Seven steps to better shopping

Seven steps to better shopping

Home » Blog » Rebekah White » Seven steps to better shopping

By The Goodies

Being a conscious consumer is easy – it’s about buying less crap and more of the right stuff. Where it gets a little bit more complicated is in knowing the difference between the decent products and the dodgy ones. Here's our guide to figuring it all out

Do you feel at odds some days with the throwaway consumer culture that we live in? It may seem a little counter-intuitive, but at Good we believe that one of the best ways you can show your eco cred and really make a difference is in how you shop.

B_E_E The Good Shopping Handbook is our handbag-friendly reference guide to more than 100 eco and ethical everyday products, along with the information you need on why those products are good and where you can find them.

We're currently putting together our 2012 Good Shopping Handbook, but in the meantime, here's our super-quick checklist for the smart shopper!

1. Eco packaging

Does the product have minimal or no packaging? Is the packaging biodegradable or recyclable?

2. Fresh & seasonal

Eating what’s in season makes for a diverse diet and ensures reasonably priced, fresh produce

3. Wholefood

Look for food that has undergone minimal processing or refining and products that contain minimal additives or preservatives

4. Local

Choosing New Zealand-made rather than imported products keeps our farmers and manufacturers in business, and means less distance travelled

5. Responsible

We can’t make everything here. Some imported products, such as fairly traded or handcrafted goods, benefit the communities that make them. Buying from ethical businesses supports eco-innovation all over the world

6. Traceable

Think ‘farm to fork’—who made this food? Traceable food products are tracked to ensure accountability throughout the food chain

7. Certified or accredited

Independent, third-party certification is best, but there’s a huge range of accreditation marks out there—check out the Good Shopping Handbook’s guide to Consumer Labels and Accreditation for more advice

B_E_E What’s your favourite everyday eco brand or product? Let us know what it is and why it should be included in this year’s Good Shopping Handbook and go in to win a gift pack of top-notch, eco-friendly B_E_E cleaning products.

Comments

Beck

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 06:41 PM

Little Bird chocolate macaroons.
Sugar free, dairy free, wheat free, nut free etc. Made in NZ, All natural ingrediants and oh so tasty!

Tracey MacArthur

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 07:20 PM

Many "free of nasties" shampoos/conditioners are very pricey and not easily affordable for family use. I discovered the Organic Care range of shampoos and conditioners at our local Pak & Save and Fresh Choice supermarkets and it is priced at an affordable level and often cheaper than other supermarket brands. The packaging states no SLES, SLS, ALS, ALES, no parabens, no mineral oil. This products comes from Natures Organics enq@naturesorganics.com.au

Phil

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 07:21 PM

Our favourite brand is the Ecostore. They've got a good range, they're local, they're great! But that doesn't mean we wouldn't use the B_E_E products if we won them of course!

jules

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 07:22 PM

plain white vinegar!

jenny

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 07:23 PM

Wendyl Nissen's products, but of the products widely available in shops, BEE is very good.

Sarah Sheffield

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 07:25 PM

Ecostore grapefruit dishwash liquid. Smells amazing and actually cleans the dishes.

Rebecca

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 07:31 PM

Wendyl Nissan makes her own eco products and shares the recipes, These are amazing, low cost, eco friendly and work well. Def my fav.

Rebekah

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 07:35 PM

Kimi Organic is a vegan registered, certified organic skin care range and holistic NZ family-owned company, Every ingredient used is plant based and the end product is affordable. Products and packaging are dedicated to care for your skin
and the environment. The environment being so important to the source of
these products that they have pledged as part of their campaign
to 'Plant a Tree For Life' in Brazil's Atlantic Forest for every one of
our products sold.

Lesley

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 07:38 PM

Ecostore because they have such a variety of product.All the products are eco friendly and economical plus the service is great.They also fund Fairground Foundation to promote sustainability through ‘on-the-ground’ action

Deb

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 07:48 PM

Anything grown in your own vege garden. Fresh and tastes great, good exercise upkeeping the garden and saves you money.

Vanessa

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 07:50 PM

My Enjo cleaning cloths were a big investment but definitely worth it. They are still working like new 3 years later! No product required - just add cold water.

Sarah Rogers

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 07:58 PM

Soap nuts have changed my life, love 'em!

Caroline

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 08:43 PM

The B_E_E Laundry Whitener. I soak my wee babes (twin girls) clothes and cloths in it and know it's safe for their delicate skin. It's a fabulous product too! I highly recommend it.

Ann

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 08:45 PM

WEndyl's Green Goddess products - Peppermint Paste which cleans my shower without all the chemical aroma's. . . and it does away with the soap scum.

Teresa

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 08:53 PM

The whole range of Bee products are definitely my favorite. Just wonderful

JULIE HAMILTON

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 09:33 PM

SUKIN products are fantastic! A wonderful range of skincare from cleansers, exfoliaters, moisturisers for face/body etc... and absolutely no nasties! ORGANIC! Well priced too - only $10-12 bucks a pop. Health stores stock these beauties.

Viv

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 10:06 PM

Ecostore Front Loader Laundry Powder. I love it. I only need to use a very small amount. It doesn't have a strong scent or give me itchy skin.

Stephanie

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 10:49 PM

Sweetree Honey comes in recyclable glass jars. They are not heated any higher than would occur in the beehive and are not finely filtered, therefore full of natural goodness. It is sold by the beekeepers in Waikato, NZ. From beehive to table! The batch number indicates what apiary and season the honey comes from. The honey is absolutely delicious. Sweetree also has bee pollen which is a great natural superfood. They sell online at www.sweetreehoney.co.nz and at some retail shops

amanda

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 11:03 PM

i'll make it all white!

oh so fantastic- wonderful for kids clothing soak and gets out stains :)

Donna

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 11:05 PM

I regularly use Ecover dishwasher tablets: prewrapped, ready to use and green as well :-)

Rebecca

Mon October 03, 2011 @ 11:11 PM

'Bobble' bottles - they're sipper water bottles with a built in carbon filter to take the chlorine smell and taste out of tap water. After years of enjoying untreated water I have been finding post-quake Christchurch water unappealing but these make refilling bottles with tap water pleasant again. They are made from recycled plastic and recyclable. Available from Stevens and Life Pharmacies.

http://www.waterbobble.com/

Carmen Walker

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 08:10 AM

Baking soda and white vinegar are the two most effective and versatile everyday cleaning products I have ever used. Both keep the house sparkling clean, germ and odour-free without leaving any chemical residue - and they don't cost the earth!

Jess

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 08:42 AM

I love B_E_E detergents, the bubbles last longest and smells good too.

kimberley

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 09:35 AM

I adore Sukin products. Cheap and cheerful, and no nasties....

vish

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 09:38 AM

Badger Lipbalms.. 100% organic.. and fantastic. Love them

Fiona Edgar

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 09:51 AM

I have been using Sunlight pure soap - the bar and find it great for everything from making whites whiter ( throw some peels in with the wash) to cleaning the shower.. does it perfectly. Don't know if all the ingredients are ok but it seems great and comes in a simple cardboard box. Ingredients are Sodium Tallowate, water, Sodium Cocoate, glycerin, Sodium Chloride, fragrance, Etidronic Acid, Tetrasodium, EDTA, C1 1160, C1 16255, Potassium Hydroxide. If anyone knows what these mean environmentally would love to know.

Claire

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 10:09 AM

Weleda produce a fantastic range of skin care products, every one of which is cleverly researched and manufactured in the best of healthy conditions

Natasha

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 10:12 AM

Enjo! No need for cleaning products at all. Love it.

Tyreena Cook
www.ecobabystore.co.nz

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 10:16 AM

My fav eco products are Alana eco disposable nappies from www.ecobabystore.co.nz and soap nuts!

Katie

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 10:24 AM

Definately baking soda. It can be used so many different ways to clean anything from the shower to the toilet to smelly carpet. I also love Dr Bronner's liquid castile soap which has a million uses. Oh and i love love LOVE my NZ made soap shaker for washing the dishes with bar soap. And shampoo bars too, they are fantastic and because they don't strip all your natural oils you don't need to use conditioner thus saving another plastic bottle :). I've saved the world from about 10 plastic bottles this year by using shampoo bars and dishwashing with Dr. Bronner's bar soap :)

andrea hendy

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 10:34 AM

I use white vinegar and bicarb for cleaning around the home. I feel much happier that I'm not spreading nasty chemicals everywhere.

Elizabeth Berge
zippitydoodah.felt.co.nz

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 10:58 AM

Favourite Eco product? Something I wish was available was shampoo and conditioner refills, with two daughters with really long hair we seem to always be recycling plastic shampoo containers, if only they came in refill packs? I've tried the soap bar shampoos but they seem to strip their hair and make it very very tangly, would love to hear about eco hair products in Good mag. :) Am I using the wrong soap shampoo? OR better still is there something we could make ourselves?

Imogen

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 11:01 AM

My FAV eco product is BeBops nappies. I am in love with cloth now that i came across these a while ago and they have bought back the cloth love :) The mum behind it is so amazing and lovely and stands by her business and her products are not only gorgeous but are saving thousands of disposable nappies from going to landfill here in New Zealand! Check them out... www.bebops.co.nz
:)

Caroline

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 11:33 AM

Ecostore has made it all the way across the ditch to Aus and I love it ... all. Although now that I have found a fabulously long list of Melbourne suppliers for B_E_E Products I will have to buy and try (unless I am the lucky winner of course !?).

Maureen

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 12:15 PM

I fully recommend soap nuts to wash your clothes. They have a very low ecological footprint as they have had very little processing and can be bought in bulk. You can also use them to wash your hair as well as the dishes. They are very economical and after they have delivered all their suds you can put them in the compost.

Andrea

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 12:54 PM

ECOSTORE for sure! I love their haircare, cleaning products, baby products and many more. It should be included in the shopping handbook as they are NZ created, owned and operated, they continue to bring out new products and continually strive to improve their products and they are the brand that personates "down to earth kiwi" :-)

Joshua Harwood

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 01:07 PM

Has to be the grapefruit Ecostore washing up liquid, does a great job

Alisa Muir

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 02:22 PM

White vinegar and essential oils (to make all my spray cleaners)..

But day to day my most helpful things are my childrens tupperware lunchboxes.. I aim to always have rubbish free lunches. We also all have tupperware drink bottles. They are great quality and lifetime warranty makes me feel confident in that. They are more expensive but I am using tupperware that was my grandmothers.. so it does last.

Seline

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 02:29 PM

I love Ecover stain remover. Easy to apply and it actually works!

Anne Marie

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 05:51 PM

Been using Eco store for years now, and find it reliable and good. Recently started buying Earthwise laundry stuff, but havent used enough to say if i like it yet

Lisa

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 06:48 PM

I just love Tea tree oil, it works for anything, i love its fresh, clean fragrance, and its antifungal, antiseptic, anti everything properties are amazing - a wee wonder product!!

Kim

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 07:08 PM

I have discovered Organic Care range of shampoos and conditioners at the local Pak n Save and my hair feels lovely and soft as well as protecting my colour.
I also love white vinegar and baking soda.

Helen

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 07:48 PM

Ecover dishwash powder is the best in my book. I've tried the other eco products in my machine but Ecover delivers the best performance without foaming up the machine. I do all my cleaning with baking soda and vinegar but am still trying to find a problem free unfragranced laundry powder.

Naomi

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 08:01 PM

I love The Herb Farm's moisturiser (lovely subtle rose scent) and 'energising gel cleanser' which I bought as a face wash, but discovered is also a very effective yet gentle make-up remover, even for waterproof mascara!
I also use soap nuts for washing clothes and love that I can compost them.
Like Tracey I also discovered the Organic Care shampoos and conditioners, which unlike other more 'natural' shampoos, don't leave me with a greasey patch at the back of my head! I've also just discovered they have a body wash too.

Fee

Tue October 04, 2011 @ 08:11 PM

1. NZ Organic Rose Hip Oil (trilogy or Evolu)
Not tested on animals, Palm Oil Free, Recyclable, Totally totally Natural, NZ made, the greatest night treatment for your skin, YAY!

2. Palmoilfreesoap.co.nz
Similar reasons as above, this goats milk soap replaces facial cleanser/makeup removers and I have all but given up body moisterisers too because it moisterisers my skin in the shower. Love it!

Jeanna

Wed October 05, 2011 @ 12:30 AM

4my Earth sandwich wraps - awesome products.
I also really like Bin Inn for the ability to fill your own containers and buy only what you need. I can buy oats in bulk and save packaging as well as money.

Paddy

Wed October 05, 2011 @ 08:32 AM

Moltex disposable nappies are good in our house. We had our babies in cloth nappies for 18 months and then were on the road overseas with our baby and it became impossible to clean them properly. So a good back-stop! Also the basic baking soda, vinegar and salt plus lavender and tea tree essential oils. A combo of some or all tackle most cleaning problems... Also I mix my own face oils and moisturisers with Healtheries oils. Almond, apricot and wheatgerm with a few drops of chamomile and lavender essential oils make a great night time moisturiser. I love the BEE dishwashing liquid too - it keeps our dishes squeaky and our septic tank happy!

Rachael

Wed October 05, 2011 @ 09:22 AM

Favourite everyday eco brand - at the moment earthwise. They have recently launched a variety of cleaning products - I've tried them, they work well, smell good, reasonably priced, available in supermarkets. Recommend.

Rachael

Wed October 05, 2011 @ 09:27 AM

I especially like Earthwise's Fragapani airfreshener - smells like summer with NO nasties.

Kathleen

Wed October 05, 2011 @ 04:34 PM

Tupperware. Stops the need for disposable
plastic wrap, product has a lifetime guarantee and they will recycle your
unwanted (if this is possible) products!

Jaqui Dyne

Wed October 05, 2011 @ 05:14 PM

Love Ecostore...lovely mild, environmentally friendly products!! Not too pricey either!

Megan Kelly

Wed October 05, 2011 @ 06:57 PM

I use skincare and haircare products by Trilogy. I absolutely love them, they're gentle and have been great for my problem skin.

Kate

Wed October 05, 2011 @ 08:06 PM

I love Eucalyptus Oil for removing stains, freshening laundry, and in my son's trainers with a sprinkling of baking soda to keep them free of odor! And of course, BEE Products and EcoStore products for around the home.

A lot of people here have mentioned soap nuts and I'd love to know where to buy them in NZ :)

Vicki Olsen

Wed October 05, 2011 @ 10:07 PM

I am keen on the Ecostore Front Loader laundry powder - economical to use, leaves clothes clean and fresh with no unnatural scent and does not irritate the skin.

Leanne

Thu October 06, 2011 @ 08:06 AM

I'm on the Ecostore bandwagon too - fab stuff, I especially love their liquid hand soap mmmmmm.

Meg

Thu October 06, 2011 @ 01:33 PM

Laundry Soap balls. I have used the same pair for 18 months now and they still deliver. The best thing about them is that you don't need to rinse and so saves lots of water. There are some bad ones out there, but I trust the Live Simply brand http://www.livesimply.co.nz/

Rebekah

Thu October 06, 2011 @ 08:02 PM

Ive already commented above but I thought of another great place: http://www.mrswashalot.co.nz she stocks Soapnuts, Mineral Balls and other Washing alternatives which are all eco friendly!

Thu October 06, 2011 @ 11:00 PM

'4 my Earth' sandwich pockets - they use eco friendly fabrics and eliminate the need for glad wrap, gotta be a good thing, and the kids love them :-)

Stepanka

Thu October 06, 2011 @ 11:06 PM

I love using Ecostore products for housecleaning, Natural Instinct for laundry and washing up, and Antipodes for myself! Thank you.

Sarah

Fri October 07, 2011 @ 02:21 PM

I have just been put onto Melaleuca brand (tea tree oil base). Apparently you can eat all of the products- not that you'd want to- but they won't poison a child if they happened to get into them.

www.melaleuca.com/

Dunja
www.soapnuts.co.nz

Fri October 07, 2011 @ 05:26 PM

Hi Kate,
You can buy SoapNuts from The SoapNut Shop either online www.soapnuts.co.nz or check out the list with all the retail shops: http://www.soapnuts.co.nz/index.php?option=com_sobi2&Itemid=22

Ming

Fri October 07, 2011 @ 11:34 PM

The fresh veges grown in Levin sold at Harbourside Market in Wellington on Sunday mornings. Esp. asian veges. Not only local and fresh, but so much cheaper than supermarkets.

Kim

Sat October 08, 2011 @ 02:52 PM

I trust any ecostore product. Where most other companies use the lists of "acceptable" ingredients that follow the "prove to us it's harmful" mantra, ecostore follows the precautionary principle instead and only uses natural ingredients if they are proven to NOT be harmful. Plus, they are the only company in NZ to recycle their own bottles and reuse the plastic. They walk the walk, basically.

sarah lodge

Sun October 09, 2011 @ 02:38 PM

I have been making my own muesli using this NZ company. New
Zealand Bio Grains Ltd 35 Dobson Street
West, Ashburton. www.biograins.co.nz

Gillian Rose

Mon October 10, 2011 @ 01:15 PM

My latest favourite for personal care products is DermaLab. It ticks all the boxes: its natural, NZ made and cheap!! So far I have tried the cleanser and moisturiser and I really like both. They also do a hair care line which I haven't yet tried. (Their byline is "its natural and it works".)

Georges mum

Tue October 11, 2011 @ 03:01 PM

Rocket Coffee!

Fair trade & roasted here in little old Hamilton. Buy beans, or have them grind it while you wait. All packaged in a good old brown paper bag. And its really good coffee.

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