Sustainable Spending: What It Means and How to Do It

Nowadays, we're accustomed to doing our grocery shopping in supermarkets , where we find a wide variety of products and can also optimize our time. Yet grocery shopping should become a socially relevant activity, not simply dictated by the consumerist urge instilled in us by the market. Shopping for quality products, whose true origins are known, and generally approaching our shopping in a critical and responsible manner , should be essential. There are some measures that can make sustainable shopping a true lifestyle, capable of improving not only our daily lives but also bringing significant benefits to the ecosystem.

Index of topics

Zero km products

Sustainable shopping and conscious consumption also means favoring so-called "zero-mile" products , meaning local and seasonal products purchased directly from the producer. This way, we avoid all the polluting emissions that result from long-distance food transport from one part of the country to another, or even from other countries around the world. The products we consume will therefore be not only eco-sustainable but also much healthier and safer. Furthermore, buying from local shops or directly from the producer means supporting the local economy and farmers, thus maintaining a convivial relationship that benefits everyone. Buying "zero-mile" products also avoids plastic packaging , which only adds to the waste chain, leading to enormous waste.

Solidarity purchasing groups

Purchasing groups, including solidarity purchasing groups, known as "GAS," are now very useful. These groups cultivate the idea of responsible consumption that respects people and the environment. Essentially, a group of people agree to purchase food products in their local area, identify suitable locations to meet their needs, and form a solidarity purchasing group, which is then joined over time by many others. At scheduled times, the groceries arrive at collection points set up by the GAS or directly to consumers' homes. In Finland, "REKO" has emerged , but is currently only present in Reggio Emilia. REKO is a Facebook group that you can join to reserve products from a specific producer simply by commenting on their posts on social media. Then, on a set day, you can pick up your groceries, which are exclusively seasonal and local.

Eggs

Eggs are one of the most commonly used foods in the kitchen, and for this reason , they should be purchased with greater awareness. Unsafe products could pose a health risk; on the other hand, the well-being of the animal that produced them should also be a concern. Therefore, to ensure sustainable egg purchasing, choose eggs from domestic farms where the hens are raised free-range, with at least 10 square meters of space available, and fed organic feed. Choosing the right feed (without added colorings or proteins) is especially crucial, as it keeps the birds healthy. It would be best to buy eggs locally, from a local farm, for the reasons mentioned above; if this isn't possible, you can buy them loose at the supermarket, where possible, or perhaps simply in paper packaging, preferably recycled, to avoid plastic packaging that must then be disposed of.

Cold cuts and cheeses

Cheeses and cured meats should also be purchased locally, meaning from local farms that care about the animals' health, resulting in healthy products. Livestock should be grass-fed , not grain-fed, which causes unhealthy swelling and fattening. Furthermore, animals must be raised free-range and should not be given medication unless absolutely necessary. Naturally, the animal's diet and care will impact the type of cured meat or cheese it will be able to produce. Even in supermarkets throughout Italy, it's possible to buy sustainable cured meats and cheeses from organic farms, where the animals are treated with respect and fed a healthy and responsible diet. Similarly, it's possible to find several producers and butchers who use grass-fed meat for controlled, healthy products. Furthermore, if you buy cured meats and cheeses at the supermarket, it's best to order them at the counter to avoid plastic trays.

Products on tap

While stocking up on groceries and other items by filling containers at local shops was once the norm, this practice has fallen into disuse with the advent of large-scale retail trade, which has accustomed us to having so many different products at our fingertips. Today, however, so-called "on tap"—i.e., loose products—are making a comeback. This is because we've realized that buying food and other items in bulky packaging, which must then be disposed of somehow, is not environmentally friendly and represents enormous waste. Italy is full of "on tap" shops, from north to south, and you can buy virtually everything there, from food to beauty products to laundry and household detergents. It's all in the spirit of "zero waste ," because buying loose foods means changing your lifestyle and helping the planet reduce the amount of waste that overwhelms it. Packaged foods, like those found in supermarkets, cost up to ten times more than loose ones; Therefore, opting for the latter also means saving money. Furthermore, buying food or products on tap will allow you to stock up on what you really need and not buy simply because of attractive packaging or advertising messages.

Milk - Latte

Milk is one of the products most easily purchased on tap . As we've already mentioned, there's a greater awareness today of environmental concerns, the reduction of transportation emissions, and the quality of the products we bring to the table. Milk is certainly one of those products that can now be purchased raw, with a natural flavor, from dispensers, filling glass bottles brought from home. This reduces the problem of packaging and greatly supports a sustainable economy, especially that of local producers. Consumers also save money, ensuring they receive a safe product at a competitive price.

Disposable products

For truly sustainable shopping, it's important to avoid all disposable products such as diapers, razors, napkins, and sanitary pads (the latter can now easily be replaced by menstrual cups or cloth diapers). Fortunately, thanks to a vote in the European Parliament, the directive drastically reducing the use of disposable products has been definitively approved, with them being completely banned within two years. These products also include balloons and wet wipes. A true "green revolution," as it's been dubbed, it also aims to strengthen manufacturers' responsibility regarding the collection and disposal of certain environmentally harmful products.

How to replace plastic grocery bags

Rather than using plastic bags that do nothing but pollute the surrounding environment, it's better to stock up on canvas or jute bags that can be used over and over again, every time you go shopping. Avoid biodegradable bags, too. It seems that these aren't strictly "organic" and that they don't decompose in 12 weeks, but rather, that after being buried, they remain intact for several months. Cloth bags should always be kept in your bag, so you're not caught off guard if you make an unexpected purchase. To save effort and carry more groceries, you can also get a handy cart that you can easily pull along.

A practical guide to conscious consumption

The title is certainly provocative, Buy Nothing! A Practical Guide to Conscious Consumption (Il Punto d'Incontro edition), but the content is a realistic and valuable compass for avoiding wasting money on unnecessary purchases. In just seven steps. The text was written by Liesl Clark and Rebecca Rockefeller, founders of a movement that has since spread, with groups everywhere, called Buy Nothing . It is not a proposal for a Franciscan life, devoid of any pleasure in purchasing, but simply the gradual mastery of a method. To avoid buying useless things, things we already have or are useless, and then end up in landfills or abandoned at home. To save money. To avoid waste. All the advantages of conscious consumption.