Shopping sustainably - where to start?

If you ask someone whether it’s possible to shop both sustainably and affordably, you’re likely to be met with raised eyebrows and a skeptical stare. The idea of shopping sustainably has come to be known as possible only for a niche group in society, a group with a certain lifestyle - people with money, time … and, as the more cynical amongst us might say, “notions”. Before that, and even alongside that, we have associated a sustainable way of life with hippies, with hermits.
 
These lingering associations are a shame. We feel if we don’t fall into these groups, we are already excluded. These associations can box us off from even thinking about whether, or how, we can incorporate more sustainable shopping into our lives. It feels unattainable; available, or of interest, to select groups only.
 
Magnifying that shame is a quiet whisper of truth. It can, indeed, feel impossible to break into an already established group. It can absolutely feel difficult to put time into seeking out spaces like The Urban Co-Op which exist to provide us with the chance to take a first step. It can, of course, feel like too much of a gamble to dedicate ourselves to something unfamiliar, something new - especially when the something new is choosing where to spend our time and money. It can, indeed, become expensive to reconsider where we shop, where we are familiar with the prices, with what we can afford. It can feel overwhelming to rethink these things, to try and figure out even a first step.
 
Compounding this shame further is the knowledge that it didn’t used to feel this difficult. Once upon a time, sustainable living wasn’t a conscious lifestyle choice, seemingly available only to those with the money and time to indulge this desire. It was just the normal way of life -  self-sufficiency, interdependence, organic growing, moving cyclically and locally with the seasons, a sense of community.
 
I can sense you rolling your eyes. These ideas and terms have, indeed, become distilled into buzzwords, buzzwords that we are bombarded with on a daily basis to the extent that they have lost all meaning. But, once upon a time, we didn’t use all these words. We didn’t speak like this. We just lived like this. As the world changed and seemed to reward us for moving away from this way of life, it became more difficult, and even undesirable, to continue on with it. We couldn’t afford to invest, neither the time nor the money, in a way of life that was starting to be seen as backwards and these words, these favourite words of our time - unproductive, inefficient, time-wasting.
 
But we know this story. Let’s not dwell too long on the “why” and the “how” of having reached this point. We are all aware of the difficulties, the problems, the obstacles we face. It’s time to talk about options, possibilities, solutions. Can we get to a place where we start to unpick what it means to live more sustainably, and how this might become more of a norm? Can we start to figure out how to make this attainable and, importantly, desirable for greater swathes of society? What can we do?
 
The trick, here, is baby steps. The trick, here, is to think about it in small actions that we can take, one at a time, and slowly build on that. 
 
Getting to know The Urban Co-Op is a way to start. Below, we offer some suggestions and benefits of sustainable shopping at The Urban Co-Op.
 
Suggestions that might help to deepen your understanding of The Urban Co-Op, and ways to incorporate it sustainably into your shopping routine:

• Work out your budget, your compromises and your values - what can you afford? Is quality important to you? Is supporting local important to you? Is lessening your carbon footprint important to you? What does shopping at The Urban Co-Op bring to you that you don’t feel elsewhere?

 

• Educate yourself - if you’re interested, read up about cooperatives. Read about the circular economy. Read about supply chains. There are lots of resources on our website.

 

• Try not to guilt or shame yourself for not being able to do “more”, or as much as you might like initially - there is no need to try to do too much all at once. You don’t need to aim for perfection. That won’t stick. One step at a time.

 
Those are, admittedly, the more difficult parts of starting on a journey of shopping more sustainably. Maybe you don’t have the time or interest to dive that deep. Maybe that all feels too much like homework! So, instead, here are some tangible benefits you’ll experience once you start to explore The Urban Co-Op:

• Shopping at The Urban Co-Op is a great way to confront exactly where your food is coming from, who you are supporting by shopping here and where your money is going. It can even happen that you bump into a local farmer / producer / supplier when popping in for your shopping!

 

• Discounts and savings are always possible at The Urban Co-Op. Loose fruit and veg; bulk options of dried goods like oats / grains / seeds; refillable laundry detergent / hand-soap - these all provide the opportunity to buy exactly what you need - nothing less, nothing more.

 

• Packaging that is used is compostable / recyclable.

 

• A welcoming community environment - staff and volunteers who are always interested in answering your questions, offering suggestions and ideas, or even just having a chat!

 

• Have a look at the noticeboard - there are always classes and workshops going on at The Urban Co-Op, not to mention our Sunday food and craft markets! Incorporating this opportunity to learn a new skill / try a new class / meet like-minded people might help your grocery shop become something you genuinely look forward to.

 

• On the same note - the shopping experience at The Urban Co-Op is one that is slower, more mindful, stress-free. No queues, bright lights or loud music - in fact, we make some great playlist choices, even if we do say so ourselves!

 
Some of these suggestions are more manageable than others. Some you will be able to implement and benefit from immediately. Others are much more of a process - of small steps, of reading, of questioning, of consciously choosing.
 
Let us end with this: when you walk through the doors of The Urban Co-Op, your eyes will be drawn to a large blackboard. The board is illustrated with the story of The Urban Co-Op - from inception to present day. Bordered by an intricate timeline of its history stands The Urban Co-Op’s core purpose:
 
“Coming together as conscious consumers to support the health, wellness and economic security of our community and planet”.
 
This purpose encapsulates precisely what we’ve been teasing out throughout this article. This is what we talk about when we talk about shopping sustainably. It is about supporting ourselves, supporting each other, and supporting the planet. This coming together isn’t a quick fix. The world isn’t going to change overnight because you brought your reusable container to The Urban Co-Op to bulk buy laundry detergent.
 
But, like all lasting change and all progress worth working towards, these small steps will eventually add up. And, if you start to see the benefits in your own life, in your own days and weeks, you will want to keep going. It might not seem like much, but it’s an important first step.
 
As we enter 2022, maybe you can ask yourself whether there is a small step you’d like to take? Maybe something you’ve had in the back of your mind for a while, but haven’t felt ready or able to try just yet? Maybe even having a think about this could be your own first step. Remember - if you feel you need a nudge, there will always be a friendly face and a helping hand at The Urban Co-Op.​ 

Kelly Girardi