Shopping is a necessary part of life and can even be fun for some people, but every purchase you make has an impact on the environment. Knowing how to help out the environment as a conscious consumer is a skill everyone should have. Here are a few tips to get started:
1. Buy Secondhand
Whether it’s for furniture or fashion, secondhand shops are super useful! Not only is it less expensive than buying something brand new, but it also is a lot more sustainable! Reusing an item such as a t-shirt or an old table is significantly better than it ending up in a landfill. Before you go out on a shopping spree, try stopping at Savers or another secondhand store first.
2. Vote with your dollar
Every time you purchase something, you are essentially voting with your dollar. What that means is that you are supporting a company and their practices with each purchase. This is why it’s important to invest in companies you believe in. Supporting small businesses and companies with ethical and sustainable practices makes all the difference.
3. Stop buying single-use items
Obviously, this rule can’t be applied to everything, but single-use items make up a lot of our landfills. In fact, single-use was recently named ‘Word of the Year’ by Collins Dictionary! Try investing in some long-lasting products such as reusable utensils, straws or bringing your own mug to coffee shops. Even just swapping out plastic grocery bags for totes can help (Target even gives you a discount for doing this!
Learning how to shop more sustainably is a process. However, doing so will not only help you save money in a lot of cases, but it will also help save the environment!