When We Shop

Companies do care about climate change and are taking climate action. At least 45% of S&P500 companies have net zero aligned climate commitments. 1000s of companies big and small have climate action plans and net zero targets. Countless sustainable products have come on to the market to support your transition to sustainable living. You just need to look!

Mending a fast fashion item may mean spending what you paid for it, but in doing so you keep those clothes out of the landfill.

You can also learn how to make small repairs at home to keep costs down, including replacing buttons, fixing broken zippers, resewing loose seems, and hemming pants.

Every time you buy the more sustainable option from companies taking action, opt for quality over quantity, avoid excessive plastic packaging, refuse less durable and/or more disposable items, buy things that can be repaired, or choose experiences over owning more stuff, you are putting pressure where businesses pay the most attention.

Policy drives systemic change but consumer behaviour fuels it.

Watch the following video: The view from here: Reflections from leaders navigating change, uncertainty, and possibility

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Places like Chile and the European Union have laws in place or soon to be in place that require retailers (including supermarkets) to offer a certain amount of beverages for sale in reusable packaging. And in countries like Mexico, Brazil, the Philippines, and Germany, refillable bottles are already widely used. More pressure is needed to bring refillable bottles to all markets.

Yes, some eco-friendly products are more expensive than more popular non eco-friendly. However, they're often made to last longer, not to be thrown away after just a couple of uses. These products are also often made from renewable resources that meet key sustainability or green certifications to ensure they're made in a planet-friendly way.

Buying a reusable container will cost more than a disposable one, but you only need to buy it once (or every once in a while.)

And from a broader perspective, the damage done to the planet and all facets of the supply chain through pollution, unsustainable methods, and extreme weather is only raising the prices of everything. You might get something cheaper now, but you are only adding to price increases in the future.

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Refillable bottles have been around since the 19th century and were how most beverages were sold until the 70s when they were replaced by single-use plastic in many countries around the world.

Where they exist, refillable bottle programs have over a 90% success rate for getting the bottle back, and each bottle can be reused up to 50 times.  

Going zero-waste is incredibly helpful for the Earth, but a zero-waste lifestyle isn't achievable for everyone.

Making significant changes in your own life by adjusting your habits is enough. Reducing the amount of waste you create for the landfill does wonders. And you can always decrease your waste more over time.

Small steps matter and are easier to tackle than sudden, massive life-overhauling changes.