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Even when you are shopping
for food you can behave in a much more sustainable way.
Here is a start - BUT don't forget the simple things you can do.
REMEMBER SHOPPING IS NOT A NEUTRAL ACTIVITY.
The three key questions in food shopping are:
WHAT are you buying?
WHERE are you buying it?
WHEN are you buying it?
WHAT...
- Bulk buy. It can be cheaper to buy in
bulk. But can you use all the contents? It's no good if it will go
out of date before you use it! Buying in bulk can save on
packaging, too.
- Don't buy too much. If you throw food
away, you waste not just the food but also all the energy put into
growing and distributing it.
A loaf of bread has the following energy costs:
Farming/flour milling/baking: 63 per cent
Transport: 19 per cent
Packaging: 10 per cent
Shop costs: 8 per cent
- Be choosy. Buy small amounts from
delicatessen counters.
They use more packaging, but you can get just the amount you
need!
- Be honest! Don't buy stuff you aren't
going to eat. If nobody in the house likes salad, you will end up
throwing it all away. Look for other healthy options.
- Look at every package. How far has the
food come? Could you find an alternative? Is it cheaper?
- Buy products with the Fair Trade label
on them. The farmers will get a fair proportion of the
price.
- Don't insist on perfect fruit and
vegetables. Does the odd blemish really matter if the food tastes
OK? To get the perfect product, fruit and vegetables have to be
grown in strictly controlled ways, using a lot of chemicals. And
what happens to the fruit that isn't quite perfect - that doesn't
make the grade?
WHERE...
- Support local shops.
- Plan shopping trips to use minimum fuel. Avoid busy times,
traffic jams and sitting in queues.
- Share a shopping trip with a friend or neighbour.
WHEN...
- Buy food in season - for example buy strawberries in the summer
and winter cabbage in the winter.
Go to main stories for more information on Shopping and Food
miles.
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