You have the power. Always look for labels indicating that the product is sustainably produced and environmentally friendly. If eco-labelled goods are not available, ask for them. Good businesses listen to their customers.


Buy Local. Make the 'green' choice and choose local over imported products where possible. Read more about WWF and Conservation International's GreenChoice partnership .

Say cheers. When buying your next bottle of wine look out for the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative label. The label, which features a sugar bird on a protea, serves to identify and endorse wines that have been produced in accordance with BWI's conservation requirements.

Fishy business. Only buy seafood from SASSI’s green list. Download the SASSI pocket guide or make use of the Sassi FishMS (sms your fish query to 079 499 8795) to find out which seafood is the responsible choice! 

Sweet tooth. Most honey produced in SA is now "badger-friendly", but look out for the badger-friendly label, and if you’re unsure ask the retailer.

Buy fresh, loose fruit and vegetables if possible. Even better, grow your own vegetables.

Look out for grass-fed and free range meat products. Sustainable livestock production is critical to the future of grasslands biodiversity and the South African livestock industry. WWF is supporting a national Grasslands Programme, which is coordinated by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), to help protect this important source of life. Insist that your meat come from farmers who have good practices in terms of managing the land, use of pesticides and how they deal with predators.

Buy only what you need. Excess will simply be thrown away.

Choose eco-friendly biodegradable cleaning products. They have fewer negative impacts on the soil and water systems.

Buy energy-efficient appliances. If you’re buying a washing machine, refrigerator, dishwasher or oven, buy the most eco-friendly and energy-efficient model you can afford. They might be a little more expensive but they pay for themselves through lower energy bills. The same is true for office equipment like computers, copiers and printers.

Buy rechargeable batteries and power tools. With no place to take batteries the recharge route is the best waste management option.

Packaging

  • Don’t pay for unnecessary packaging that may not been good for your health anyway. Make a statement... leave the packaging at the retailer.
  • Consider purchasing concentrates - reduce the amount of packaging and transportation. Diluted products transport unnecessary water and have more packaging.
  • Use a reusable container for school and work lunches.
  • Buy refillable containers for cereals, washing powders, etc.
  • Always take reusable bags to the shops. Each plastic bag is another squirt of crude oil out of the earth. Or even better, buy an eco-friendly shopping bag.

SOURCE: WWF South Africa

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