Becoming more aware of the climate change crisis that the world is currently facing can motivate you to learn more ways to help address the problem. The truth is, making small changes in our lifestyle counts a lot in ultimately reducing your carbon footprint and your negative impact on the environment.
Something as simple as changing your shopping habits can make a big difference. If you’ve never given shopping much thought before, now’s the time to rethink your shopping habits and evaluate them based on sustainability.
To get you started on your journey to becoming a more ethical shopper and consumer, consider these five ways to shop more sustainably:
1 Use Reusable Shopping Bags
Plastic, a common material used for packaging and shopping bags, has significantly contributed to the tons of waste dumped in landfills and even in oceans. This leads to microplastics being ingested by marine animals, including the kind we eat.
The first way you can shop more sustainably and help address this environmental and health concern is to use eco-friendly shopping bags instead of single-use plastic bags.
These bags can be made from various materials such as fabric, recycled plastic, and biodegradable materials. There are also foldable reusable shopping bags, allowing you to keep them in your tote bag in case you spontaneously want to go grocery shopping. For a wide selection of eco-friendly shopping bags, visit alburyenvirobags.com.au.
2 Participate In Circular Fashion
Another way to shop more sustainably is to participate in a circular fashion. The circular fashion economy seeks to combat fast fashion. Fast fashion refers to cheap, trendy clothing delivered to consumers quickly to meet their demands. Unfortunately, when a fashion trend is over, many tend to dispose of their clothing immediately, contributing to massive waste. Instead of buying trendy clothes, go for classic wardrobe pieces that never go out of style.
Essentially, the circular fashion economy encourages circulating garments for as long as they have maximum value. An example would be to buy second-hand designer clothing as they’re typically made of high-quality materials and crafted with expert workmanship. When garments are no longer usable, that’s the only time that they should be safely disposed of.
3 Buy Second Hand
Buying second-hand electronics can help combat e-waste. E-waste refers to discarded electronic devices usually ending up in landfills. They’re also responsible for some toxic chemicals that can be found leaking onto water systems. These can be your smartphones, personal computers, laptops, and other electronic devices.
Not only is buying second-hand electronics better for the environment, but it can also save you some money. Since technology evolves so fast, you’ll find that even relatively recent models are up for sale on buy-and-sell platforms. To get the best deals when buying second-hand electronics, examine the technical specifications and the reason for selling.
Other second-hand items you may consider purchasing include cars, exercise equipment, and luxury watches. Generally, the products that you should consider buying second-hand are those of the highest quality so they can last a long time.
4 Check The Label
Shopping more sustainably involves being more educated and letting fact-based information guide your decisions. This means understanding how eco-labels work and knowing which materials are harmful to the environment.
Also called environmental or green labels, eco-labels help you determine if a product is eco-friendly overall. However, it’s worth noting that you should check which criteria for environmental friendliness these products meet, such as if the product is organic, if the packaging is recyclable, or if the item meets environmental standards.
Furthermore, checking the labels allows you to see the ingredients or materials used in manufacturing the product. For instance, if you’re buying clothing, you may want to avoid polyester and acrylic fabrics. Instead, consider eco-friendly fabrics such as recycled cotton, bamboo, and wool.
5 Support Ethical Brands
Another way to shop sustainably is to find out whether the company you’re buying from has sustainable business practices. You can check the internet to see if the manufacturer employs eco-friendly and ethical methods to get its products on the shelves. It makes sense to avoid brands found guilty of irresponsible waste management.
On the other hand, support ethical brands or those businesses whose practices don’t harm the environment, including people and animals. Furthermore, this will encourage other companies to change their ways and turn to ethical and sustainable practices.
Conclusion
Climate change is a challenging crisis to tackle, especially when you realize the magnitude of the problem. Unfortunately, it’s a fact that you can’t solve it on your own. However, you can do your part to help by being a more ethical consumer and shopping more sustainably.