The first reason most people give to defend buying in bulk is that it is more cost-effective in the long run. Yet, there is another long-term effect of buying in bulk-waste reduction. A good friend of mine recently pulled a large container of dish soap out from under her kitchen sink. This really got me to thinking. How many bottles of dish soap do I throw away a year? How many other goods can I buy in larger containers? There are several household and food items that have a long shelf life and can be purchased in bulk or larger packages. NC State University provides a great starter list. Some may seem obvious, but others tend to fly under the radar:
Lifestyle changes rarely happen overnight. Making the decision to reduce packaging waste by buying in bulk is a simple but effective way to do your part for preserving the environment. However, it is still important to keep your budget in mind. Each shopping trip, try to choose one staple item on your list to purchase in bulk. Eventually, it will become routine, and your budget won’t take the hit. Be easy on yourself. If you can’t quite swing that large bottle of dish soap this time around, you’ll get it next time. What’s most important is that you are taking steps within your means to reduce the amount of waste between your house and the landfill.