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Shopping

Buy a bag for life, most supermarkets have these at the checkouts at a relatively low cost.  Keep them handy to take back with you next time you go shopping. Or you could get the most life out of old carrier bags by reusing them as bin liners.

Avoid pre-packaged goods and excess packaging. Buy loose fruit and vegetables at the supermarket (you  get to really inspect what you're buying that way), or loose screws and paint brushes at the DIY store.

Use refills or concentrated products as much as possible. Refills are available for a wide range of items such as herbs, spices, detergents, fabric conditioners, and household cleaners. As well as being more environmentally friendly they're often much cheaper too!

Avoid disposable items such as light bulbs and batteries, instead opt for the long life or rechargeable varieties.

Recycled steel and aluminium drinks cans and glass bottles and jars are also available. An added bonus is that buying recycled products will encourage manufacturers and retailers to produce and stock them.

Look out for recycled products when out shopping. There's a whole range of recycled goods that you can buy. Buy recycled paper and card (newspapers, writing paper, greetings cards, cereal boxes), which will also help reduce deforestation. Pens, rulers, plant pots and even fleece jackets can be made from recycled plastic.

Below is a list of resources or external websites links where you can find more information about environmentally friendly shopping and reuse organisations. These links will all open in new windows.

• Environmentally friendly shopping
• Recycle useful items
• Vegetables and other organic produce delivered to your home

Environmentally friendly shopping

Ecotopia - Socially responsible eco-shopping

Greenfibres - Supply quality organic cotton and hemp, adult and children's environmentally friendly clothing, organic cosmetics and skin care products, hypoallergenic bedding and household products

Howies - Organic clothing company

Natural Collection - Inspiring environemental products for a better world

People Tree - A pioneer in Fair Trade and Ecology Fashion. They work in close partnership with 70 producer groups in 20 countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America, helping some of the world's most marginalised communities to improve their lives through Fair Trade

Traid - Standing for Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development. This is a charity shop with a difference, Traid collects, recycles and sells second-hand clothes and shoes to fund projects in the third world. Tel: 01788 575800

Greener Living - based in Portsmouth, they only stock products that can help reduce the ecological footprint of everyday living

Plant Trash - based in Waterlooville, they aim to show how the recycled materials can be reinvented, recycled and reused to make practical new itemsVegetables and other organic produce delivered to your home

Vegetables and other organic produce delivered to your home

Riverford Organic Vegetables - Home to one of the largest organic vegetable home delivery box schemes in the UK. They grow over 85 different vegetables and are certified by the Soil Association. Tel: 0845 600 2311

West Country Organics- You have the choice of more than eighty products, supplied by farmers in the South West of England. Extra items can be included such as meats, cheeses, butter, fish, eggs and other other organic and vegetarian foods. Tel: 01647 270056

Links to these sites can be found on the right hand side