21 July 2005

Shopping which doesn't cost the Earth

If I go shopping at the supermarket I get the feeling that I am doing the wrong thing. I get so much packaging and mostly unfresh food. Where has all that stuff been before I use it? What chemicals are in it? Can I take the genetically-modified substances? How did it get here? What am I doing to the world when I buy here?

In Manly, one of the places I like to shop without a heavy heart is the Manly Food Coop. Organic fruit and vegetables, bulk food and sustainable goods are sold at reasonable prices to the public and even more cheaply to participating members. The profits are shared via prices.

Waste minimisation and recycling is one of the basic principles of the food coop. You need to bring shopping bags and containers. You can be sure that what you buy there is good for you and does not cost the Earth by undermining the basis for life on this planet. Plastic bags will not choke turtles because of your shopping trip, nor will agricultural land be rendered toxic.

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