If you pay much attention to climate scientists and activism groups, you’ve probably noticed the sharp rise in warnings about Earth’s environment in recent years. Some reports have shown that the world is already past the point of redemption, while others are a lot more optimistic, but there is one thing that is certain — things will only get worse is consumers don’t clean up their act. To help you to start making positive changes with your own shopping habits, we explore some of the best ways to make shopping sustainable in the modern world.
By Team Savant
Image: Daily Nouri on Unsplash
The Products
The products you buy will often be one of the largest influencing factors when it comes to your environmental impact. Some products use huge amounts of resources and create a lot of pollution while they’re being made, and making a different choice can often have a huge impact on your footprint. For example, many modern clothing options are made from materials, like polyester, that require fossil fuels to produce. Options, like cotton and wool, can be much better as they can be grown sustainably, rather than using limited resources to make them.
The Packaging
Alongside the products themselves, it’s also worth thinking about the packaging that is used to protect the products you buy. A big spotlight has been pointed onto this side of the market in recent years, with many products being packaged in unnecessarily damaging materials. Companies like Amazon have made commitments to use recyclable materials for their packaging, though other companies are taking a very long time to follow suit. This means that you have to be careful when you buy things online, as you often can’t tell how it’s going to be packed until it arrives.
The Journey
Global logistics are fairly staggering, with products being constantly moved around the world to ensure that they end up in the right hands. This often isn’t necessary, though, as there will be producers much closer to home that you can use. Looking to buy products that have been sourced locally is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. The transport and haulage industry is responsible for huge amounts of pollution and waste, making it one of the key areas that people need to work against over the coming decades.
Alongside the journey your products make to their warehouses and other storage facilities, it’s also worth thinking about their route to your door. Many local businesses are struggling with the internet looming over them, even when they can offer a far more sustainable service. Trying to buy your products from local stores before you shop online will always be a smart way to reduce your environmental impact. Not only will this make you a greener person, though, but it will also help to support and enrich your local economy.
A Little Bit Of Charity
While many of the world’s largest companies are responsible for a large portion of the world’s pollution, there are also a lot of businesses that are working to use their resources to improve this situation. A great example of this comes in the form of toilet paper companies. Many of these brands have been battling to plant more trees than their counterparts, ultimately making their products far closer to carbon-neutral than they were in the past. A lot of companies are making charitable efforts when it comes to the environment, as these are well worth looking for.
Learning
For many consumers, the biggest problem with their spending habits is a lack of education. By teaching yourself where products come from, the impact different materials have on the planet, and the work that can be done to improve things, you will be in a much better position to make a difference. Sustainable products can often feel hard to come by in the modern world. By reading, watching, and listening, though, you can learn everything you need to turn this around for the better. It will take a long time for the world to heal itself, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t do your part.
As time goes on, the importance of work like this is only increasing. While many people around the world use barely any resources when they shop, a huge portion of the richest people on the planet just about ignore climate and sustainability issues. If nothing is done over the coming years, countless lives will be changed forever, and the world will continue on its march towards being an uninhabitable planet.