Some tips to reduce the ecological impact of your purchases. Your wallet and the environment will win!

Keywords: guide, purchase, ecological, economic, econological, impact, environment, reduce, waste, bill, consumption, pollution

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Generalities

• Use biodegradable and / or reusable bags several times or other means of transport for your goods: shopping bags, crates ...

  Most hypermarkets now offer alternative and more practical alternatives to the traditional plastic bag.

• Pay attention to conditioning, as follows:

  - Avoid small packages (see unit packages) and multiple packages (some products have 3 or 4 “layers” of packaging).
  Examples: certain brioches, individual dishes, certain fruits wrapped in cellophane, new “marketing” products in unit packs, etc.

  - Buy products in bulk or in larger quantities of packaging, even if it means repackaging them at home.

  - Take into account the nature of the “packaging”: prefer biodegradable packaging (paper, cardboard) or better recyclable (glass, metal, milk cartons…) rather than plastic packaging… If possible, prefer returnable packaging

  - Choose products with possible recharging. Still quite rare (some cleaning products) this idea nevertheless allows savings (financial and environmental: econological) interesting in terms of packaging.

• Seasonality: encourage the purchase of seasonal fruits and vegetables, which require less treatment and transportation.
• Regionality: encourage the purchase of local products.

  There is also less transport and ecological logistics costs. Examples: fresh and seasonal products of course, but also certain clothes. Do not forget that the “ugly” globalization is also created (and maintained) by us consumers wanting ever cheaper products ...

• Read the label of your products, to find in particular:

  - Origin

  - Treatments carried out

  - beware of labels, there are a multitude of them and not all are equal. The NF-Environment mark or the European eco-label present a good compromise, for example. They point to products that are both more efficient and more environmentally friendly.

• Privilege small neighborhood traders (those that still exist), local markets and if possible, direct sales from producers. Don't forget that using your vehicle for short urban journeys is catastrophic for your wallet and the environment.
• Group your purchases: try to space your "big shopping" in hypermarkets to buy in larger quantities, even if it means returning more often to the greengrocer or the grocer near you

On the shelves

• In the drugstore:

  - Avoid hyper-specialized or redundant products. For example: use diluted washing-up liquid as a window cleaner, even if it means filling the handy dispenser bottle.

  - Choose "refillable" products where eco-refills exist

  - Choose "green" products that are less aggressive for nature (not necessarily more expensive but, it must be admitted, sometimes less effective ...)

  On the same subject :

  • The Kyoto Protocol: the complete and complete text
  • Packaging: ecological packaging in paper or cardboard for professionals
  • Pollution new technologies: computers, internet, hi-tech ... 2
  • Solar thermal energy analyzes in France
  • SEA: the solutions?
  • China is greatly reducing the import of foreign industrial waste. An earthquake or a chance for the European recycling industry?
  • Ecological impact of transport in France
  • Solar guide 2020: how much does an installation of photovoltaic panels cost?
  • CSR: The challenges of ecological printing in 2021
  • Biofuel issues pure oils

  - A powder detergent releases three times less surfactants than a liquid detergent. For equivalent use, the compact powder is even less polluting than the ordinary powder.

  - Do not forget the advice of our grandmothers, always much more ecological. For example: vinegar to dissolve limescale, milk to detach ink or tomatoes on sunburn.

• For food, choose:

  - purchase by the cut: cheese and butcher's shop. In greater quantity (if conservable obviously) than the pre-packaging. These products are often of better quality but also quite expensive.

  - purchase in glass jars, for preserves or returnable packaging for drinks.

• The toys:

  - Prefer more natural materials, such as wood.

  - Avoid machines requiring disposable batteries, prefer devices with a battery included.

  - Try not to give in to the fashions of the moment, even if your child is crazy about them. For example: merchandising reality TV shows, there is a good chance that your child will lose interest in it in a few months… (weeks?)

  - Give preference to “sustainable” and progressive toys (construction games, board games, etc.)

• Home appliance :

  - Obviously prefer energy-saving LED bulbs, which are not necessarily more expensive in the end than conventional bulbs, especially if the purchase price is reduced

  - Obviously compare the energy consumption often linked to the quality of the product.

  - Choose "mid-range" quality equipment: their lifespan is longer than the low-end, you will ultimately win (better a device that costs 300 € and lasts 5 years or a device equivalent which costs 500 € and lasts 15 years?). Taking high-end is, on the other hand, not econological since their lifespan and consumption are generally equivalent to the mid-range.