At the beginning of a new year, now is a good time to take stock of what we have achieved and set targets for ourselves in 2023. The Climate Change Collective have been producing monthly thought-provoking articles related to global warming and becoming more ecofriendly. This time Krista and Alison from A Sustainably Simple Life have created an article about How Our Need to Shop is Ruining Our Planet. Changing shopping patterns could make a positive difference.
Shopping Is A Problem
I am one of those people who is tempted by adverts to buy nice things that I don’t really need. It can be easy to get sucked into buying too much unnecessary stuff and we are all guilty of it.
Fast fashion is something that doesn’t affect me so much as I like to wear my clothes out, but many of my friends are always on the look out for new outfits, for no apparent reason. It is important that we all find ways to cut back on buying things which are realistically only going to be used a few times.
My vice has been buying gadgets and things with lots of packaging. Every time I ordered a product online I found it coming with way too much cardboard or paper waste. Similarly, every gift needed a separate gift bag or box with ribbons etc. I have had to change my ways, so much so that I no longer wrap things if they are gifts for adults.
Wrapping paper is an example of a one-use only product that mostly goes straight to landfill and uses plenty of energy in manufacture and transportation. I wrote a poem about this, called Christmas Waste to provoke readers’ thoughts.
In A Nutshell
This is a complex subject and really interesting and relevant so please check out the Climate Change Collective December Article for yourself. I hope you will comment your own thoughts on this important matter.
If you missed the previous Climate Change Collective posts, check them out here:
Welcome To The Climate Change Collective
I definitely prefer to not spend my money on things unless I feel I need them.
Good move. We all need to start thinking like this.
I have definitely reduced my online shopping habit because my house was cluttered with boxes of packaging. Whatever cardboard boxes I had, I coloured them or put leftover gift wrappers on them and made a DIY frame for pictures. I used other boxes as pen stands or made a jewellery box. Happy New Year Jamie 🎉
That is a great idea! Happy New Year!
I like that you highlight how we each will have difference vices to pay attention to. Self awareness is certainly key to making changes to shopping habits.
Since leaving college I have tried my best to mainly get what I need first. Then if I have left over I will get what I want. I personally feel like I am still learning to spend less.