Top 5 Tips on Choosing More Eco-Friendly Products -

As consumers, we have choices and voices. We can create demand and we can also be influenced. Marketing is a powerful tool and capitalism is heavily ingrained into modern culture.

Not everything we are shown is what we need, but we may sometimes want it anyways. Not every product is eco-friendly and or bad for the environment. However, walking into a lot of stores or shopping online, we encounter excessive use of plastic in manufacturing of products, large carbon footprints in the delivery of products and unapproachability in prices or the cheapest item and poor quality is the only option.

What do we do?

We empower ourselves to make more eco-friendly choices.

What does this mean?

We rearrange my mindset regarding what we need, value, what we already have and how we approach being a consumer.

The following are just the highlights on changing the mindset of the consumer and what we can do as individuals to make more empowered choices:

1. Repurpose what you already have -

We have items in our spaces that can be repurposed for items we are thinking of being. This is going to require a bit of research and time. An example is you do not need to buy new reusable cups, water bottles and/or cutlery. What items do you have that you can use as your daily reusables? Try shopping in your home. Additionally, refusing to purpose an item can be a 2nd step. Re evaluate the requirement of that item; what value will it bring into your life? Will it connect you to your purpose, your family and family? How will make you feel? Is it filling a void? Does purchasing an item bring a sense of fulfillment? Why? Yes, we are connecting emotions to consumerism. Often marketing is a tool that elicits emotions from consumers. Being aware and identifying that trait can be useful in avoiding unnecessary purchases. If the product will simply make your life easier, again, attempt to repurpose an item already in your household that can satisfy that need. Ask within your community for these items, meet your neighbors and connect.

2. Consider Lifecycle of the Product - refuse, reduce, repurpose, recycle, rot -

One way to approach the value and purchasing quality of a product is to consider its overall lifetime eco-friendliness. Initially, do you need it (refuse)? Can you repurpose that potential item multiple times? Can you recycle the item? Can you reduce your own goods by charity donation, community give aways, and/or selling? Example: When in a store, look at the item, why do you need, what will you do with it, how long will you have it, can you repurpose or recycle it and/or can it rot away? Thinking about these characteristics will be shocking at first; you may realize that a lot of products are single use, plastic and will only end up in a dump; lasting for hundreds or thousands of years. Even disintegrating into small plastics that may eventually end up in water, animals, us?

3. Consider Manufacturer Location -

Reducing carbon footprint is a hot topic right now. The transportation of goods is becoming faster and faster. However, are the modes of transportation releasing an unsafe amount of CO2. When approaching a product, review its location of manufacturing. Consider buying small business, made in your own country. Small businesses thrive on individuals in their communities. Your purchase fuels their dreams.

4. Time to Research -

With any of these approaches, research is invaluable. Yes, it can be a bit time consuming. But, a lot of people have mini computers in their hands these days and can easily access information. Research the use of an item, its manufacturing history, its origin, alternatives. This information is at your fingertips. Empower yourself with the information about how companies interact with their environment, their ESG (environmental social governance), and their employees. Is the creation of the product destroying lives and the environment? We caution about Green Washing; when marketing and companies promote products as being eco-friendly, but with no real evidence to support this claim - do the homework.

5. Multi Use Plans -

How many ways can you use the product? Is it a one and done or can you, your friend, your child use it? Can it be used for another purpose? Get creative. Ask for help. Innovate. Can you work with your community, like a Buy Nothing Group, to extend the life of the product? Perhaps another individual can use it!

We help the exploration of these topics enables you to be a different consumer. We have the power to take back choices when it comes to being consumers. We also have the responsibility of making these choices and being more eco-friendly. Manufacturers and consumers must change the future together. We have to change our habits. We have to re evaluate our values and needs.

Our advice is take one aspect above and just try it the next time you shop.

Questions now? Comment below or send me a message.

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