Hello, fellow eco-warriors! Like
most of you, when I decided to shift to using eco-friendly products to help save
the environment (which isn’t always an easy task), I soon realized that
eco-bazaars is the best place to go. There we can find merchants that are kind
to Earth offering loads of environment-friendly products and services, so we
can do green shopping for our food, fashion, and home needs all in one place.
Surely, like I do, you have plans
in your calendar to visit and buy at the latest eco-friendly bazaar happening in
your town. So I am sharing these tips so you can enjoy your green
shopping more and even take your green bazaar experience to the next level!
- List down the things
that you actually need to buy. Just like in any shopping activity, planning
is the key to being able to shop for all you need and stay within your budget.
What with tons of organic soaps and shampoo, native bags, local fresh fruits,
cause-driven products, ethical fashion, refillables, and eco-friendly personal
care items, etc., to be found in an eco-bazaar, it is quite possible to hoard and buy excessively which is of course, not our goal. For example, do we really need to buy a new eco bag when we already have a lot stashed at home?
Think also if you have family and friends who will be celebrating their birthdays soon and add their names and your gift ideas in your list. Perhaps you can find an eco-friendly alternative which you can gift to them. - Get to know the shops that will participate in the fair. Check the event's website and see the different shops that will be joining to sell their products. View their products so that you can get an idea of their items and compare these with your list. Study also the shops for the purpose of checking if they are indeed green businesses. Sadly, there are also stores who just pose as responsible and fake their way in joining green business bazaars just for monetary gain.
- Make sure that you got the date, time, and location right. Events like this (and other trade fairs) are usually held for a specific number of days only and which could be moved to another location by the succeeding weeks, season, or year. So make sure you got the date, time, and location details down to pat. Otherwise, you might find yourself looking for the fair in BGC when it is yet to be held there by next week, and is still being enjoyed somewhere in Quezon City.
- Bring your containers and eco bags. Eco-friendly trade fairs usually have refilling stations so make sure you have with you clean and dry containers and eco bags to catch all your goodies. Some shops may offer reusable containers that you can buy, but in order for you to practice reducing and reusing, take a look at home for empty containers that you can bring with you instead.
Be resourceful. You can also bring old paper bags and gift wrappers or even banana leaves to wrap your finds with. Offer to wrap your own purchased goods especially when there are buyers in line so the store sellers, who are committed to help us with our sustainable living, can have more time to serve more people. - Share the event on your social media account. We all want a better, sustainable planet so why shouldn't we use our social media accounts to promote this cause. Share the poster of the event and while you’re at it, why not do no. 6 too.
- Be a personal shopper. Maybe some of your friends are interested in supporting green businesses but don't have extra time to visit one. Offer to shop for them. This way you can help a friend and help the shops make more sales too!
- Take along friends and family with you to the event. Take this chance to teach your friends and family on how to live a more sustainable lifestyle and help mother Earth. Show them that it is possible to change our buying habits and make conscious choices that will be our contribution to saving our home planet.
- Visit as many shops as you can! Who knows the next store might help you realize more ways to live in a more sustainable way and help other cause-driven businesses and individuals. Be generous for the Earth. Take photos of the event and share them on your social media accounts. Inspire more people to join and take part in this journey.
