You’re at the grocery store and you’re looking for a new cereal to try. You want one that’s organic, but also affordable – which is easier said than done. Then, you notice that there’s only one box left on the shelf and it has a “best by” date of tomorrow. That might be your lucky day! But before you buy it, think about this: how do I know if my cereal will last until its best-by date? What if I’m not able to finish the box in time? How does this impact me as a consumer and how does it impact the environment? These are all important questions that we need to ask ourselves when shopping in order to live sustainably. In this article, we’ll discuss how to be an ethical shopper, in three simple steps.

Part One: Where You Shop Matters

The first step is deciding where you’re going to shop. If possible, I recommend shopping at a local grocery store or farmers’ market instead of one that’s farther away from your home. This will reduce the amount of fuel that you use in your vehicle and will also help to support local farmers.

But what if there isn’t a grocery store or farmer’s market nearby? You can still shop at other stores! Look for the Local/Organic option on their website, as well as ways they’re supporting local businesses like small farms. There are many different ways to be sustainable when shopping, and it doesn’t have to involve a lot of extra effort.

Part Two: Consider the Product’s Life Cycle

The second step is considering a product’s life cycle. This includes looking at the entire lifespan of a product, from its creation to how long it will last in your home. For example, when you’re choosing a new cereal, think about how long it will take you to eat the entire box. If it won’t last more than a week or two, then it’s not the right choice for you.

It’s also important to consider whether a product is recyclable. For example, most plastics are recyclable, but some plastics can’t be recycled. When you’re looking at a product’s packaging and considering whether to buy it or not, make sure that the packaging is recyclable as well!

Part Three: Consider Price Per Use To Be Sustainable

Ultimately, when choosing products for your home consider price per use. If something seems too expensive for you, then it probably is. We want to be mindful of our spending when shopping and not spend more than we need to. This means that if a product costs too much in relation to how long it will last or the amount of times you’ll use it, then don’t buy it!

When I was growing up my mom always told me that it’s not good to be wasteful. And she was right – being sustainable when shopping is one of the best ways to reduce our impact on the environment. By following these three simple steps, we can all do our part in creating a more sustainable future for ourselves and for generations to come.

Thank you for reading!