Photo By IntangibleArts

The state of consumerism has turned into a revolving door of buying poorly made, environmentally unfriendly, disposable products manufactured with planned obsolescence in mind.  The only thing that the average consumer seems to care about now being how low of a price something can be obtained at. This in turn has led to our culture becoming more wasteful than at any point in human history.

It hasn’t always been this way though, it is actually a fairly new phenomenon, taking shape over the last twenty or so years. Before that, when you bought something you bought it to last. And in many cases these well built products are still in use today. Unlike their newer counterparts which if lucky, barely last a decade. Even worse, most corporations have outsourced their production to countries with little to no environmental regulations just to save a few pennies on the dollar which are used to entice you with lower prices.

You may be asking yourself, what can you do? how can one person make a difference? Well it can be done, you can make a difference. And for those who want to break this cycle and help the environment, here are a few easy steps to make your shopping more environmentally friendly.

Get To Know The Company Before You Buy

As difficult as this may sound, it has become beyond easy to do a little bit of research from the comfort of your own home. When you have a purchase in mind, find a few different makers, Google their corporate practices in regards to the environment, labor and quality. Then make an informed decision on which to buy. It really is that simple. And by doing so, it also helps the bottom line of the corporation you feel is meeting your standards.

It’s Cheap For A Reason

That old saying of, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is, couldn’t be more correct. From child labor, environmental pollution, or just plain old poor quality. You get what you pay for. And if what you buy breaks, forcing you to buy it again and again, all you are doing is wasting money, and natural resources that could have been put to better use by building a sound, quality product the first time around. Ikea would be a prime example. Sure they have great deals on furniture, but that savings comes at the expense of deforestation of old growth forests which supply a large portion of Ikea’s supply of exotic woods. And every time that cheap piece of furniture breaks, you have to replace it again with totally new resources that will yet again be wasted on something that is not made to last.

Demand Responsible Corporate Practices

If your like many people, you probably think this is just a naive fantasy of hippies. But in truth, your voice, and actions can go a long way in making even the largest corporations change their course. Just look at all of the corporations abandoning the US Chamber of Commerce these last few weeks over their stance on global warming. Corporations like Nike, Apple, PG&E, and Exelon didn’t leave the organization because they felt it was the right thing to do, they did so because they knew it would damage their credibility with consumers who want action taken to combat global warming.

By Mark Johnson

Photo By Bracketing Life Via Flickr

We live in a world where we are constantly on the move, constantly buying things and always creating waste. It has become such a normal part of everyday life that we rarely think about the impact it has on the planet. Even for those who are aware of it, they seldom take action for fear it will cost too much, or take too much time. But the truth of the matter is that every single one of us can easily lesson our impact by slightly adjusting our daily routine to that of a more eco friendly one. Here are some simple tips to help you do just that, without drastically altering your lifestyle.

1.  Reduce Your Home Water Use

For this tip, you have many ways to go about it. You can reuse the water you boiled food with to water your plants, take shorter showers, or even just turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth. Write down a list of all of your daily water uses at home and figure out just what can be cut back, or what can serve a dual purpose. With proper implementation everyone can save at least 5-50 gallons of water a day.

2.  Ditch The Chemical Cleaning Products

Get rid of all those nasty chemicals you use to keep your house clean. All of them can be replaced by something earth friendly at little to no added cost. From dish soap and Windex, to laundry detergent and bleach, you can find a cleaner safer version for all of it that works just as well as the petrochemical filled version.

3.  Walk More, Drive Less

We have legs for a reason. They are the cheapest, cleanest and healthiest way to get from point A to point B. So quit taking the car when your going less than a mile from home and not coming back with a ton of stuff. It’s like a free gym membership that saves you money, and helps the planet at the same time. Plus, you just might actually get to know those in your neighborhood and community in the process.

4.  Quit Using One Use Products

Why waste resources on something that will only get used once when a suitable reusable option is available? Bring your own thermos or cup to the coffee shop/stand, most places will let you. Toss a couple canvas bags in the trunk and keep a few by the door so you never get stuck using paper or plastic bags.  The list of one use products you can do without is almost endless,  you just need to figure out a way that works for you to not use them.

By Mark Johnson