Lifestyle

Why is rethinking and resisting important?

Resisting and rethinking is important to avoid unnecessary waste of resources and money. Resisting the urge to consume more than we need, and rethinking our consumption patterns need to be part of our mindset to ensure a green future.
In the end, reducing our consumption is one of the best things we can do for the environment.

Here are some tips and concrete examples:

• Be mindful of your consumption habits and make conscious choices about what you buy.
• Resist and refuse needless packaging and plastic (especially single-use!).

If you want to buy something, ask yourself first:

• Whether you really need it and
• Whether the thing you buy will give you joy or help your life for a longer period of time.
• If you need it, can you buy it second hand or borrow it from a friend?

Rethink your hobbies, sports and holidays:

• Does the way that you do sports or other hobbies require extensive resources? Could it be simpler or more sustainable?
• Some sports impact land use and/or water consumption more than others (e.g. golf and skiing) or use a lot of energy.
• Choose your holiday destinations carefully (see Mobility Module)

Did you know…

“The most environmentally friendly product is the one you didn’t buy” – Joshua Becker

External Articles & NEWS

ActNow for Zero-Waste Fashion

Why is buying smart important?

We influence the market by creating new demands for sustainable products – or also reduce the demand for non-sustainable products – to which the supply needs to respond. By making informed choices about the products we buy, we can choose products that are made from sustainable materials, produced using environmentally-friendly practices, and are designed to last. Additionally, buying smart can help to support companies and small businesses that are committed to sustainability and encourage other companies to follow suit.

Concrete tips and examples:

• Where possible buy products that are produced in the country you live in to reduce the emissions caused by transportation.
• Buy used things: in second-hand shops, flea markets or online.
• Buy refurbished electronic devices. Second hand electronics are often not as great as new ones, so refurbished devices give you the same experience as a new device for a fraction of the price and are environmentally friendly.
• Buy in bulk (e.g. in large packs instead of many small ones). But keep in mind that buying in large quantities (e.g., ‘buy one, get one free’ deals) only saves money, unnecessary emissions and packaging if you actually need and use that amount – and especially for food, only if you use it all before it spoils.
• Buy sustainable clothing. Example: Just 1 pair of denim jeans requires 10,000 litres of water to grow the 1 kilo of cotton needed. Sustainable brands can be quite a lot more expensive, so buying clothes second hand is a great cheap way to make your wardrobe more sustainable and fashionable!
• Choose products made from sustainable materials: Choosing products made from sustainable materials such as bamboo, recycled plastic, or natural fibres can help to reduce waste and promote environmentally-friendly practices → attention: it is more sustainable to use what you have first until it is no longer functional and when it needs to be replaced, then replace it with a sustainable alternative. We are not recommending to throw out every bit of plastic in your household to buy everything new!

In the kitchen:

When the time comes to replace the old:

• Replace paper towels with natural fibre cloths to avoid shedding microplastics.
• Replace teflon pots and pans with stainless steel ones.
• Replace baking paper with a silicone baking mat.
• Replace synthetic fibre tea towels with cotton fibre ones.

In the bathroom:

When the time comes to replace the old:

• Replace your liquid soaps with a bar of shampoo, conditioner or body wash.
• Replace spray or roll-on deodorant with cream deodorant in a metal tin.
• Replace toothpaste with toothbrush tablets.
• Replace regular toilet paper with recycled toilet paper.
• Replace cotton pads with reusable make-up wipes.
• Replace disposable nappies with reusable ones.
• For women specifically, try a menstrual cup or period underwear instead of pads and tampons.

Finally: If you need to buy something new remember to:

• Buy quality stuff: long-lasting, possible to repair, etc.
• Less is more.

Please see also the Waste Module (particularly: ‘Biggest Impact’, 1. ‘Reduce’) for more tips on how to reduce plastic at home.

External Articles & NEWS

Bamboo production Telepresence

Why is it important to repair things?

Repairing things is an important part of sustainability because it helps to promote a circular economy. When we repair items, we extend their lifespan and prevent them from being thrown away and ending up in landfills or the ocean, reducing the amount of waste that is produced. It also reduces the need for new products, which can be resource-intensive to produce and can have a significant environmental impact.

Concrete tips and examples:

• Buy used things from a flea market or in shops or online platforms selling used things – and repair them, to give them a second life.
• Repair your electronic devices before buying a new one. If you do not know how to repair it, you will find specialists in your town who can give you a hand – like that you also support small businesses!
• Restore your own furniture instead of buying new furniture.
• Try to repair other items at home, if you need a hand look for repair cafés in your region, they have friendly staff who will gladly help you.
• Tailor clothes instead of replacing them, either sew them yourself, ask a friend or go to a tailor.