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How to Shop Sustainably

Every day we’re confronted by a deluge of options in the grocery aisle and on our social media platforms. Making sustainable choices can be a chore. But if you think LOFTy—local, organic and Fairtrade—you’ll find items that are good for you and good for the planet.

  • 47,000
    different products are carried by the average supermarket
  • 9,000
    different products were stocked by the average supermarket in 1975
Feeling some choice fatigue?

So many decisions, so little time

You’re not imaging it—there are more options than ever before. Decision making can be exhausting. It’s hard enough to determine what is in your food, let alone the back story of who made it and how it affected the environment along the way. That’s why we like to think LOFTy. It’s a simple way to prioritize the people and places behind your food. Look LOCALLY—think farmer’s market, local grocer or small business. Extra points if it is produced ORGANICALLY! When you can’t support local farmers, think of FAIRTRADE as your global farmer’s market. (Remember that the majority of Fairtrade certified products—think coffee, tea and cocoa—are not produced in the US, so there are no local options.)

What LOFTy means

L = Local

In the past 10 years, the number of farmer’s markets across the US has grown from 3,700 to more than 8,200. Many grocery stores now mark products that are sourced from nearby farms and companies.

O = Organic

According to the Organic Trade Association, demand for organic products has grown by double-digits nearly every year since the 1990s, reflecting consumers’ desire for quality products that are good for the land.

FT = Fairtrade

With 37,000+ products sold in more than 100 countries, the Fairtrade Mark continues to be the most recognized ethical label. Any product carrying it meets rigorous social, economic and environmental criteria set by Fairtrade International and monitored by an independent certifier.

A person holds a pint of non-dairy, Fairtrade Fudge Brownie ice cream in the freezer aisle of a grocery store.
A person holds a pint of non-dairy, Fairtrade Fudge Brownie ice cream in the freezer aisle of a grocery store.

Shared values

Ultimately, the local, organic and fair trade movements all share a similar vision—getting consumers and producers to think not just about what they purchase and produce, but how products come to us. These shared values include a desire to: implement sustainable farming practices, avoid large corporate intermediaries, know who grew the food, a connectedness or transparency and buy directly, or at least more directly to get more of the purchase price back to the farmer.
Where to buy Fairtrade
Cocoa beans are processed inside a factory.

Lex Daddio, @restoring_radiance

"Some ways you can help are with bananas, chocolate, coffee and clothes which are four of my favorite things. Looking for the Fairtrade symbol on those items is really helpful."
Explore the Fairtrade Four
A metal grocery basket holds Fairtrade coffee beans, bananas, and chocolate, among other products.