Do you consider yourself a conscious consumer? For some, the pandemic encouraged less consumption, but the allure of online shopping was more tempting for others. Either way, the approach of Black Friday reminds us that our love for bargains and shopping is as big as ever.
While Black Friday is a great opportunity to buy things you need that might be a little more expensive, and a great time to stock up on Christmas presents, sales and discounts also encourage people to overconsume and buy more than they need, tempted by the low prices.
At Ecozone, we care about the planet and the impact we have, and know that our shopping habits can have a huge impact on our environment. So as Black Friday approaches, we wanted to look at how we can become more conscious consumers, and why it’s so important.
Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Unsplash
What is conscious consumption?
While there is a multitude of different understandings for what conscious consumption is, it is essentially limiting ourselves as much as possible to only the things we need, and not shopping in excess.
Defined here by the New York Times, conscious consumption is “an umbrella term that simply means engaging in the economy with more awareness of how your consumption impacts society at large. Shopping sustainably, with the intent to preserve the environment, is one way to consume more consciously.” – The New York Times
Photo by Evan Demicoli on Unsplash
What effect does overconsumption have on our planet?
Overconsumption means overproduction, which requires heavy use of the earth’s natural resources and energy. This contributes to pollution and worsens global warming, and overconsumption has been named as one of the biggest contributors to the growing climate crisis.
While it’s not wrong to shop Black Friday deals, it’s important to really consider your purchases. One way we can help the planet and reduce our impact is to shop more consciously, which means asking yourself: do I really need this?
How to become a more conscious consumer
- Learn more about the companies you shop from. Whether they sell fashion or tech, beauty or groceries, try find out the values and ethics of the companies you’re supporting. Websites like Good On You are a great way of checking a brand’s values and eco credentials if they’re not clear (or making false claims…) on their own channels.
- Buy less. The best thing you can do to become a conscious consumer is simply consume less. This Black Friday, take advantage of discounts on items you really need, without being tempted to buy as much as possible.
- Shop quality, not quantity. In order to buy less, it’s great to buy quality items that will last you a while. Making more considered purchases and consuming higher quality products that last longer is not only great for the planet, but also saves you a lot of money in the long run. These may be more expensive, but you won’t need to replace these items over the next few years.
Ecozone’s Green Friday deals
Friday 26th of November this year marks Black Friday, but at Ecozone we prefer to call it Green Friday and it’s live to shop now. Check out EcozoneDirect.com and discover cleaning, laundry, dishwashing and solutions at up to 40% off, so you can save on all your cleaning essentials, and subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss out on Ecozone news and deals!
