A simple checklist to keep in mind when out shopping is:

• Make a shopping list and just buy what you need
• Shop locally; this supports your local community and cuts down on car use
• Always keep a cloth or plastic bag with you so you don’t need to use new plastic bags when shopping
  
• Look for an alternative with less packaging
• Look for food grown locally or in the UK
• Buy products in packaging that can be recycled, e.g. glass
• Cut down on packaging; buy products with little or no packaging (such as loose fruit), in recycled packaging or in larger packs rather than lots of smaller packs
• If driving you could always take a friend so you can share the car journey

Below is a list of some of the things to look out for when shopping to ensure that you are buying a more ethical product and shopping more sustainably.

Banking - most of us choose our bank for convenience or stay with the same bank for years purely through habit. However, High street banks are likely to invest in companies that support negative environmental practices or arms trading, or deal with suspect regimes. Choose an ethical bank, mutual or building society; you could also do this for your insurance policy and mortgages. For more information on which banks are ethical, check 'The Good Shopping Guide', available from most bookshops.

Clothing - you can buy ethical and environmentally-friendly clothes made from Fairtrade cotton and sustainable materials. Go to the useful links page for details.

Organic - the Soil Association mark guarantees that the product is organic. Organic farming does not use chemical fertilisers and pesticides; it benefits the soil, the food and the environment. It can also taste better and be healthier for you.

Fairtrade - when you're next buying coffee, tea, chocolate, cotton and other imported goods, check whether there's a fairtrade product on the shelf by looking for this logo. Fairtrade ensures that small farmers in developing countries receive a fair share of the money you pay for their product. You can also encourage your employer to turn your workplace supplies Fairtrade see www.fairtradeatwork.org.uk

Fish - the Marine Stewardship Council sets an internationally recognised standard to measure  and reward sustainably managed fisheries http://www.msc.org/

Meat - when you're buying meat, consider the organic and/or free range option, which comes from animals that are reared under more natural conditions. Organic meat can be expensive, so consider eating a vegetarian meal a few nights a week and then splashing out on an organic steak - you'll taste the difference. Vegetarian food also makes better use of global resources - land used for beans and vegetables produces ten times as much protein as land used for raising beef.

Farmers' markets - buying direct from the farmer who has grown the produce give you the advantage of knowing exactly where the food has come from. There are over 300 farmers' markets around the country - visit http://www.farmersmarkets.net/ for a full list.

Paints - many types of paints and solvents contain 'volatile organic compounds' (VOCs). These cause air pollution and are hazardous to your health, so buy low or VOC free paints. There are companies that offer a range of organic and natural paints; go to the useful links page for more details.

Wood - check for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) mark indicating that the product has been made from sustainable timber from a well-managed forest.

You won't always be able to tick all these points, but just having them in your head when you're trying to choose which product to buy will make a difference.