Comments on: Green Shopping Tips

By: green tips « jessica l. emerson

green tips « jessica l. emerson — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:42:43 +0000

[...] Earth Day? Keep the environment in mind at the checkout line with Earth911.com’s Green Shopping guide. [...]

By: frank

frank — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 06:24:35 +0000

The cloth vs disposable diapers argument is covered in detail in the book “The Consumer’s Guide to Effective Environmental Choices”, which I recommend to anyone serious about going green. Apparently it’s not so clear cut one is more green than the other. For example, cloth diapers consume more water in their lifetime (manufacture and washing). Plus, I’ve never used a commercial diaper laundering service and I’m not really sure where those are, but it sounds like an extra trip to me… time and transportation.
Other than that, it’s nice that the “reduce” and “reuse” are emphasized, since much of the green world seems to beat “recycle” to death. :o)

http://greenitup.e-frank.com

By: bravenewleaf

bravenewleaf — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 06:11:43 +0000

In addition to buying items that are easily recycled, make sure you buy items that are *made* out of recycled materials! Toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, trash bags, toothbrushes, aluminum foil, and many other types of products come in varieties made from recycled material.

This helps support recycling at both ends of its lifecycle!

http://www.bravenewleaf.com
-A new greenie trying to reduce her carbon footprint.

By: lcollier

lcollier — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 07:14:50 +0000

Skip the plastic water bottles altogether. It would be best to have a home water filtration system; short of that, purchase water in a large plastic jug, as stated above. Use that to refill an environmentally friendly, reusable item, such as a stainless steel “bottle”, or an insulated item (such as a Thermos) lined with stainless or glass. Both stainless and glass are inert; plastic bottles often contain bisphenol A which leach into the water that you’re drinking. Yes, it’s probably in the large jug, but you’re decreasing your exposure to this chemical by eliminating the individual bottles. The release of bisphenol A really kicks into gear when the bottles are cleaned or heated.

Another suggestion: Lugging home heavy, bulky items, like the jugs of water that may be too heavy (or too big) for the reusable bags. I have one of those collapsible rolling crates in my trunk just for this purpose. At the store, I put these items into my car (loose), and when I get home I open the crate, put the items in, and easily roll it into the house.

By: jabenso

jabenso — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:50:44 +0000

Cardboard Boxes are a great alternative to plastic & canvas bags. I use (& re-use) a medium cardboard box on each trip to the grocery store. This is great for a few reasons:
-no plastic bags are used
-my groceries don’t roll around while driving home
-the box is durable for longer re-use
-the box is recyclable after I’m finished with it
-a box can be used for additional tasks at home

Ask your local grocery store manager to provide access to some of the store’s cardboard boxes that the products you buy were shipped to the store in. Place these near the checkout lanes to give customers a choice in how they “bag up” their groceries. Not only can you then re-use this box for grocery or other tasks, but this reduces the number of plastic bags bought buy the store and the number of boxes the store needs to dispose of. When finished just recycle the box.