Analysis of Purchases
I have categorized my purchases for the week by good, bad and ugly. If the purchase is in the good category this means the product has a relatively low environmental impact and supports local or small businesses. A good purchase is a necessary item and not a financial burden. If the purchase is considered bad, it means that the product has a moderate impact on the environment and supports Canadian businesses. The bad category means the purchase was not necessary and there was a better more affordable or environmentally friendly option. Finally, if the purchase is categorized as ugly, then it means the product has significant negative environmental impacts. The ugly category means the purchase was supporting large corporate businesses or foreign companies. The purchases are also considered ugly if there is other more environmentally friendly options available.
GOOD PURCHASES:
-Bothwell marble cheese ($4.75)- I placed this in the good purchase category because I am supporting a local Manitoba company. This product also had a low amount of packaging and would be considered to have minimal environmental effects. This product was a necessary purchase and was a fair price. For those reasons, Bothwell marble cheese would be considered a good purchase.
BAD PURCHASES:
-Booster Juice Smoothie ($4.75)- I categorized this as a bad purchase because it was a want and not a need. However, I did not call this ugly because the smoothie cups are recyclable. This is still a bad purchase because of the plastic, non-reusable straws and the paper packaging that the straws come in. If this smoothie had been made at my home, it would have been significantly better for the environment and would have cost less.
-Groceries from Superstore ($25)- This included cherry tomatoes, bananas, eggs, milk and greek yogurt. I placed these purchases in the bad category because they are necessary and I chose options that were affordable. These products also are not heavily packaged, so they are relatively environmentally friendly. However, none of these products were grown/packaged in Manitoba and some of these products were not from Canada. Shipping of these products negatively affects the environment. By buying these products, I am not supporting a local Manitoba business but I am supporting a large national business.
UGLY PURCHASES:
-Gasoline for my car ($49)- I categorized this as an ugly purchase because of the negative impact it has on the environment. This is considered ugly because there are other cheaper and more environmentally friendly options for transportation, including busing and carpooling. By purchasing gasoline, I am not supporting local companies. Also, driving my car is a more costly method of transportation compared to busing or carpooling.
In total,I spent $4.75 in good purchases, $29.75 in bad purchases and $49 on ugly purchases. I would like to eliminate or reduce ugly and bad purchases. I can try to eliminate ugly purchases by busing and carpooling more often. If I have to make purchases, I would like to make these in the good category, as much as possible. I can do this by checking the labels of groceries items and buying items that are grown and packaged in Manitoba. In order to shift my spending from bad to good, I need to support more local companies. I can achieve this especially in the summer, by buying from farmers' markets in Winnipeg.
GOOD PURCHASES:
-Bothwell marble cheese ($4.75)- I placed this in the good purchase category because I am supporting a local Manitoba company. This product also had a low amount of packaging and would be considered to have minimal environmental effects. This product was a necessary purchase and was a fair price. For those reasons, Bothwell marble cheese would be considered a good purchase.
BAD PURCHASES:
-Booster Juice Smoothie ($4.75)- I categorized this as a bad purchase because it was a want and not a need. However, I did not call this ugly because the smoothie cups are recyclable. This is still a bad purchase because of the plastic, non-reusable straws and the paper packaging that the straws come in. If this smoothie had been made at my home, it would have been significantly better for the environment and would have cost less.
-Groceries from Superstore ($25)- This included cherry tomatoes, bananas, eggs, milk and greek yogurt. I placed these purchases in the bad category because they are necessary and I chose options that were affordable. These products also are not heavily packaged, so they are relatively environmentally friendly. However, none of these products were grown/packaged in Manitoba and some of these products were not from Canada. Shipping of these products negatively affects the environment. By buying these products, I am not supporting a local Manitoba business but I am supporting a large national business.
UGLY PURCHASES:
-Gasoline for my car ($49)- I categorized this as an ugly purchase because of the negative impact it has on the environment. This is considered ugly because there are other cheaper and more environmentally friendly options for transportation, including busing and carpooling. By purchasing gasoline, I am not supporting local companies. Also, driving my car is a more costly method of transportation compared to busing or carpooling.
In total,I spent $4.75 in good purchases, $29.75 in bad purchases and $49 on ugly purchases. I would like to eliminate or reduce ugly and bad purchases. I can try to eliminate ugly purchases by busing and carpooling more often. If I have to make purchases, I would like to make these in the good category, as much as possible. I can do this by checking the labels of groceries items and buying items that are grown and packaged in Manitoba. In order to shift my spending from bad to good, I need to support more local companies. I can achieve this especially in the summer, by buying from farmers' markets in Winnipeg.
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