Make a difference when you go shop

Today's society is consumer based which means we have great consumer power. As more people buy environmentally friendly products suppliers must meet this demand. Next time you are out shopping look a little closer at the labelling and think a little harder about where your shopping came from and how it was produced.

Choose fresh produce carefully

• Buy organic produce. The cultivation of non-organic produce involves the use of damaging chemicals such as pesticides, which can pollute waterways and the rest of the environment.
• Buy fruit and vegetables that are in season to help reduce enormous transport costs resulting from importing produce and, where possible, choose locally produced food
• Replace one meat meal per week with a vegetarian option. Land used for beans and vegetables produces 10 times as much protein as land used for raising beef.

Use your consumer power

• Don’t buy products with excessive amounts of packaging and, where possible, choose products with re-useable containers
• Buy pump-action sprays rather than aerosols – even alternatives to CFCs can contribute to greenhouse gases
• Buy recycled or recyclable products such as toilet tissue and stationery
• If you can’t see recycled or 'eco-labelled' products, ask the store manager to stock them

Reduce your personal impact

• If you are going to the supermarket by car, take a friend with you – one car journey is better than two
• Take your own bag or re-use plastic carriers when shopping
• Buy in bulk wherever possible – it saves packaging and money
• Environmental claims on labels don't necessarily make any difference to the environmental impact of a product. If you are not sure what a label means, ask the retailer or contact the manufacturer.
• Check the energy efficiency of electrical appliances before you buy

Health

• Don’t buy head lice shampoos that contain pesticides. Use homeopathic alternatives or a fine-toothed metal comb instead
• Ask your vet to recommend or supply a flea killer for your pet that does not contain pesticides