In todays fast paced world there is a huge need to get back to basics. Keeping things as simple as possible and less complicated. We have seen the rise in popularity of a minimalist lifestyle of late. And really, bulk buying is just another way of living minimally. As a collective we have realised that the way we have been living has been detrimental to our planet. Our over consumption and mindless living habits, has not been doing our planet any good. Things need to change.
This is exactly what bulk buying is about.
Changing the way we have been doing things.
What does buying bulk actually mean?
Buying bulk is simply the purchase of large quantities of particular products. This can be items such as food, cleaning products and personal care products. Buying bulk is not just great for you in terms of cost savings, it’s also great for the environment. It allows for more conscious and deliberate purchasing, and less chance of those indulgent spontaneous purchases.
Here are a few reasons to buy in bulk and help contribute to saving our environment.
By buying in bulk you…..
Reduce packaging waste
Plastic is a huge environmental threat right now as it is contaminating our world quicker than ever before. Saying no to plastic and packaging, is voting for what kind world you want to live in and saying. It is like saying “I love you and thank you” to Mother Nature.
Buying in bulk helps us to save on packaging waste. This is because individual products sold in supermarkets are predominantly packaged in individual plastic packaging.
The manufacture of materials for packaging places an enormous amount of pressure on our environment. From destroying trees in our forests, dumping contaminated water into our oceans and draws on large amounts of energy resulting in huge levels of CO2 emissions being pumped into our atmosphere!
We can easily look at the supermarket shelves and see that much of the plastic packaging is totally unnecessary. It supports convenience, but does not support the planet. Even the transport of these individually packaged items require extra packaging in transport such as cardboard boxes, tape, pallets, and plastic wrap are not necessary.
So whether you are buying larger bulk sized items or simply shopping at outlets that designed to support bringing your own containers, it is a huge change for the better.
Reduce food waste
When you think of buying in bulk, many people probably think of only buying large quantities at a time. As mentioned above, this can be true. However, when buying dry goods such as grains, legumes, spices, nuts, dried fruit and cereal where you pay for them by weight, you also get the opportunity to buy exactly what you need. No need to buy a whole bag of chia seeds at the supermarket if you only need a small quantity for a recipe. Especially if product that you need is perishable, then buying what you need means less chance of it passing it’s use by date and going to waste.
There are many other products you can buy in bulk. As long as you have enough room to store them, toilet paper, paper towels and cleaning products are pretty good bets to buy in bulk. Along with anything else that you regularly use that doesn’t have a short shelf-life
Minimise Transport Pollution
Less frequent need to shop, which means less need for car travel. Tick! And if you order your bulk goods to be delivered, larger packages mean the delivery truck can be packed more efficiently. With more efficient transportation, you’re doing your part in saving the environment too by helping to reduce CO2 emissions.
Even the bulk goods themselves typically require less overall transportation in order to be delivered to consumer. This is because there are a lot less individual packaging components needed to produce the end product.
Here are some tips for buying bulk……
- Get your space right! It’s a good idea to prepare a storage space before you start your bulk purchases. So start clearing shelves at the bottom of the pantry, in the laundry or in the garage as you begin your bulk buying journey. This transition is a positive move towards a positive future. So no stress and or pressure needed by coming home with your shop only to find you have zero space for your purchases.
- Get collecting! Start saving jars, containers, boxes and invest in some reusable produce bags for purchases that have refilling options or are package free. Because even filling a paper bag or cardboard packaging is ultimately better for the environment since they can be composted and turned into soil for your garden.
- Make it a combined effort! Why not join forces with a friend, neighbour or other family members to save more money, save on packaging, save on transport or shipping costs if you are getting goods delivered. You can then have your goods delivered to one person’s address. When the order arrives, share it between you all using your own containers.
- Pay attention! In your enthusiasm and motivation to get started on saving time, money and the environment it can be easy to get carried away. Some products do have shorter shelf life so be mindful of how much and how quickly you will actually use of certain things and whether you will get through them before they expire. This can be especially true for skincare and some personal care products. With skincare, you may want to choose those in glass over plastic to increase the recycle-bility of your purchases.
- Know your prices! When buying in bulk, it pays (pardon the pun) to do your research. Be sure to do some calculations before hand so you know exactly where your money is going.
- Don’t waste your time! Don’t waste your time bulk buying an item unless you’ve personally used it and know it works for you. You may find that the product doesn’t meet your needs, even if you expect that it will.
It may take a few tries to find the sweet spot for what works for you but once you get started you will reap the benefits of your efforts and the earth will thank you too! So if you have always wanted to do something to help save our planet, then try this small and easy step that will also save you time and money. It just requires a new perspective and a few small tweaks to the way you regularly shop!
