This Little Piggy Went to Market

Though the piggy that stayed home was definitely the greenest of the bunch, this little piggy often goes to market for her food.



It has become clear that eco-friendly shopping (especially when it comes to food) is not an exact science, but I try to keep the following things in mind when I go shopping, whether it be at the local farmer's market or the local Kroger.

• How far do I have to travel to get there? Is it worth the ten-mile trip to Whole Foods when a brisk two-minute walk will land me at Kroger?
  
• Is it organic? Though organic is not the only green factor, it is a major consideration, especially if you have health concerns.
• Was it made or produced locally? If the product was made close to home, than transportation is not as much of a consideration. Take a look to see if it was made in the same city or state.
• Does it come with a lot of excess packaging? Some prepared meals come with boxes, plastic containers, little packets of spices and more. Stay away from things like Lunchables!
  
• What is the packaging made out of? Glass can be recycled thousands of times, but weighs a lot, using more energy to transport it. Plastic can only be recycled a handful of times, if that, but requires less packaging to keep it in tact while transporting. Paper weighs less than plastic and glass, requires less packaging to transport, and can often be recycled or composted. Paper packaging made of already recycled materials is also a good option.
• How much does it weigh? Dehydrated and concentrated foods are often greener, because they require less energy to transport.
  
• How "processed" is it? This is another consideration for both environmental and health concerns. Try the guessing game if you're not sure. How many ingredients can you guess correctly? The fewer you get right, the less appealing the product is.
• Does it come in bulk? If you can buy the product in a 24oz container instead of a 16oz container, go for it! You'll save on packaging as well as on extra trips to the store.
  
• How does this product compare to similar products on the market? Yes, price and taste are major considerations. But if you find two very similar products, try to choose the one that fits the most eco-friendly criteria.
  
• How long will it last? Be sure not to buy anything that you won't eat before it expires. Wasting food is the least green thing you can do!
  
• How much energy will it take to store this item? If you have the choice of a pantry item, a freezer item and a refrigerator item, go for them in that order. Pantry items require no energy to store. However, it takes less energy to run your freezer if it's full (because of insulation). And the refrigerator shouldn't be over-stocked, because it will use more energy to keep things cool.

Obviously, very few items will meet all of the criteria above. And if you're a piggy like me, you won't be able to resist the modern evils of Fritos and Ding Dongs every time. But when you choose Newman-O's over Oreos and Cheddar Bunnies over Cheez-Its, you won't have to cry "Wee! Wee! Wee!" all the way home.