Big Picture

Whether we love to shop or do it out of necessity, most of us make purchases on a regular basis. When the time comes to buy clothes, toys, or new electronic gizmos, we often focus on price, quality, value, selection and service. But with many new eco-friendly and sustainable shopping options now available, the time has come to consider the retailer's environmental impact.  Whether retailers are close to the manufacturing process or far removed, how are they controlling the environmental impact of their side of the supply chain?

So when selecting a place to shop, we ask the question…IzzitGreen?

Factoids n' Stuff

• Every time we hit the mall, we spend an average of $113 (The Green Book)
• The manufacturing industry uses about one third of our energy and 13% of our water supply (The Green Book)
• Wal-Mart annually "emits 20.8 million tons of carbon dioxide worldwide, an amount greater than what's released by an auto company but much less than that released by a major utility company." (Mindy Fetterman, "Wal-Mart grows 'green' practices", USA Today
• "67% of UK consumers research products via the Internet before shopping in a store." (Accenture, 2008 via Bazaar Voice)
• "There are 45,827 malls and shopping centers nationwide." (National Retail Federation via tomorrowsmoney.org)

What Goes In?

Unless you are shopping at a small store or boutique, the items for sale probably came from an external manufacturer. Consider what the items you are buying are made from, how they are manufactured, and how far they traveled to get to the store front.

• What materials are being used in the products being sold? Materials vary greatly from product to product. In apparel, look for goods made from organic cotton, nontoxic dyes, or fabrics made from recycled materials and renewable resources. In toys, look for lead-free products. Or, even better, products made from recyclable materials like wood.
• What are the labor practices of the product manufacturers that supply them? How do the manufacturers treat their workers? Manufacturers can receive the Fair Trade Certification for their labor practices.
• What are the manufacturing processes employed by the suppliers? Are they using any manufacturers who have been sited for pollution? What types of materials do the manufacturers use? Are they toxic?
• How are goods to be sold packaged? Does the plastic packaging  dwarf the product? Is the packaging biodegradable or recyclable?

What Comes Out?

Stores produce waste, but there are ways they can reduce or recycle it. Some major things to consider are:

• Stores can set up a workplace recycling system for product waste like packaging, paper, and plastics as well as employee waste like cans and glass. 
• Sometimes, stores have control over how they package products they get from the manufacturer. They might be able to use biodegradable packaging or bulk containers instead of mummifying each individual item in plastic. Some stores use suppliers who recycle everything in their warehouse and buy packaging material from companies that only use recycled materials. It saves everyone money.
• What types of shopping bags do they use? Do they encourage you to use your own bag, or roll their eyes when you pull out your own shopping tote? While the plastic versus paper debate is still raging, a store can at least minimize the number of bags it uses.

How's it Run?

A lot goes into keeping a business going, like heating, lighting, transportation, insulation, cleaning products, and employees. Stores can operate in an effective, eco-friendly way by using resources and energy efficiently.

• What type of energy goes in to the store? Is the store doing anything to increase its energy efficiency?
• What type of lighting is being used? Lighting plays an important part of the presentation of products and needs to be good enough to not hinder sales, but retailers today have energy efficient options like CFL bulbs that use 75% less energy and lasts 10 times longer than a regular bulb.
• What type of trucking and delivery vehicles does the retailer use? Large retailers have their own trucking fleet. Are they using biodiesel trucks? Stores can purchase or lease vehicles with the highest possible fuel economy, or those that use alternative-fuel sources, such as electric, hybrid, or fuel-cell vehicles.
• How do the store owners treat their workers? Are they compensated fairly? What are the working conditions? What type of medical benefits are provided?

What They Care About

Retailers should be aware of the effects of their business practices and their place in the community. Going green is a process, and often business owners face external pressures. If they don't recycle, is it because they have considered it but the costs are high due to local recycling fees, or is it because they haven't taken the time to look at that option? If the people behind the retailer are aware about the ins and outs of their business and the manufacturing process behind their sources, and are as concerned as you are about doing what’s right, they’ll shape their business practices accordingly as they continue to adopt greener practices.

What to Ask

• Do you sell goods made from recycled materials?
• Are the clothes you sell made from organic cotton or hemp?
• Do you carry energy efficient products, like “Energy Star” appliances?
• Do you offer fair trade goods?
• Do you make an effort to minimize packaging?
• Do you measure or track the waste produced in the sotre?
• Can I bring my plastic bags back for you to recycle?
• What do you do to conserve energy? What type of lighting do you use?

What to Do

• Ask them to carry organic or recycled goods. If enough people ask for something, they’ll stock it.
• Use reusable or biodegradable bags, and if you must get a plastic bag, try to reuse it or recycle it at a grocery store.
• When you open doors, make sure they close afterwards. Keeping doors firmly shut helps businesses reduce heating and cooling costs.
• Only buy items you really need. 1.5 billion tons of household waste that are produced around the world each year.
• Get there by foot, bike, or public transportation if you can.
• If you are doing your shopping online, try to have multiple items sent together to save on packaging and fuel used during shipping.
• Try to only buy new items when it's necessary. You can buy, sell, and barter on Craigslist, or swap used items at Freecycle.

Find Out More

• Co-op America's National Green Pages, "a directory listing nearly 3,000 businesses that have made firm commitments to sustainable, socially just principles, including the support of sweatshop-free labor, organic farms, fair trade, and cruelty-free products."
•  Greener Choices directory of eco-labels, sponsored by Consumer Reports
• Greener Choices "Green shopping guide", sponsored by Consumer Reports
• Energy Star program for appliances and other products, includes a directory of energy efficient items
•  TransFair USA information on fair labor practices
• GreenBiz.com
• Treehugger's BuyGreen Guides