The age of consumerism has peaked in the 2020s; next-day delivery, social media, and product accessibility have us consuming to the detriment of our planet. Between transportation, boxes, plastic, and carbon emissions — brands have a choice to reduce their carbon footprint and sell their products in the most eco-friendly way possible. We’re proud of our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and want to help you shop in the most environmentally friendly way possible!
This is where research comes in. As a consumer, you can apply your spending power towards the greater good. Being a more conscious consumer is all about informing yourself before purchasing and how the company you’re buying from supports environmental wellness. Increasingly, shoppers today want to purchase with intention and are demanding brands focus on sustainability. Consumers should align their desire for a more sustainable life with the myriad ways they consume in day-to-day minutia before even purchasing.
Good habits start at home and transcend into the different pockets of our lives. Start by bringing reusable bags to the grocery store as a great way to decrease your plastic consumption. Recycling and reusing packaging is another way to reduce your carbon footprint. What about shopping for your favorite brands? Although many brands are shifting towards sustainable commitments, some are still behind, and it’s essential to educate yourself as a consumer and support the brands that are focusing on making a better impact on the world.
Practicing social responsibility by focusing on eco-friendly consumerism’s core values will help you make sustainable decisions with your dollar.
Research and inform yourself more about the brands you love
Find out what practices the brands you use are taking towards reducing their carbon footprint. For instance, at OLAPLEX we are continuously seeking ways to reduce our footprint. Any secondary packaging is extremely limited, which helps with our “clean and well” status. In 2020, we prevented 7000 Mt or 17mm pounds of GHG from being emitted into the environment. We saved 27 mm gallons of water- this is equivalent to providing 90K households with their average daily water consumption. 21k trees were saved from being cut down because of our efforts. We are Clean at Sephora, free from over 50 toxic ingredients, including sulfates (SLS and SLES), parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, formaldehyde, retinyl palmitate, oxybenzone, coal tar, hydroquinone, triclosan, triclocarban, and contains less than one percent of synthetic fragrances.
Supporting brands actively trying to make a difference shows them the impact their initiatives have and encourages them to focus on elevating those initiatives regularly to do better.
Less Is More
An eco-friendly consumer is a minimalist who focuses on quality, not quantity. Clean out your shelves and focus on limiting your consumption to must-have products. Quality products are investments, and as consumers, we use them with intention rather than in excess, like we do with cheaper products. Just like a good meal, you want to savor and enjoy it rather than fast food where the meal is over before it began!
Reduce your footprint
There’s an opportunity to be eco-friendly in almost everything you do. From the cleaning products you buy for your home to reusable containers for your food. Purchasing sustainable products and eating a more sustainable diet, such as plant-based, can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. Consider buying from bulk bins to reduce packaging waste and take a reusable mug to get your morning tea or coffee.
