Canadians’ 2025 guide to greener shopping

(NC) Did you decide that this year you would be more eco-conscious about your shopping habits? Good for you – and the rest of us who share the planet with you. To help you on your green journey, here are four ways to be a more considerate consumer this year.

Waste not, want not
Here’s a shocking figure: Collectively, Canadians generate more than 50 million tonnes of food waste every year. We can each do our part to reduce that amount. Before you go grocery shopping, look in your fridge for produce and other perishables that can be incorporated into a meal. If you make a large meal and won’t be able to consume it all before it goes bad, freeze individual portions and use them for lunch or a quick meal another day.

You can also use an app like FoodHero to find deals on groceries that would otherwise go to waste. Building apps like that into your routine when making your shopping listwill help you snag discounted proteins, fresh and frozen produce, and more on the shelves of nearby grocers that are approaching their best-before date.

Avoid disposable items
When hosting a party or going on a picnic, it can be tempting to use disposable plates, cups and cutlery for their convenience. But, ultimately, they’re a waste of money that adds to our already overloaded landfills.

For another example, instead of using single-use plastic sandwich bags to pack your lunch in, use a container that can be washed and reused countless times.

Upcycle unwanted items
“Upcycling” refers to giving products a second lease on life. As they say, one person’s trash is another’s treasure. So, instead of buying new clothing, furniture and other household items, shop at thrift and second-hand stores. When you’re done with something, consider donating it to a charity that can resell it and use the proceeds to help fund their work.

Buy local and seasonal
Most people know that buying local helps keep their hard-earned money in their own community. Buying locally raised food helps support farmers. And, when you buy in-season produce, you’ll get the best prices of the year.

Buying locally also lowers your personal carbon footprint. The closer to home your food is grown, the less emissions are required to transport it to your table.

Discover where to find low-cost local produce and track your CO2 emission savings from the products you’ve rescued at foodhero.com.