Help protect our plant with conscious choices
Overconsumption
In most developed countries, there is an issue of over consumption where we have constant access to purchase anything at any given time, which is the catalyst of over consuming items that cause damage to our planet. Most of us have the luxury life of being able to buy non-essential items whenever we please, a pack a sweets, a new jumper, home decor the list goes on. We are wired to want whatever is popular and new. Take smart phones as an example, whenever a new smartphone is released most want to purchase it as they do not want to be judged for not having the latest thing. Consumerism always comes down to opinions of others, either being, persuasion by advertising, word of mouth, reviews and many more. Now I am in no way saying to not buy the things you want and like, however when consuming we need to be mindful of where we are purchasing and who we are supporting.
Second-hand
A low impact and cost effective way to consume products is buying second-hand. The impact of the product has already been made without you creating a need for new products. When you purchase from new, the store will need to restock that item. You can find most products second hand and below is a list of some suggestions (UK):
Charity shops - Clothes, Books, Movies, Toys, Home decor, toiletries, furniture.
Depop/Vinted - Clothes, Jewellery, Bags.
Facebook groups/ Marketplace - Furniture, Book, Toys, Clothing, Plants.
Ebay - Craft supplies, Clothing, Home Decor, Tech.
CEX - Phones, Cameras, Games Consoles, Movies.
As you see, a lot of these items crossover to different purchasing platforms, secondhand purchasing has become a lot more accessible which is why I strongly recommend looking through these platforms when you are wanting to purchase something. This also helps you give thought to your purchase and if it is actually something you want or just an impulse buy.
The more effort it takes to find an item and make a purchase, the more likely you are going to think about your choice. 9 times out of 10 you may realise you do not need to be consuming as much in your day to day life.
With social media adverts in our faces constantly, it is easy to get drawn in and make an online purchase with the click of a button. This is what leads to over consumption. and this does not take into consideration the resources used to make the items you are buying, that is another kettle of fish.
Do you know where your purchase comes from?
When making a purchase do you think about where the item has come from? what resources and materials have been used? where have they been sourced? who made the item and do they get paid enough?
It is very easy to have the 'that is not my issue' attitude when it comes to these things. It is a split divide, it is the consumer who chooses to purchase the item whether it be sustainable or not regarding resources, labor, transport etc, however it is also the companies responsibility to work on these issues and create products that are responsibly sourced, workers paid a living wage and in safe conditions, ensuring transport is carbon neutral. There is a fine line between who the responsibility comes down to and the best way we can erase this line and all be on the same page is to vote with our money. If we spend our money on products that meet our values and do not support the companies that go against our values then the ones doing good will in turn become more popular and others will follow their lead. As a society we are taught by example in most things we do, there is always an influence attached to most decisions we make.
If we start sharing information with others about sustainable companies who are working towards protecting our planet, then they will follow in our footsteps and also support these companies.
Things to look out for
When purchasing a new item, it is hard to know anything about it's impact on the planet. So here are some things to look for:
Certifications: this is the main thing to look for, if they have a third party certification then they have paid a large amount of money to have all aspects of their business inspected to ensure it meets the certifications standards. I have included a link to a guide on this by a sustainability vlogger/ blogger that I have followed for many years called Gittemary.
Sustainability pages - If a company includes a detailed sustainability page on their website, they are trying to be as transparent as possible with their customers. The more in-depth and easily accessible the better!
Natural or recycled materials - Being conscious about the materials used is also important, when researching materials look for, how it is grow? what is the replenishment rate of the material e.g. how fast can bamboo grow back in comparison to a tree, how much land and water is needed? does the production produce fossil fuels. These are a few questions to get your mind thinking.