Thanks to the technological, economic, and social progress of recent decades, we are surrounded by comforts that would have been unthinkable at other points in history. Yet this welfare society is accompanied by consumption patterns that reveal an unsustainable system with great regional differences, raw materials that run out, waste that is difficult to reuse, and improperly managed or polluted water resources…
To reduce the lion’s share of our environmental impact, which comes from the consumption of products and services, we might reconsider many of our daily decisions, which are guided more by fashion and market mandates than by actual needs.
“Cradle to cradle”:
Consumption has a constant impact. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a basic tool to assess the actual sustainability of goods and products and to define responsible consumption strategies. The LCA counts all the impacts associated with a good, from its design and production phase to its handling as waste, including transport and packaging in the different phases.
At this point, producers can choose strategies that bear LCA in mind. Through innovation, they can seek responsible design or eco-design for their goods and packaging, so as to reduce impact from the source. One example is the industrial model cradle to cradle. Based on reuse and recycling, this is intended to generate zero waste. It strives for safe, quality production with the possibility of repair.
For the government’s part, legislative measures such as those focused on extending shelf life, reducing packaging, and putting an end to programmed obsolescence can steer production and distribution guidelines toward more sustainable, fairer frameworks for consumers.
Currently, there are many labels that aim to provide information on environmental virtues, but ecolabels are far-ranging and at times difficult for consumers to understand. Although the EU mandates inclusion of an energy label on electric products, other labels are voluntary, and not all of them require third-party assessment or use the LCA. In any case, official certified labels help us to understand the impact of the product we wish to use.
Don’t Play with Food
Although part of the world’s population suffers from hunger, the United Nations reports that 931 million tonnes of food for which raw materials, water, and energy were used are wasted every year.
Part of the solution is to stop food waste by menu and grocery planning, and by encouraging local, seasonal consumption. This last option also decreases the use of packaging, reduces transport, and provides a better organoleptic profile. Our Mediterranean diet is not only a healthy option; it is also sustainable and affordable.
The Consumer’s Power
As consumers, we can make our voices heard through our decisions, making our choices move the market and not the other way around.
Every year, fashion and electronics take up a larger percentage of the shopping cart. Oftentimes, they follow seasonal trends or needs created by a very consumption-oriented system, which is dictionary defined as “an unrestrained tendency to purchase, spend, or consume goods that are not always needed.”
One solution that benefits us all is consuming less and consuming better quality, selecting options that provide for prolonged use, unlike impulsive dynamics such as fast fashion and online shopping, which have a huge impact on transport and waste generation.
We can also make the most of initiatives that create jobs and keep our neighbourhoods and cities alive by returning to markets and small local businesses. In doing so, it is easy to connect our consumption with the seasons, moving away from purely aesthetic criteria, and to buy in bulk, which is now also an option for hygiene and cleaning products.
At the supermarket, we can consider the origin of products and avoid overpackaging, ruling out individual portions or unnecessary packaging and selecting large containers—if possible, made of easily recyclable materials (glass or cardboard).
Innovate, share, and reduce
Other measures that join innovation in consumption with reducing consumption are spaces where one can borrow or hire objects that will only be used for a few hours (drills, sewing machines, or cleaning appliances), initiatives for the buy-back and sale of refurbished items, and shops and peer-to-peer sales platforms, which have revolutionised the second life of products. These all cover needs without consuming new resources.
The way we consume says something about us. Have the courage to send a sustainable message.
