#2013alive: How Do You Make Eco-Friendly Choices?

For week 3 of July’s 12 Months of Wellness, we’re considering the environment in our shopping habits, and cutting back on packaging. Here’s how alive staff care for Mother Nature while out shopping—what can you do to reduce your consumption of packaging waste?

Leah Karpus, Editor: I always bring my reusable bags to the store, and try to choose items with less packaging (I love the bulk section!). I used to work at a health food store, so I know from personal experience that a lot of health food stores have some really great options for further reducing your waste.

My favourite suggestions include returning egg cartons for local farmers to reuse, choosing milk and cleaning products in glass bottles that you rinse and return to the store (the companies sanitize and reuse them), bringing your own containers for bulk sections (look for creative bulk purchases too, such as freshly ground peanut butter—yum!), and choosing soaps without any
packaging at all. Ask one of the staff members at your local natural health retailer for more tips!

Vince Yim, Digital Content Coordinator: I try to avoid plastic shopping bags whenever possible by refusing a plastic bag on small items, bringing along a large plastic bin (which fits in a shopping cart) or keeping a reusable bag on hand. If I order electronics online, I try to opt for minimal packaging (which is for attracting customers and deterring shoplifters, irrelevant when you’re purchasing online), although that doesn’t always necessarily mean that the retailer will use sensible packaging when sending it through the mail.

Advertising Account Manager: I buy milk in glass bottles and yes, use my own shopping bags.

Check in with us!

Tell us how your 12 Months of Wellness journey is going via blog or Facebook comments, or by using the Twitter hashtag #2013alive!

Plus, tune in to find out how we’re doing by checking our ongoing Twitter, Facebook,
and blog posts. Don’t forget to download your July 12 Months of Wellness goal
tracking sheet!