce resources and reuse materials.

One of the first things I noticed when I started to buy more dry goods in bulk was the decrease in the plastic that I couldn't reuse. This included non-resealable bags of rice and beans. When I was getting my rice in bulk and getting my beans in bulk I could just go and reuse the same bag I used before. At most I would be using two bags per food if I still had some at home when I get them. This got me thinking that you can reduce that amount of plastic bags that you go through if you buy what you can in bulk. The whole reason I started buying in bulk wasn't to save plastic it was to save money. So it is a win-win scenario. If you are buying in bulk you can even eliminate the use of plastic all together. I have gone in to some grocery stores that if you bring in a container with you when shopping they will weigh it prior to you filling it up and subtract that from what the scale says when you checkout. You can reuse that container over and over and over again and never have to bring plastic into the equation.

Another thing that I noticed was taking resources was how often I go to the grocery store. If I am driving every other day to get what ever I've recently ran out of that is going to use a lot of resources. If I go once a week and get everything I'll need until the next week when I go shopping again I'll save a lot of money on gas and resource. Avoiding using the car is even better. We are mainly walking to the grocery store in the summertime and plan on taking the bus when the weather turns chilly I have made a plans to go shopping less. I still will get the amount of food that I need for that week but I'll make sure to get it all in one day. This will save us money in bus fair and save resources. Only shopping once a week really simplifies things so that is another added bonus, I would stretch it out even longer if I could.

To recap the third installment of this topic basically I addressed that when you buy in bulk you save a ton of plastic or eliminate it all together. Plus you have the freedom of getting the exact amount that you want at the same price no matter if that is a little or a lot. Also I mentioned that the way in which you go shopping affects the number of resources that you are using. Try and get everything that you need in one grocery store trip every week, every ten days or every two weeks if you can wait that long. You'll save on gas or bus fair and the resources that are used in a transaction. By doing both of these things you will actually save on resources and on money, thus creating and all around good situation.