Buying in Bulk to Reduce Waste

     Buying in bulk is one of the easiest ways to become more environmentally friendly. Not only does buying in bulk make life more convenient by saving trips to the store, it saves money and environmental resources as well. Bulk packaged goods are cheaper than individually packaged goods, and fewer trips to the store means less fossil fuel burned and more time for other things.

     Food isn’t the only thing that can be bought in bulk. Buying soap, paper, etc. is also beneficial to the environment and your wallet. Even if an item is not available in bulk at a store, buying the largest size possible will give you similar savings financially and environmentally.

     When buying from bulk bins, bring your own containers. It helps to reduce packaging by using less bags and boxes. You can weigh your containers before filling them, in order to subtract the tare weight from the total purchase weight. In addition, you will always buy the right amount for your containers if you take them along with you. All it takes is a little planning. If you must use plastics, try reusing them several times before recycling them.

     The larger the quantity you buy, the less packaging is used. Be wary, though, of large warehouse stores that simply sell you cases of prepackaged individual goods, such as paper and inks. A lot of that packaging that is wasted. Try to stick to the items that come in one large container.

     Food items that are purchased need to be stored in glass. The safety of plastics used in food storage is questionable, and glass mason jars offer a safe alternative. Many health food distributors also carry one gallon glass jars that are perfect for storing bulk food such as sugar and coffee for the home or office.

     Several retailers, such as Staples, OfficeMax and Office Depot offer bulk purchase. This “green” alternative also saves time and money. Try it and see the results!