Supermarkets and other retailers are jumping on board the environmental consciousness train, promoting more and more of their products as environmentally friendly; meanwhile, mainstream food manufacturers are opting in to the organic food trend.
From Welch's grape juice to organic lettuce in the produce bins, food retailers are getting the message that natural is in. Natural snacks are being advertised on national TV as being available in supermarkets, and entire sections of these giant markets are being devoted to food and cleaning products formerly found only in natural foods stores.
Retailers increase the bottom line by promoting recyclable tote bags.
One practice welcomed by environmentally conscious consumers is the selling of reusable tote bags of natural canvas, designed to replace the "paper or plastic" alternatives available at most grocery checkout counters. For a reasonable price, customers can purchase the requisite number of canvas totes to package their groceries and then reuse the bags on future trips to the store, doing their bit to save the environment and saving the retailers a few pennies on every transaction in the process. Savvy retailers often order the canvas totes with their store logo and street address on the bags, a way to market their business and engender customer loyalty while positioning themselves as environmentally friendly. Additional products, such as mini tote lunch bags and backpacks, provide another income stream. For real purists, these bags are often available made of organic cotton canvas.
Closing the circle: promoting products made from recycled materials.
All the recycling campaigns in the world aren't worth anything if consumers don't buy products made from the collected recyclables. Luckily, more and more products are available using materials manufactured from paper, plastic, and other collected waste materials. From toilet tissue and paper towels made from recycled paper to numerous products created from waste plastic, an increasing number of consumer goods are available that complete the cycle. One interesting development is the creation of artificial fabrics made from discarded soda bottles. EcospunŽ fiber ends up being used in everything from tote bags and backpacks to sturdy, weather-resistant outerwear.
Forty years ago, collection of waste materials for recycling was a novelty, a practice pushed by environmental purists, and a lot of pundits wrote it off at that time as a fad. Now it's standard practice in nearly every community in the country. Now organic foods, chemical-free cleansers, and the purchase of durable goods made from recycled materials are entering the mainstream in a big way, coming out of the esoteric closet of natural food stores New Age shops and into major supermarket chains and clothing retailers. It remains to be seen whether this trend is a fad, or an enduring practice as more and more people become aware of the benefits of recycling.
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About the Author
Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire, who has written numerous articles for local and regional publications. She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com.