Help! Green and ethical grocery shopping confusion

Ben84

I'm still figuring out a lot of these things. Some things I do very well, I've been buying fairtrade for a long time now and always recycle the most common items (glass, metal, paper/card). I also have almost no food waste. However, in other areas I'm very behind. I've only just started buying recycled paper (typing/printing paper, loo paper and tissues mostly), and I still throw a lot of non-recyclable rubbish in the bin.

I have a lot to do still, and it takes some time to decide what is best, and also a while to change old habits. Rather than tackle everything at once, splitting it in to manageable pieces, like starting one new positive habit a week would be good progress. That's how I'm planning to do it.

Some of my plans (not all started yet) are:

Buy recycled paper as often as possible

Buy second hand items where possible (I recently picked up some second hand kitchen appliances)

Start using cleaning product refills

Order a vegetable and fruit box as they tend to include more local produce and avoid most packaging waste

Buy books second hand first before looking for new copies

Support local charity stores more, as many stock new products and foods as well as used items. Everyday consumables can be found in many charity stores.

I can't think of any others right now, but will be looking for more ideas and hope to pick up some from this thread.

DragonLady

Hi there

Well I am a bit like you I think OP. I have tried to change things to make my life altogether a bit greener, so here are some of the things I do.

Buy local, buy organic if you can, buy seasonal too as this often means good deals - greener and cheaper on your pocket

Drying washing outdoors - I do this at every opportunity (of course I have a garden, so can...but if you can, do!)

What about your home? Can you add insulation? Eco bulbs? Double glazing? Draughtproofing doors, windows etc.

I buy cleaning materials (ecover usually) in bulk online, so saves my pocket and reduces the plastic etc going to landfill.

Recycle what you can, compost what you can and freecycle too (or local charity shops).

Take a bag to the shops instead of taking a plastic carrier bag from the cashier at the till. Likewise shops like Lakeland have started to do mesh zipper bags for loose fruit and veg so that you don't have to use the plastic ones on offer!

Walk or cycle where you can. You'll see much more and meet more people!

Don't leave electricals on standby or charge your phone overnight - it doesn't need that long and is wasting electric.

Another site I would recommend is rivercottage.net as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a genius (in my humble opinion!) when it comes to eating well and ethically.

As I said, we started to do all these little things and more and we have noticed a big difference in our bills, our consciences and the amount of rubbish we now throw compared to before.

Good luck!

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I still buy meat and fish - the best quality I can possibly afford - and I find it almost impossible to buy intensively farmed produce now. But I can't afford as much, so mince gets adulterated (in the disgusted eyes of the OH) with courgettes, loads of onions, etc and most meat gets cooked in slices in the pan rather than in great slabs.

The only problem I find with Hugh Fingy=Wotsit is that he seems to feel extremely threatened by people choosing not to eat much meat or fish and has to 'convert' them at every opportunity. You don't HAVE to eat an animal with every meal, Hugh! Yes, occasionally I have a major craving for something big and dead on my plate, but I don't need it every day...

imajica

There are clearly so many of us in this position.

I have done all the same gradual changes here and there but I don't know everything and it is a minefield. You find out that milk production is "bad", start drinking soya milk and then somebody tells you that soya production is responsible for mass deforestation, how confusing?!?!

But overall we're trying, which has to count for something. I read a great book (from a charity shop) called Shades of Green which is definately worth a look because it shows you have to take steps towards improvement when choosing products, rather than making you feel that unless you live in a cold, dark cave and just suck lichin off rocks you're killing the planet :rolleyes:

NualaBuala

Hi everyone and thank you so much for replying! :T Sorry it's taken me a while to reply but real life got in the way of internet time - you know the way!

Jojo, that's a great idea cos I've seen fair trade organic sugar all over the place. I had a hard time finding the flour but it turned out to be under my nose in the local health food shop and isn't too dear. Like you say, it tends to last for ages anyway. I bet I'll be the same as you and won't want to go back to mass-produced factory meat once I'm used to "proper" stuff. I really like a lot of veg, lentils etc in my mince. And I live alone so don't have to worry about fussy eaters. I've cut back to eating meat once or twice a week but it depends. I'm eating a lot more fish so I must look into what's ethical there. I have a big pack of line-caught cod from M&S - I think I saw on Countryfile that these are better. The fishermen were saying that cod stocks are relatively high now but they have to throw a lot of their catch back because of quotas.

Greenbee, I'm still working my way through the websites - slowly! I do compost my used soapnuts but they seem to last ages so I've only had a few shells to add so far. And over here in Ireland we've had to pay for plastic bags for years now so since then I've been carrying reusable cloth bags. It's funny, I don't think anyone minded when the Govt. brought that in - we could see the sense in it. Most of us have just got into the habit of having a folded up bag stuck in our handbag or pocket.

Claire, you've reminded me of one of the most important things - chocolate! At the moment I buy a lot of cheap own brand choc snacks. But I'm trying to lose weight so if I switch to Green and Blacks or similar, I won't be able to afford a lot so I'll be killing 2 birds with one stone! I've got a fair stash to work my way through so that won't happen just yet. I do the Fair Trade tea and coffee and I'm trying to buy local fruit and veg but it's not easy. I've discovered a food coop in town so I hope to check it out and that could be a treasure trove of "good stuff".

Firefox, thanks for the encouragement and that's a shocking statistic. What you say makes absolute sense. I find planning my meals is helping with not wasting stuff (I used to end up throwing lots out I'm ashamed to say). I'm not sure if this is true but I thought organic milk meant the cattle would be kept more humanely? I'm going to check out the certifying body and see what I can find out. I've started using a lot less milk - about a quarter of what I used to. And I'm trying to eat more spinach so I'm still getting calcium though I wonder if it's enough. I'm trying to cut back on packaging but the supermarkets make it hard (so I'm trying to shop more elsewhere). Will have to think what I can leave out - the cheap choc biccies are one thing anyway. But it won't happen overnight!:D

Trinny, you're doing really well - you seem to have a common sense approach. I want to do all that you're doing but I think you're right, if I let each change "settle" and get used to it, then I can add something new. I wish I could find a farm to get produce from. I don't drive so it's not easy but I will be checking out some farmer's markets so that might be the next best thing.

Thanks DragonLady (funny name for such a nice person!) - you've a lot of great suggestions there. You know I think it was watching Hugh Fearnly W's programmes that started getting me interested in living better. It's been a gradual thing though. I'm getting better about the mobile and turning things off standby but I'm not perfect. Will keep trying. And I definitely need to improve the insulation and draughtproofing. They've brought in grants for that over here so I must check that out. I don't use a car except when I can scrounge a lift cos I haven't got one - I use "shank's pony" as my Mum used to call it (walking) or the bus if I've to go further afield. So that's something. I don't use a tumble drier but I think setting up a clothes line is a great idea, something I've been meaning to do. At the moment I use indoor airers in well-ventilated rooms.

imajica, you're right - at least we're well intentioned! I heard that about the soya milk and also heard there were some health issues but then I read other stuff contradicting that and got one of my head spins! I'll have to look out for books like the ones you and others mentioned. I'm using the library now so I'll see what they have. What did you decide on for the milk in the end? I see some people make their own out of oats and all sorts. If we end up in the cave, lets make sure it's well-insulated and draught-proofed!

Thanks again folks - so much inspiration there. :T:T:T I love to know what other people are doing so please keep sharing.

I seem to have made the switch to organic milk - it's automatic now. And I've found some lovely organic yoghurts and picked up an organic cheddar in Lidl (the same price as normal cheddar in Tesco, so that's good). I'd like to find a source of "farm stuff" so I'll be keeping my eyes open for that. I'm waiting to the autumn to do the insulating as I need to save for it and the heating is off for the summer. Sometimes it's chilly but I have lots of cuddly fleece blankets for snuggling under. I'm going to buy Dove's organic flour as soon as I've run out, and sugar too. Will keep you all posted if you're not bored reading about it!