With spring shopping about to commence we thought it an opportune time to revisit this helpful article on what not to buy at your local big box.

“Big-box stores,” those uber convenient one-stop-shopping meccas like Walmart and Target, are an independent retailer’s nightmare. With one fell swoop, they can easily swipe once-dedicated locavores with the lure of unbeatable prices. And while most eco-minded shoppers wouldn’t dare step inside for a weekly grocery run, there are some instances when even the best of us are enticed by their sizable selections, doorbuster pricing and row upon row of no-wait checkouts. If you’ve fallen prey, take note. Even in the most dire of situations, there are some products you just shouldn’t buy at big-box outlets… or any other store, in that case.

Books and DVDs
The fresh paper smell of a new book is undoubtedly appealing. But why dole out the cash for a new product when you can recycle and keep your pocket change at the same time? Websites like Swap.com and BookMooch.com (above pic) make trading media easy and cut down considerably on the energy required to manufacture new products. For DVDs, check RedBox machines on your way out the door to rent the latest releases, or better yet, order them from home using Netflix or your digital cable service.

Gift Cards
The turn-style displays at the supermarket certainly are convenient, seeing as you’re already there and all, but there’s a better way to do it. We promise. Try giving a “good card” (above), that allows giftees to choose a charity to donate to, or buy a Give Card that allows you to tack on extra cash for charitable giving.

Bottled Water
This is one of my biggest pet peeves. Even my greener friends will fall back on the bottled water bandwagon when hosting a party or get together. Skip it. Fill one or two refrigerated water filters like Pur‘s to the top and let guests use washable glassware. It’s classier anyhow! When it’s just you, rely on reusable bottles from brands like Sigg and WaterGeeks or BPA-free bottles like these rated by Good Housekeeping.

Plastic Baggies
I’ve lived without buying Ziploc products for a few years now. It’s amazing how easy it is to use reusable glass or stainless storage containers instead, (Maureen loves the selection at Healthykitchen.com.) For toting sandwiches to work, I rely on Preserve‘s line of BPA-free, recycled (and recyclable) containers, (photo above). And for snacks like popcorn and banana chips, we like the array of earth-friendly options at reuseit.com.

100 Calorie Packs
I’m in marketing myself, so I give major props to the savvy company that came up with 100-calorie packaging. For mindless munching, it makes total sense, but I simply cannot understand why anyone would pay extra to have their food divvied up for themselves when they could just pack it individually themselves and save all of that waste. Check the nutrition label when you get home and then take the two extra minutes needed to pack up 100-calorie portions yourself in organic cotton snack bags from reuseit.com – (tip: store your snacks in a glass container so that they’re kept air-tight until used).