Conscious consumerism
Four ways to Improve your Sustainable Lifestyle
One of the biggest issues that has led to the pollution of our oceans, forests, and even cities is overconsumption. You may be familiar with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which is located in the Pacific Ocean taking up 1.6 million square kilometers, which is twice the size of Texas or three times the size of France (Forbes). National Geographic states that
“80 percent of plastic in the ocean is estimated to come from land-based sources, with the remaining 20 percent coming from boats and other marine sources” (National Geographic).
That 80% comes from us, and our everyday consumption habits.
In today’s world it is deemed to be “necessary” to consume copious amounts of, well everything. From that daily single use Starbucks run to using household cleaners that come in plastic, everything seems to have been designed to use quickly then dump in a landfill, or the ocean. Plastic and single use products are seemingly unavoidable. Which may be true in some areas like healthcare, but there are things that everyone can do to reduce the amount of waste they put into nature.
One lifestyle change that is becoming popular is going zero-waste. This means stopping the consumption of plastic and only using products and items that can be composted or recycled. It sounds intense, and quite frankly it is. Changing your consumption habits to completely eliminate the use of plastic is incredibly hard. But as they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and plastic won’t stop being produced in a day either. It’s all about constancy and moderation. There are some awesome companies out there, like Blue land, which are making it their prerogative to prioritize minimizing the amount of waste their consumers need to have in their everyday consumption.
This process of becoming aware of the ramifications of one’s intake and wanting to improve the impact of said habits is also known as conscious consumerism. What makes consumers so valuable in the economy, particularly in relation to social and sustainable impact, is that they as a collective body have the ability to change and reorganize the priorities of organizations that they interact with whether they are small startups or large corporations. The consumer body can and is in many parts of the world being activated to reach its social change potential. Through voting with your dollar individuals are able to essentially “vote” for what companies they believe should continue into the future and which ones should not. When this premise is used to priorities environmental impact, fair and livable wages, and minority inclusion (among others) the economy can see vast shifts in its social impact. It can lead to the prioritization of stakeholders over shareholders on the part of corporate decision making, it could lead to reduced carbon footprints and net neutral commitments. Tapping into the consumer power could lead to the reformation of our economic system, as long as corporations and governments are listening.
Taking initiative on an individual level is vital for improving the sustainability of the economy. Going zero-waste may not be the best, or easiest, lifestyle choice for you and your family but it is supper easy to start shifting your consumer habits towards a more sustainable lifestyle. Simple things you can do are:
1. When you run out of something, replace it with a sustainable alternative.
This is by far the easiest way to convert your lifestyle to being more sustainable. It’s easy and not overwhelming. All you need to do is realize when you need to replace something like say toothpaste. Then do a little research to find the sustainable alternative. One of my favorite resources is the Package Free Shop, which sells sustainable everyday items that can help you improve your sustainability habits. Once you found your favorite sustainable swap just get it to replace your conventional products. It’s that easy.
By starting to do this you will slowly realize how easy it can be to change your consumption habits and you’ll unconsciously start looking for more way’s that you can become sustainable.
2. Reuse!
This is something that everyone can do, without purchasing anything new. When you’re done with a product like a candle for instance you could a) throw it away b) recycle its container, or c) reuse it!
Option C is by far the best for the environment. You can do so many things with that little container. You can use it as a makeup brush holder, toothbrush holder, cotton ball container, cotton swab holder, spice container (if it has a lid), a homemade candle, or really anything that you can think of. Reusing is so easy and the best way to divert waste from landfills.
3. Recycle
This should honestly be a given by now. I am always shocked when I find out that some people don’t recycled. It’s so easy. Just sort your recyclables from your trash and either put it on the curb once a week or wherever you put your trash and they take care of it for you.
4. Compost
I think that it is easiest to start composting in the summer, just my personal opinion. There are more places you can bring it to in the warmer months and you’re eating more fruits and veggies that can be composted. Most farmers markets have a composting site that you can bring yours too or if you have a yard you can easily create your own composting pile.
Some waste companies will also collect your compost for you which is awesome. Check with your local waste facility to see if they offer composting materials like bins, containers, and bags (they tend to be free from there).
I’m interested to hear from you, what are your thoughts on conscious consumerism, do you think it really has the power to change our economy? What are you going to do to improve your own personal sustainability?
