Purchasing With a Purpose

There is a famous George Carlin skit where he talks about how people acquire so much stuff and revolve their life around buying new and shinier things. He touches on a point about how individuals are so consumed with all their stuff that it brings them more stress than joy. When you are about to buy a new product, do you ever consider the implications of the purchase? Do questions like - Where did this product come from? How was it made? Do I actually even need this product? - ever cross your mind? Conscious consumerism is a growing trend that has entered today’s cultural zeitgeist and while it does not mean living in an empty room and owning no belongings, this movement is inspiring people to avoid mindless consumption and be more aware of their relationship with their stuff as George Carlin would say. 

Conscious consumerism promotes purchasing habits that have a positive social, economic, and environmental impact. As the Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation podcast describes, consumers vote with their dollars by buying ethical and sustainable products and in some cases, buying nothing at all. The overall focus of conscious consumerism is for people to reduce their ecological footprint, which measures “how fast we consume resources and generate waste compared to how fast the planet can recover from our habits.” While not a new concept, conscious consumerism has started to catch on over the past couple of years. By 2021, consumers in the United States are expected to spend $150 billion on sustainable products - and businesses are joining this movement as well. Before 2013, only 20% of S&P 500 companies publicly shared their environmental, social, and governance (E.S.G) information. By 2019 though, 90% of S&P 500 companies revealed their sustainable initiatives and priorities. At Plant People, we have partnered with Package Free - the leading zero waste lifestyle brand and store - to help you become a conscious consumer and live a more sustainable lifestyle in four easy ways. 

Although one person becoming a conscious consumer cannot solve climate change, you can have a positive impact. Imagine if you lived in a house where no one did the dishes; they always thought someone else would. This concept applies to being more aware of what you buy. If everyone adopted one sustainable habit, the planet would be in a better place than it currently is. So the next time you’re going shopping, ask yourself if you really need this item. If you do, that is totally fine - but maybe it will inspire you to find a more ethical and sustainable substitute.