Greenpeace recently set out to rate major grocery chains in the U.S. based on their plastic packaging and, pretty unsurprisingly given the advocacy group’s high environmental standards, every store technically failed. The scores were assigned based on Greenpeace’s analysis of retailers’ sustainability policies and goals, plastic reduction efforts, and transparency. While the industry certainly has a long way to go, the good news that came out of the report is that a lot of stores are working hard at combatting the problem—five of the top innovators are below. For some more information and context, you can check out the entire ranking here. The report is a testament to the fact that in the grocery industry, there’s a lot of room for more transparent, rigorous targets and investment in packaging material innovation. Next time you write your grocery list, see if you can find any of its items in a bulk bin (this resource will help you find ones near you in the U.S.). When it comes to fruits and veggies, buy them loose and store them in your own reusable bags. If you’re lucky enough to live in a city that has a dedicated plastic-free market, head there. (You can now find these beyond the usual suspects like New York and Portland—but also places like Idaho and Florida have them too.) And if you do need to buy something that comes in packaging, opt for recyclable material when you can. A general rule of thumb is that hard plastics and paper/cardboard packaging (as long as they’re not lined with plastic coating) tend to be easier for recycling facilities to break down. Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
