Good morning and Happy Thursday! I hope you guys are doing well so far today! I’m excited to be teaming up with Whole Foods Market on today’s blog post and chat about simple things we can all do to “green our routines” and be a little more environmentally-friendly.
Below you will find six simple ways to green your routine and there’s also a great giveaway at the bottom of this blog post that I think my fellow Whole Foods Market lovers will enjoy!
Six Simple Ways To Green Your Routine at Whole Foods
- Purchase Frozen Fish and Buy Sustainable Catch
As someone who loves almost any kind of seafood and prepares fish for dinner at least once a week, purchasing frozen and sustainably-caught seafood is a big one for me! While fresh seafood must often travel long distances by air, frozen seafood can make its way to retailers via a more energy-efficient mode of transportation. An added bonus is that modern flash-freezing means consumers still get high-quality seafood, often for less money than fresh seafood.
Additionally when purchasing wild-caught seafood, select options that are certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or rated “Green” or “Yellow” by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program and the Safina Center to ensure that your choice is sustainable.
- Bring Your Own Bags
I have a feeling a lot of you already do this (at least I hope you do!), but bringing your own reusable grocery bags to the store with you is such a simple way be a little more environmentally friendly. Plus, many Whole Foods Market locations offer discounts for customers who bring their own bags into the store! Win, win.
Fun fact: It’s estimated that Whole Foods has kept more than 150 million plastic bags out of landfills since eliminating plastic grocery bags from their stores in 2008.
- Choose Greener Cleaners
I started to pay more attention to the type of cleaners we use at home when I was pregnant and am definitely more cognizant of our cleaning supplies now that we have a baby at home. Whole Foods Market’s Eco-Scale Rating System mandates full ingredient disclosure on all household cleaning products (<— something that is not require by US law) in an effort to help shoppers identify a product’s environmental impact though a color-coded rating.
The orange rating is the minimum rating, noting that products with an orange rating do not have ingredients with significant environmental or safety concerns (such as phosphates or chlorine). Yellow-rated products meet even higher standards and green-labeled products are the top tier!
- Select In-Season Produce
This is another tip that is both great for flavor and for saving energy and resources! By shopping in season, you’re more likely to save money and enjoy deliciously flavorful produce while also purchasing food that has been harvested using less energy and resources during a time when it grows naturally.
- Shop In Bulk
Oooh the bulk foods section! I don’t know what it is about this section of Whole Foods, but I’m always drawn to it first. I love trying new foods and appreciate the way the bulk bins allow me to shop for the exact amount I want to use. They’re a great way to save money (I love buying chia seeds, nuts and nutritional yeast in bulk) and also cut down on materials and waste.
- Vote With Your Dollars
I cannot remember where I first heard this tidbit of advice, but it’s something I think about regularly when I am shopping. Whatever you purchase at the grocery store is essentially a “vote” telling brands that you like what they’re doing and want more of it. I would obviously prefer to see store shelves packed with food that is nutritious and produced with sustainability in mind and feel that by gravitating toward this type of food when I shop, I play a very small part in keeping the wheel running and encouraging the production of more responsibly-produced food.
Whole Foods Market Gift Card Giveaway
And now for that giveaway I promised you at the beginning of this post! One PBF reader will win a $100 gift card to Whole Foods Market. Sweet, right!?
To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment on this blog post telling me one thing you do on a regular basis to “green your routine” or tell me one of your favorite things to buy at Whole Foods.
I will randomly select a winner tomorrow morning.
Good luck!!
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I like bringing reusable bags to the grocery store.
We JUST got a Whole Foods in Destin, FL! I loved going there when I lived in D.C., and we’ve already been to the new one to sample their hot bar.
Recycling is big for us.
What a great giveaway! I bring my own bags and love Whole Foods’ hummus. It’s my favorite of any brand I’ve tried!
In Maryland we get charged for not using recycled bags, so it’s pretty easy to remember them! I love using Shaklee’s cleaners and products for another way to clean and consume eco-friendly. I love Whole Foods organic berries!
I didn’t know about the ratings on cleaning products at whole foods, thank you for sharing!! So good to know! I wash, save and reuse glass jars from almond butter, etc. I also try really hard not to waste food – at least once I week I make dinner with all the odds & ends from the fridge – sometimes its a challenge but its also fun, not to mention economical and green 🙂
I get totally sucked in by the bulk food section and also love to buy produce that is in season!
I also became more conscious of what cleaning products I was using when I was pregnant. I make a lot of my own cleaning products and that way I know exactly what ingredients are in them. I also use essential oils in the products and diffuse them.
We try to grow what we can and then buy local and in season
I am a vegetarian!
I use reusable bags. When I forget them, I do get plastic bags because we use them to clean up after the dog in the yard… I’m sure you understand 😉
Whole Foods has the best baked goods!
My city does not have curbside recycling unless you pay for it, which I do. I have a large recycling bin that I recycle paper, plastic, tin, etc…
I definitely use my reusable bags and look for sustainable seafood options, too. I’m taking baby steps to “go green” with our cleaning supplies. I recently discovered Mrs. Myers soaps…they’re great! I wish the bulk bin options at my store were better; we have such a small selection.
I keep cloth bags in the car so I always have them on hand. They’re way more sturdier than paper or plastic bags, which is an added bonus. I love bulk bins too! I first tried chia seeds, nutritional yeast, and a bunch of other “non-mainstream” foods from bulk bin shopping. Big thumbs up to less packaging and less waste.
I have been using reusable bags for years and it is such a small step but it must save so many plastic bags!
We stopped eating meat in October and became vegan due to the environmental footprint of raising cows.
I buy in bulk!
I live in CA so now I am religious about using reusable bags and always have them in the car.
I like to bring my own bags and shop local markets!
To green my routine I always use reusable grocery bags, no plastic and you can fit more in them!
we started growing some of our own veggies, recycling, and being very conscious of the products we buy!
we’re about to have our first baby so our mindset on buying has changed drastically too!
I bring my own bags or go shopping with my stroller so I just use the basket. I love wf cleaning supplies and bulk
I make my own cleaning products. So easy and safe!
I pack our lunches using all re-usable containers–not baggies & plastic wrap to be thrown away.
We are avid recyclers and always bring our totes with us to the grocery store. For work lunches and daycare I use BPA free containers & not the plastic bags. What a great giveaway!!
I always keep a few extra canvas bags in my car to use for grocery shopping or when I go to farmers market. I also try to ride my bike to farmers market. Thanks for the giveaway!
My favorite is the salad/hot food bar but it is so expensive!
I bring reusable shopping bags and walk to the store
We use reusable water bottles and coffee mugs to try and “go green!”
I use cloth diapers with my baby!
I always bring my own reusable bags when shopping!
I stay away from chemicals when cleaning and like to use natural products, like baking soda and vinegar instead. Makes me feel so much better knowing that I’m making our home a healthier one by choosing to do this.
I always use reusable bags. They are in my car and also some are in my purse for ever occasion!!! P. S. I love whole foods!!!
I always bring my reusable bags and we recycle at home .
I green my routine by bringing reusable bags with me. I also try to avoid purchasing bottled water. As for my favorite Whole Foods product, I am in love with their hot bar, pastries, and Sonoma Chicken Salad. Yum!
I always bring my own bags and pick up seasonal produce. Green is great!
You’ve inspired me to try something new from the bulk bins! I go to WF every Sunday for produce and I usually pick up four bags of their organic frozen fruits and berries for smoothies.
Buying in bulk!
I don’t eat meat. Much less waste getting nutrients directly from plants!
I try to use reusable bags but can only seem to remember when I go to Winco (cause I know I will be bagging my own groceries).
We walk to the grocery store and bring reusable bags. (A lot less grueling now that we have a baby and can load our groceries into the stroller rather than carrying them!)
I love whole foods, but don’t shop there as often as I would like. It usually puts a dent in our budget. I try to bring reusable bags as often as I can. When I forget I use the plastic grocery bags to help pick up dog poo!
Whole Foods dried fruits and trail mix in the bulk bun section is my weakness! I love having dates or papaya for snack/dessert!
I make sure to recycle my plastic bags at my local grocery store.
I always take my reusable bags when going to the grocery store.
Compost!
I always bring my own, reusable cloth bags, and I try to walk instead of driving whenever possible!
I use my reusable bags all the time!
To “green our routines” my family shops local, brings our own bags and/or reuses the bags we brought back home as trash bags and we walk or bike to our local stores, including Whole Foods (only about 12 minutes walk!)
Growing up in a smaller community I still always find Whole Foods to be such a treat after living in the LA area for nearly 2 years! We have our own bags, but I sometimes forget them at home.
I definitely bring my reusable grocery bags to the store with me. The town I live in banned single-use plastic bags and if you want a paper bag at the store it costs 5 cents.