by Abi Duff-Walker
Our choices as consumers have huge potential to contribute to climate change, from the food we buy and the clothes we wear to how we fit out and maintain our homes. As a general rule, locally sourced and ethically traded goods are most likely to have a lower environmental impact than mass produced alternatives and choosing pre-loved or second-hand items plays a vital part in creating a low carbon circular economy that we need to protect the planet.
The following issues are where you can have the biggest impact when it comes to positive purchasing.
Food
Global food systems have a huge impact on people and the planet, and the choices we make when thinking about how to source and use our food can be very powerful. Eating seasonally, increasing the proportion of plant-based foods in your meals, and choosing locally sourced and organic ingredients can significantly reduce the environmental impact of your diet.
Meat and dairy products tend to have the highest carbon footprint of all foods, and mass production puts huge pressure on global land use due to the space required to grow animal feed (often soy grown on deforested land) and rear the livestock. Plant-based foods offer a much more efficient option with a lower carbon footprint.
Distribution and packaging
When it comes to dried food and household items, refills are a great alternative to individually packaged products and often result in significantly less plastic waste. It can also make a huge difference to the amount of packaging required and household waste you generate if you buy loose fresh fruit and vegetables rather than pre-packed.
The journeys our products make before reaching our homes can make up a significant portion of their associated carbon footprint. In addition to this, individually packaged items can result in significantly higher resource use. Sourcing locally made goods where possible is a great place to start, and where this isn’t possible try to buy second hand from local shops or marketplaces.
If you are getting things delivered from online retailers, consider selecting the click and collect option from a local parcel shop – there are a huge number of small shops across all neighbourhoods in Reading that offer this service – and this significantly reduces the mileage and fuel use of delivery vans going door-to-door.
Pre-loved products
Producing brand new products requires a huge amount of resource, from the raw materials they are composed of to the energy and infrasture required to manufacture or develop them. On top of this, the storage, packaging and transportation of many goods takes further resource and can significantly contribute to the carbon footprint associated with a product. To take one example, fast fashion alone contributes more carbon emissions to the atmosphere than air travel – resulting from the intensive water, energy and plastic consumption associated with manufacture and transport. Considering the significant environmental impact of producing new goods, creating a circular economy will play a huge part in the transition to a low-carbon future. Put simply, this is all about using goods and materials that already exist to meet our needs. A big part of this can be achieved by trying to source things second hand before we buy brand new.
