Did you know that every dollar you spend casts a vote for or against sustainability?
According to research by McKinsey, 78 percent of US consumers care about sustainability. These are the people adopting an environmentally responsible lifestyle by choosing to make sustainable purchases.
Sustainably produced goods are manufactured in a way that cares about our ecosystems and natural resources.
Embracing sustainability in shopping by making sustainable purchases can minimize your environmental impact, make you a savvy shopper, and save you money.
What are sustainable purchases?
Sustainable purchases are manufactured without harmful ingredients and do not pollute the air, soil, or water systems. Additionally, sustainable products do not expose us to harmful chemicals such as flame retardants and BPAs, that are hazardous to human health.
Buying sustainable products involves shopping from brands that uphold environmental values, such as avoiding single-use plastic. It also requires shoppers to buy items they can dispose of responsibly by recycling, reusing, or repurposing them.
Brands that champion such environmentally friendly policies and ethical practices are attracting a growing number of eco-conscious shoppers with a positive attitude toward eco–friendly products.
If you would like to pursue sustainability in your business, seek legal help from an environmental lawyer.
Benefits of embracing sustainability and making sustainable purchases
Choosing eco-friendly purchases is a cost-efficient way of buying the things you need for your home or workplace.
It also offers shoppers a better customer experience because it involves consciously doing something good for our environment.
Other benefits of making sustainable purchases are;
1. Waste reduction
Many of the products we buy, such as single-use items, are thrown away into the garbage, and this applies to a large amount of packaging.
This garbage ends up in landfills, increasing our global carbon footprint significantly.
Therefore, we must purchase sustainable products that are recyclable and reusable to minimize environmental pollution.
2. Less greenhouse gas emissions
Did you know that a disturbing amount of greenhouse gas emissions come from industries?
Sustainable product manufacturers are trying to combat this by utilizing renewable energy, such as solar and wind in production processes.
Therefore, purchasing products that use renewable energy is a great way to embrace sustainability as a consumer.
3. Prevents health problems
Buying products that are not eco-friendly exposes us to harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, which can expose us to health problems.
Choosing sustainable products made from safe raw materials reduces our exposure.
4. Supports innovation
Sustainably focused products are often innovative. The more we buy sustainable products, the more we encourage manufacturers to innovate and come up with even better products.
How to make sustainable purchases
Eco-friendly purchasing is a mindful way of shopping that helps buyers avoid impulse shopping and waste.
Although a wide array of stores and online brands available to shoppers makes it difficult for customers to make sustainability-influenced decisions, there are a few simple ways to embrace sustainability when shopping. These are;
1. Buy necessities
Although frivolous shopping can be fun, impulse shopping results in lots of returns or regretful purchases.
When these purchases are thrown in the bin, they add to the garbage in our landfills.
You can reduce the carbon footprint you generate from your shopping habits by;
- Avoiding over-purchasing: Ask yourself what problem the item you are buying will solve, and if it’s not necessary, do not buy it.
- Don’t buy single-use items: Try to purchase items you can use for a lengthy period, such as dish towels instead of paper towels.
- Buy second-hand products: Purchasing second-hand or used items is another amazing way to embrace sustainability. Many of these items work just as well as the new ones and cost less. You can purchase gently owned or refurbished items at second-hand marketplaces, antique shops, and thrift stores.
- Consider the end of a product: The best products to invest in are those you can recycle, reuse, or repurpose once you are finished using them. An example is biodegradable coffee cups that you can add to your compost.
- Choose products with minimal packaging: A large quantity of product packaging resulting from our shopping choices, especially plastic, finds its way into our environment.
- Buy water and energy-efficient items: Products with Energy Star and WaterSense certifications can minimize your utility costs significantly.
2. Support local product manufacturers
Many local designers and product manufacturers make excellent furniture, clothing, and other consumer goods that you can buy.
Instead of making purchases that require shipping or transporting over long distances, explore your local area first.
3. Buy sustainable fashion items
Did you know that 92 million tonnes of fabric waste end up in landfills every year? This does a lot of damage to our ecosystem.
You can avoid contributing to this menace by steering clear of fast fashion.
Shop for versatile, durable and timeless apparel that you can wear for a long time.
4. Switch to sustainable personal hygiene
A lot of pollution comes from the everyday items we use for our hygiene. An example is plastic microbeads from soap that pollute our waterways and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from perfumes that are dangerous air pollutants.
Purchase sustainable personal hygiene products, such as reusable menstrual cups instead of tampons.
5. Shop from eco-conscious brands
A simple way of embracing sustainability is to patronize stores that champion positive environmental values and exhibit their commitment to sustainability through actions.
For instance, some stores donate a percentage of their profits to environmental causes to offset their carbon emissions, and others package goods for customers in recycled packaging.
You can also purchase products from brands that assist shoppers in making environmentally conscious shopping decisions.
Conclusion
Making sustainable purchases is one of the best ways for consumers to protect our well-being and that of the planet.
It is revolutionizing e-commerce and taking us away from a culture of destructive consumerism.
Choosing to adopt sustainable shopping practices is the best way to ensure the products we buy do not exploit our planet’s resources or harm people.
By contributing to a sustainability culture, we can revolutionize the shopping experience, ensuring more people make responsible purchases, thereby contributing to a beneficial eco–friendly commerce cycle for all of us.
