Nowadays, we have the opportunity to buy anything we want and whenever we want it. The online world has given us so much opportunity and I myself have taken full advantage of this. However, the difficulty that comes with spending money is the packaging and products we therefore contribute to waste when we’re eventually done with it. I know that both me and Sam are trying to utilize the recycling where we can but to also shop a little more consciously when it comes to the health of the world. Here are some tips to spend with the environment in mind.
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Buy From Environementally Conscious Businesses
There’s a lot of businesses that don’t particularly care about their packaging but you can. As a customer, you can choose to shop with companies who choose to use packaging that is less harmful on the environment. Lil Packaging, for example, is a company that supplies many businesses with their packaging needs and they produce packaging that is entirely plastic-free. Plastic is the one material that has the biggest impact on the environment, so if you’re choosing to shop from these businesses who use a packaging company like Lil Packaging, every single item that you buy will have less of an overall impact in regards to waste.
As well as packaging, it’s also worth buying from brands that are taking steps to minimise their carbon footprint. Luckily, many brands are now working towards net zero emissions. Many of them are achieving this through altered practices, and even partnerships with companies like DGB Group, whose CEO, Selwyn Duijvestijn is committed to helping brands balance their carbon footprints through tree planting and other eco-initiatives. With a little research, you should be able to find brands who are actively invested in these environmental focuses, and who are a much better option for your custom than big brands who continually don’t even consider their carbon emissions.
Seek Out Second-Hand Alternatives
There’s mass manufacturing in certain businesses and as consumers, a lot of us tend to buy brand new. Instead, it’s worth considering second-hand alternatives as there might be a lot out there that you hadn’t realised was just as good as buying brand new. I used to love shopping in charity shops and even though I stopped for a while, I still try and go in every so often, to see what’s in there and what I could buy to help re-use.
Have A No-Spend Day Or Two
No-spend days are not only good on the environment but they’re also good on your bank balance too. If more people on a regular basis, opt to have a no-spend day, it might help with the amount of waste we provide individually over the course of our life time. Challenge yourself to do it every so often and even now, with the Coronavirus, you can probably go days without having to spend money.
Buy Food That’s Locally Sourced
Supporting small businesses is important, no matter what. Buying locally sourced produce as part of your weekly food shop can help cut down on the amount of vehicles on the road that are transporting them back and forth from the producers to the stores. It would also be something that is likely going to be loose and not wrapped in plastic or harmful packaging. By support local businesses, you’re allowing them to continue and thrive against the big giants who are probably causing the most harm on the environment as a whole.
Hopefully these tips can help you reduce the impact you have on the environment too. Myself included. What do you do to be moro environmentally friendly? Let me know in the comments below.
*Disclaimer – This is a collaborative post. All words are my own.
