How can I be a responsible consumer? 5 ways to get it!

We’ve all seen the videos where a turtle’s nose is stripped of a straw or the polar bear’s video on a tiny piece of ice by melting glaciers. These videos are really shocking and show that global warming is a reality that is happening today and if we continue along the same path it will just get worse.

Although big business plays a big role in everything to do with this problem, we as consumers can help keep the problem from getting bigger. Many of us have thought that our small actions can do nothing, but fortunately there are more and more of us who think this way and the set of all those small actions will achieve a positive change. In addition of encouraging us to become responsible consumers by being aware of what we buy, why we buy it, who we buy it from and how we contaminate with that purchase.

5 Ways to be a Responsible Consumer

There are many ways in which we can begin to be more responsible, and as I said above, everything begins with creating awareness about our habits and changing them little by little to see the results. Being a responsible and conscious consumer is not something you could do overnight (I know why I’m in that process myself), but these 5 ways will help you get closer every day.

1. Don’t use plastic bags. This practice is one of the best known and most widespread: take your cloth bag to make the purchase. This practice is great and I love that more and more people are not asking for plastic bags, but what about plastic bags for fruit and vegetables? Those little details are what cause there to still be a lot of plastic waste, but just like the big shopping bags, there are already special bags to put the fruit and vegetables, and in some cases help them stay fresh longer. As an alternative you can use small cloth bags, you can use the same shopping bag or in the last (and worst of cases) put everything in the same bag (remember that changing habits is a process and if you forget your cloth bags, this is an alternative to using less plastic).

2. Eat less frozen foods. I won’t deny that having food in the fridge is quite tempting, especially in those days when we don’t feel like cooking or are in too much of a hurry. The problem is that this type of food comes in plastic bags that then becomes trash. The alternative to this problem is to have your meals organized or prepare a larger amount for storage in a tupper and put it in the fridge. This way you are not only eliminating the excess plastic, but you will be cooking more nutritious meals with fresh food. Yes, it’s not easy to think ahead (especially if they are cravings like me), but if you follow a food channel on social networks, you can have a lot of ideas that are easy and quick to prepare (I follow BuzzFeed Tasty and it’s the best).

3. Do your shopping in bulk. I confess that this is the one that has cost me the most work, from finding a store that has a wide variety of product, to remembering to take my reusable shopping bags so I don’t have to use the ones they give you. But it is the change that gives me more satisfaction. Fortunately there are already several stores that have this concept and many of them have organic products and even gluten-free; making everything you buy to your liking and more sustainable. To make bulk shopping more fun, you can buy glass jars that go with your kitchen décor or reuse the ones you have at home. In addition to bulk food stores, there are also bulk stores for cleaning products that, in addition to eliminating the use of plastic (you can bring your jars to use or donate them) the products are more eco-friendly than those you find in the supermarket.

4. Think before you buy. This advice is two-fold, when we shop at the supermarket and when we shop for personal use. When you are making the purchase and you see a product that you need (it can be food, for cleaning or some cosmetic) for a second and ask yourself the question: is there an alternative to this product that does not have plastic? If the answer is yes, don’t buy it and buy the version that doesn’t have plastic. In addition to the bulk stores mentioned above, there are many brands and entrepreneurs who have natural, non-plastic cosmetic products that are an alternative to common products. In conclusion, there are options, just choose the most sustainable and eco-friendly option.

Now, we all like to buy things for ourselves, our friends, family, our house and endless etc. But are these things that we really need? And if they are things that we really need, why not buy handmade and support an entrepreneur, artist or craftsman? Getting into the loop of buying for buying, buying cheap and throwing away is very easy and tempting to buy offers of things you don’t need for 2.99€; but, when we buy consciously, we are going to buy better quality things (even if we pay a little more for them), we will be supporting the local economy and getting much more original and unique things than the mass-produced products everyone can have. In our online craft shop you have some super cool product ideas!

5. Shop at second-hand stores or local brands. Being 100% honest, I love to buy. I like the feeling of wearing a new garment that makes me look and feel good, but I haven’t bought new clothes in over a year and the two times I’ve done it have been in second-hand stores.
Why? Because they are stores that have clothes in good condition and reuse garments to customize them or simply give them a second life. There are also brands like Dalua Reluce that reuse denim garments and give them a second life fusing them with fabrics from Mexico, Guatemala and Spain, resulting in super original garments that are a great alternative and a great gift.

Being a responsible consumer takes time, there will be days when it will be simpler and others when it will overlook you. Personally, I have found that one way to make it easier is to plan my purchases to avoid making express purchases that contain plastic, I leave my glass jars along with the cloth bags so as not to forget them and I use hygiene products without plastic such as the Lush shampoo or the menstrual cup.

I know I still have a long way to go, but seeing people who do it and have a zero waste life inspires me to continue until I do too. There are many other ways to be a responsible consumer, these are the ones I started with, but I would love to know that other ways you have found to be a responsible consumer and lead a sustainable lifestyle.

Photo by Laura Mitulla on Unsplash