easy, money-saving sustainability swap
living a more sustainable lifestyle can feel overwhelming at times — at least it has for me. while i am deeply passionate about adopting more eco friendly practices, sometimes it can feel like i need to do a complete overhaul on my life…which typically leads to action paralysis aka doing nothing.
so, if you are perhaps feeling the same, i’m here to share an easy, impactful, money saving sustainability swap you can implement TODAY
drum roll please…..
BUY LESS.
yup, it is that simple.
ok so it’s not totally a swap but more of a change of action. from consumption to appreciation.
we live in a consumer driven society, bombarded by ads constantly throughout the day via email, webpages, social media apps, TV and more. the average American sees thousands of ads a day (1). THOUSANDS. these ads try to convince us that we need whatever they are selling. that the product will make us happier, thinner, more beautiful, richer, healthier, etc. etc. etc.
i’m here to tell you, you don’t need it.
at the beginning of this year I wanted to make a concerted effort to be more mindful of what I was purchasing. both in what I was purchasing (e.g. fast fashion vs. sustainable brand or secondhand) and in how much I was purchasing (i.e. my overall level of consumption). to buy less i’ve implemented a few key steps that have benefitted my wallet and led to me truly loving the things I buy.
unsubscribe from marketing emails. i really cannot underscore how helpful this has been for me. as soon as i get marketing emails from clothing, shoe, makeup, homewares, etc. companies, i hit unsubscribe automatically. this helps to greatly reduce the number of emails i see dangling new deals and products.
sleep on it. for a night, or two, or three, or more. safe to say we’ve all had some impulse purchases that we later look at and think ???? to avoid these kinds of purchases, bookmark what you want but wait to purchase it. if you still really want it in a couple days (or a week, or month), can afford it, and can attribute a real use to it, then go ahead and purchase it.
what purpose will the item serve? when buying something new, consider what role the item will play in your life and if there is an identified need for it. for example, is the item replacing an old item that no longer works? is the item filling a gap or an identified need that an existing item you own cannot fill? think carefully about the necessity of the item vs. the want and try to focus on only purchasing items that fill a need.
do you love the item? this is primarily a check point for me for clothes, shoes, etc. for items that are going in my closet, i try to be really selective about what a purchase. truth be told, i only really wear the same few jeans over and over again, so buying another pair that i don’t LOVE (and doesn’t fill a new role or need, see #3) just means i’m spending money on an item that is only going to sit in my closet.
get creative. get outfit inspiration from pinterest and shop your own closet instead of buying something new. do a clothing swap with friends. think of ways to repurpose or repair what you already own. give old items new life with a fresh coat of paint. because buying new has become so easy and so cheap (note: this typically cost burden of this is transferred to the planet and to the workers) we’ve lost the creativity and imagination that allows us to give our clothes, furniture, home goods, etc. a longer life.
main takeway: one of the easiest sustainability & money saving actions you can take is to buy less.
bonus: this approach has also led me to appreciate more what I already have.
(1) https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/08/25/finding-brand-success-in-the-digital-world/?sh=4de93aab626e
