Eco-Friendly Buying 101

Every day, it gets easier and easier to do our little bit to preserve our environment. So the next time you think of buying something, ask yourself, ‘is this item eco-friendly?’.

Eco-Friendly Buying 101

An environment friendly product indicates that the item is produced using sustainable ingredients such as bamboo flooring, or that it recycles an old material (e.g., an old tub) into something new (a planter!).

Recycling is actually very big today. You can almost buy something that’s been another thing in its previous ‘life’. For instance, used foil (e.g., chip bags, juice cartons, etc.) can be made into recycled bags, and old cabinets can be sanded and re-painted to be used as new in other homes.

What you should think about really before you purchase an item is to consider how it was manufactured. There are two ways to think about this. One, is the item made from sustainable or recycled materials? And two, has it been created under earth-friendly conditions? If the answer to both questions is YES, then you’ve got yourself a real eco-friendly find there!

Sustaining an Eco-Friendly Buying Mindset

Going eco-friendly does not only apply to big purchases. For instance, when you do your groceries, opt for the brown paper bag. In Europe, if people can carry things in their hands, they do so and turn down offers for plastic bags. Better still, for weekly shopping, buy an eco-friendly basket/bag (jute bags are great!) and use this over and over, week after week.

Most grocery stores now sell re-usable bags for just a dollar or two.  Buy a handful of these bags will ensure you always have some in your car and some in your home for easy access.  Taking these bags with you to a local farmer’s market is a sure way to up your eco-friendly buying a few notches by buying local produce.

Having a home renovation? Consider using bamboo flooring or any other type of flowing that’s made from sustainable materials. Cork flooring for one is made sustainable materials and comes in great styles nowadays; not to mention they’re warm and comfortable on the feet! If you want to accomplish an industrial feel in your home, then why not opt for marmoleum, which is manufactured under eco-friendly conditions.

Clothing is another area you can easily go eco-friendly on. Pick clothes that are produced from cotton or hemp or bamboo. These materials are sustainable and are soft and comfortable to wear. And no, you won’t look like you’re wearing a potato sack. In fact, even the big names in the clothing industry are going green too. For instance, the popular brand name Levi’s is utilizing recycled zippers and buttons and organic cotton nowadays.

Go green too with cleansing and cosmetics products. Look at labels and opt for the ones that do not contain any toxic chemicals. Not only are these greener choices, but they are better for your skin and face too!

Make being eco-friendly a habit too by using products that support this cause as you go about your daily routine. For instance, buy a composter so you can recycle your fruit and vegetable peelings and leftovers into compost. Purchase water-saving faucets and gadgets that help tell how much water you are using while watering your garden or taking a shower. Switch to fluorescent or LED lighting too.

All of these will not only help save Mother Earth but they help you save money too! Eco-friendly buying is a win-win situation really so what are you waiting for?

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