Before
entering a store remember to be a SMART shopper.
SMART stands for Saving Money and Reducing
Trash. According to the Minnesota Office of
Environmental Assistance, each person in Minnesota
generates about 4 pounds of garbage a day.
About one-half of our household waste comes
from the packaging we buy. While packaging
is sometimes necessary for health and shelf
life reasons, packaging can be excessive.
If you consider the alternatives before you
buy, you can save money and reduce waste.
Smart Holiday
Shopping Article
Reduce
Look for least-waste packaging.
Buy in bulk, when practical.
Avoid disposable, single-use items.
Buy concentrates.
Buy long-lasting products that can be repaired.
At checkout, don't take a bag if you can do
without.
Buy only what you need.
Rent or borrow instead of buying, this works
great when you may only use the item
a few times.
Buy non-hazardous products.
Avoid aerosol cans.
Reuse
Use cloth bags for shopping.
Reuse items such as bags, jars and plastic
tubs.
Pack your lunch in reusable food containers.
Use rechargeable batteries.
Repair and maintain items instead of replacing
them.
Use refillable, pump-spray bottles.
Buy milk and water in refillable bottles.
Recycle
Buy readily recyclable products and participate
in the Otter Tail County Recycling
Program.
Buy recycled products. The recycling loop
is not closed until we purchase products
made from recycled materials.
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