It’s the holiday party season and if you are hosting a gathering this month, you’re likely considering where you will purchase large quantities of soda, chips, and other appetizers. Many of you will visit your local warehouse club store (BJs, Costco, Sam’s etc). And if you are one of those people, you will definitely want to keep reading. Today, I’m giving tips on bulk shopping which will reduce your environmental impact.

Buy in bulk for items which have a long shelf life such as canned goods and paper products as well as items you plan to use right away for events. The trick to bulk shopping is to reduce your environmental impact by making yourself aware of wasteful packaging such as extra plastic or packaging that is not recyclable. Steer clear of hard plastic packaging which is not only annoying to open, but also generally not recyclable.

Besides, bulk shopping means that you use less fuel picking up a roll of toilet paper when you run out. Instead, you have a stock pile and you can plan when you will need to purchase more.

Often, club and warehouse stores offer refills for products such as cleaners, detergents, and some food items. Opt for these goods when you have the opportunity as they reduce waste in packaging. There are now even cleaning products which give you the bottle and a mix and you add water, saving on fuel used for transportation and reducing the amount of water leaving its local vicinity.

Bulk shopping is great for purchasing flour, sugar, grains, dried fruits, and nuts. Your local grocery store likely has an aisle with these goods which can be scooped into bags and bought by the pound. Purchasing these items in bulk reduces the cardboard, tin and plastic packaging and best of all, is usually less expensive!

Just don’t forget to bring your cloth, reusable shopping bags when you shop. Leave them in your car so you always have them on hand for last minute shopping trips.