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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We use our own plastic bags and love Whole Foods hot bar. So many good choices!!
Reusable bags ftw! I also love to think of how I spend my money as ‘voting’ for products that reflect my values!
We compost, have a rain barrel to water our garden and walk to the grocery store whenever possible.
Fresh ground peanut butter, nothing better
I love my reuseable bag from Whole Foods – I use it for so much more than just groceries.
I love their almond milk! It’s the only kind I’ll drink – so good and no carrageenan. Big fan.
We compost at work and at home! I always have my bags with me in my car and in my purse!
I always keep reusable bags in my car for shopping trips!
My boyfriend and I are fortunate enough to live within walking distance to three grocery stores so we try to walk with our reusable bags as often as we can (unless it’s for a large weekly stock up). Recycling is huge in our house and we usually have an overflowing bag of things for our blue bin by the end of the week. Composting and growing our own vegetables is something we are hoping to experiment with this summer 🙂
We recycle in our house daily.
I recycle my cardboard and plastic containers.
I pretty much love everything from Whole Foods, but my fiance and I love getting Kumbucha drinks from there! 🙂
I recycle at home, bring bags with me when I shop and try to re-use things when I can.
Recycle and buy sustainable. So important! Love this giveaway!
I like to buy almond butter in bulk!
I always bring reusable bags with me when I go shopping!
i now live across from a whole foods (so dangerous!) but LOVE their fresh prepared foods and salad bar as a healthy alternative for nights when I don’t feel like cooking. Also love their seafood – we pick up fresh filets about twice a week, so convenient!
I love Whole Foods! I always plan my meals around in-season produce and have recently been adding green cleaning products to my collection.
I always bring my own bags and love, love their store made salsa and guac!!!!
Reusable shopping bags!
I use reusable bags when shopping…I leave a bunch in the back of my car so I always have some ready!
Hard to pick just one, but probably the biggest impact would be that myself, my husband and my daughter all commute to work/school together…about 25 miles round trip every day makes a big difference!
I always bring my bags. I also refill my soaps in the bulk section, so much cheaper than buying a new bottle!
I have been using reusable bags and bringing my water bottle with me for a few years now. One of things I have added recently is using cloth napkins and microfiber cloths for cleaning. As a bonus, we hardly ever buy paper towels anymore 🙂
I use vinegar and baking soda to clean, and I also compost and grow many of my own veggies.
I bring my reusable water bottle everywhere!
We recycle as much as possible as well as buy local and/or organic produce.
I bring my own grocery bags as well and mostly eat vegetarian!
I always bring my own bags! I love their large selection of Organic Produce and also lots of gluten free foods. When not eating all Whole Foods I love the Gluten-Free Against the Grain Pizza Crust for making awesome Pizza at home.
Love your blog Julie!
Awesome giveaway!
We use a reuseable grocery bag, water bottles, etc., buy in bulk, and recycle!
Recycling! My roommates and I fill our recycling bin to the top every week with cardboard, cans, glass, and plastic!
I got rid of my car! I live downtown so I walk to work, the grocery store, restaurants, bars, etc. and just rent a car when I need to go somewhere far. I feel great about helping the environment, plus it’s more exercise and time outside 🙂
I always bring and shop with my own tote bags at stores.
I bring my own bags, including bags for bulk items.
I am totally in love with the bulk chorizo at my whole foods. Perfect spicy breakfast 🙂
I always bring my own bags, recycle, and try to buy and shop local!
I love shopping at Whole Foods! One of my favorite things to buy there are their pre-made chicken burgers and, of course, my beloved Justin’s vanilla almond butter. Fingers crossed to win this awesome giveaway!
I recently just started using all Meyer’s cleaning products and LOVE them. I first tried the vegetable/fruit wash and expanded soon after using it. I always bring my own bags with me to the store (and they can fit so much more, so why not?!). It makes carrying groceries up THREE flights of stairs at my apartment much much easier!
And I too, share with you the love of the bulk food aisle…so many options! And last but certaintly not least, Whole Foods coffee is INCREDIBLE! Right now I’ve been stuck on their Costa Rican blend, but cannot wait to try others.
I love whole foods, especially the prepared food!
I always bring tote bags to the store. They are much easier to carry in addition to being green.
I always try to bring my own tote bags! It’s so easy and they can hold a lot more (I’m notorious for loading up my arms with grocery bags so I only have to make ONE trip in from the garage!!) I love the prepared foods section at whole foods – oh and the wine/beer bar 🙂
I already do all of the things you mention, as greening my routine is very important to me. In addition to your tips, we also compost which saves so many scraps from going into the trash – while providing us with nutrient dense soil for our garden. It’s a win win!
I love shopping at Whole Foods, especially for their beautiful produce and also for organic nuts. It’s the only grocery store in my area with organic nuts, and that is important to me.
I bought a reusable coffee filter for my K-cup machine so that I’m not sending dozens of plastic K-cups to the landfill each month.
I walk and take public transit everywhere, but it helps to have a location where that’s simple! Great giveaway!
I love Meyer’s cleaning supplies and at Whole Foods I make my own trail mix with the amazing nuts and dried fruits selection 🙂
We always bring our own bags to the grocery store!
Reuse, recycle and compost…I also bring my own bags! Love the bulk section at Whole Foods!
My favorite things to buy at Whole Foods are fresh local meats and produce!
For greening up my life, I bring reusable glass containers and utensils to work so that I no longer throw out plastic forks!
I always bring reusable bags to the grocery store. Some local vendors will let you save their jars and turn them back
in for a free jar, like a salsa company. I try and go that as much as i can!
We use reusable bags but I’m definitely a believer in voting with your dollars. There’s no better way to affect change!