Conscious consumption: what it is and why you need to think about it every

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What is conscious consumption

By focusing on their actions, you can see how much we do out of habit, as if we have no choice, or if "and so will come down." While conscious approach to everything that is bought, used and thrown away, can change for the better the privacy of the modern citizen and the state of the planet as a whole. If a waste is not your goal, it is useful to think about how to avoid them.

As "fast fashion" forced to buy superfluous

Until the twentieth century, fashion was "slow": dresses and costumes were sewn by tailors to order fabric pricey. However, with the advent of factory-made and ready-made clothes shops appeared opposite problem - overproduction. Now every citizen of the developed countries may go to the store and buy a cheap jacket made of polyester, which may be worn only once. This is a fast fashion - «fast fashion", because of which the occasional purchases accumulate in closets dead weight, and then sent to the trash. In Hong Kong alone emit every minute

Clothing-fast food: do not let the fashion to turn the planet into a garbage 1400 T-shirts.

At the same time the production of clothing is spent huge amounts of water. According to GreenpeaceClothing-fast food: do not let the fashion to turn the planet into a garbageOn a T-shirt takes 2 700 liters - so one person consumes an average of 900 days. When staining of tissue using a plurality of harmful substances. For example, fluorinated compounds (PFCs), heavy metals and solvents. All of this falls into the river, polluting drinking water. The problem is particularly acute for the countries of South-East Asia, where, a plurality of factories.

Produced annually in the worldClothing-fast food: do not let the fashion to turn the planet into a garbage 400 billion square meters of fabric, of which 60 billion simply thrown away or incinerated. The same fate is waiting for unsold items. The fact that buyers still bring home in packets with the names of popular brands, too, is short-lived. But only a quarter of textile waste is recycled.

Despite the fact that the fashion industry is costly for the planet, this situation is supported by all market participants.

Producers want to sell as much as possible. Collections in the mass market are replaced several times a season. Every time a new marketing campaign says that it can not do without these things. Brands create an artificial boom, limiting collection: Things to buy, otherwise these things you will not get! And in the following season he repeated the same thing.

Buyers want to get quick pleasure that brings an impulsive shopping. Short euphoria ends Unfortunately, when acquired bored. So there is a feeling of "full cabinet, and have nothing to wear." As I notedJohn Kenneth Galbraith, "The New Industrial State" American theorist John Galbraith's economy, society purchase consumer committed under the influence of emotions.

According to author of the book "How to destroy your social networking life," Catherine Ormerod, social media is forcing people to spend money that they do not really have. In this case, buy an inexpensive clothes created on the principles of "fast fashion", not so profitable. In an effort to reduce the price and quality to translate into the number, mass-market manufacturers use the cheapest materials. Such clothing quickly loses its shape, covered with pellets and spoiled after washing, and the buyer is returned to the store for a new one.

Another way to reduce the cost of production - less pay workers and provide them with good working conditions. Understanding that the clothes mass brands like H & M and Zara sewn by human hands, forcedAndrew Morgan. Real fashion price operate without fans and in unsafe buildings for $ 100 a month, a few changes the perspective on the fashion industry. Now held in BangladeshBangladesh: Why are garment workers protesting? strike of garment factory workers. The main requirement - the improvement of working conditions.

What to do

• It is better to buy a more expensive article of clothing, but with quality materials. Rather than buy an inexpensive trend thing, take the same amount for an interesting article of clothing in second-hand - where you can find things known brands with quality tailoring.
• Instead the shoes of the mass market, losing a decent view of the next season, buy a pair of expensive, which will last a long time and will pay off in the following year.
• Do not throw away the boring clothes in the trash. It is better to have a party with the exchange of clothing. Also, things can be attributed to a thrift store, "a bench of joy" and "BlagoButik" in Moscow, "Thank you" in St. Petersburg, "ObniMir" in Obninsk, "So easy" in Cherepovets.
• Arrange a Challenge or join an existing one. In the West, the movement is gaining strength no-buyThe 'no-buy' movement: could you give up buying clothes and beauty products?Which supported feshen bloggers. The point is not to buy new clothes and cosmetics at least a year. Instead of showing new purchases, participants tell how old or cost plan budget and choose the most appropriate products.

As edible products are sent to the trash

Overproduction of food - another significant problem, because of which a lot of human labor and land resources is wasted. A significant portion of the products that we buy in supermarketsSimply disappears. From fridges in the trash can fly and uneaten food, and products that have not had time to get out of the packages on the plate. Moreover, the weight of store products ejected before the meeting with the buyer: those whose expiration date approached, or just coming to an end, the party with stacking faults. And that's not to mention the huge waste of food production.

according to the reportFood losses and waste in the context of sustainable food systems FAO of the United Nations (UN agricultural areas of work), the United States emitted about 40% of all manufactured foods. On average worldwide is wasted about a third of all the food - it is about 1.3 billion tons per year. In Russia, according to Rosstatovereat fruitEjected by an average 25% purchased fruit, canned meat 15% and 20% of potatoes and flour.

At the same time resources are distributed unevenly. About 1 billion people in the world are starving - and this happens in the XXI century. To help them, the inhabitants of the more prosperous countries do not even need of nothing to deny yourself. It would be sufficient simply to halve the waste noteFood losses and waste in the context of sustainable food systems the UN. Due to overproduction of food is wasted and a lot of other valuable resources: water, land, energy. And all this in order to, for example, grow fruit that customers send in a garbage can, and shops - in the trash cans.

A careful approach to shopping in supermarkets, storage and preparation of food will not only help save the planet's resources, but also save money.

What to do

• Do not neglect the goods, which do not lose in quality, but look a little worse than the others: single-ended and "ugly" fruit, packages of any torn label. It is these products in the first place will be thrown supermarket. Prizma recently shopping network launched a rally in support of single bananasBy hanging postersThe Prisma store in St. Petersburg urged to buy separated from bunches of bananas - that they were not aloneExplaining that these fruits are not different from others (buyers rarely take separated from the bunch of bananas).
• Begin to share and exchange. Do not rush to throw away expired boxes with grains and cereals - better post ad in one of the many groups "give free" in social networks, or place it on Avito. There you can take something for themselves or change.
• To reconsider the approach to the expiration date. Their exposes the manufacturer, based on their own research, and, according to the Russian GOSTGOST P 51074-2003. foods. Consumer information. General requirements, After the expiration of the product is considered to be unsafe. Nevertheless, he will not necessarily become harmful at exactly the same day - it makes sense to pay attention to the smell and appearance. Non-perishable foods may be more well suited for food. In addition, something can be salvaged recycled. For example, to make cheese of milk.
• Buy and prepare only as much as necessary. If you are not going on the expedition, and the shop is in the house next door, better nedobdet than perebdet.

As expenses electricity and water

Power plants using fossil fuels deplete non-renewable natural resources gas, oil and coal. Furthermore, the use of this fuel causes the production of greenhouse gases contributing to global warming. The temperature on Earth continues to grow - especially since 1980, when each of the last three decades has been warmer than the previous one. At the conclusion ofClimate Change, 2013 The Physical Science Basis Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, it is largely due to human activity.

Also, operation of power plants harmful to our health that can be seen today. For example, in the Chinese province of Heibei coal-fired stations areThe health impact from coal power plants in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei the cause of 75% of premature deaths in one year. Pollution of the atmosphere of this kind lead to an increase in cases lung cancer, Childhood asthma and chronic bronchial diseases. Of course, it is to give up power until no one is ready. However, electricity spend even devices in standby mode, simply included in the socket. Therefore, a reasonable consumption of resources - it is also an opportunity to significantly reduce utility bills.

Is it not better the situation is and how water is used. It would seem that the world's oceans is huge and the water on the planet more than the sushi. Nevertheless, from drinking water shortages affectedGlobal issues on the agenda: Water More than 40% of humanity. Her absence and unsanitary conditions - cause of high infant mortality in developing countries, in the poorest regions, which for a year die from infectious diseasesGlobal issues on the agenda: Water 1.5 million children under five years of age. Whereas in countries where people are free to use the water from a single tap per minute follows 1 liter. And this at a time when we, for example, brush our teeth, or just something distracted.

What to do

• Turn off lights in rooms where you are not. Sometimes you can get by natural light, especially if you hang a light curtain. It makes sense to buy energy saving light bulbs that serve 7-8 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
• Replace old appliances that spend a lot of energy, more efficient (again, a responsible approach to the choice - let the device will be long-lasting). Do not use the equipment in vain: the less time the refrigerator is opened, the better, and the washing machine and dishwasher fill completely. This, incidentally, will help to save on washing and cleaning agents.
• To save water put water-saving shower heads and faucet on. On Aliexpress to find them for 200-300 rubles. You can also buy a toilet with different modes of discharge - more abundant and economical.
• Use water after washing fruits and other items are not particularly dirty again. For example, for watering flowers (of course, if the detergent is not used).

As we produce waste and what happens to him next

Almost every day we take out the trash trash bag and say goodbye to him forever. But the existence of the waste does not end there. They are sent to landfills that contaminate water bodies and literally do not give prodyhu residents of neighboring districts, or turn into a dangerous healthNo incineration fume incinerators.

In Russia alone it produced 70 million tonnes of household waste per year - 10 times moreWhat to do with waste in Russia? the weight of the pyramid of Cheops. When looking at the statistics it seems that the human economy - it is a huge mechanism for transforming natural resources into toxic substances. And this despite the fact that a very small part of things at all time to properly serve. 80% of all goods thrownThe philosophy of Zero Waste for the first few months after they are produced.

The most progressive way of dealing with waste - processing. Because of this landfill it will be less, and resources on the production of new items will be saved. To establish processing requires separate collection of waste that is entered is already a lot of countries from Japan to Sweden. But in Russia, such initiatives remain private because unfastened such practices at the state level. In 2014, of the 71 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) involved in the economic turnoverHead of Ministry of Natural Resources told how to rid the country of the landfill waste only 7.5% - the rest was buried in landfills.

The most radical project - Zero Waste - offers a way of life in which a person does not produce garbage. According toTwo adults, two kids, zero waste: Bea Johnson ideologists of the movement, to abandon all the excess, reduce consumption, reuse items, recycle and compost is not so difficult. Of course, completely waste-free life in the city - a difficult task, but you can start small: to make sure that garbage was less and it was sorted. This will help the environment, facilitate the work of public services and allow less to go in the trash.

What to do

• Try to sort garbage at home. How to do it, it says, in particular, the project "Prostorazdelyay.rf». Make separate waste collection in his home quite possible. Likewise, you can proceed to the office waste. To find out where the reception point for recycling, use the map Recyclemap.
• Do not use plastic bags. according to the forecastsThe New Plastics Economy. Rethinking the future of plastics, 2050 bags in the world's oceans will be more than the fish. You can make a canvas bag or use old-school shopping bag, which is suitable for large products. At the checkout, the seller will put each purchase in a plastic bag, and discard of it.
• Choose products with the least amount of packaging, as well as large packs instead of small. Do not buy bottled water. Good filter usually solves problems with cleaning water from the tap. If it is still in doubt - cooled boiled.
• Carry a water bottle and cutlery, not to use disposable.
• Properly dispose of hazardous waste. Some stores and public spaces have items Hour battery.

Who and why awareness

Awareness of consumption - not a problem for those who do not have even the basic necessities. However, if any surplus generated, it is an occasion to reflect on how they are spent.

Of course, we do not all can control. If you do not Angelina Jolie, directly to help the children of Africa will not work. So, do not go to the opposite extreme and to live with the guilt. Still, on a par with things beyond the control of us, there are those for which we can personally influence. Even if it seems insignificant on a global scale.

The reasons for the conscious approach to consumption may be different: the ethical, environmental, purely practical and even psychotherapy (rapid consumption and rampant consumerism does not make people so much happy). According to the author of the book "magic cleaning"Mari Kondo, a small amount of a truly popular and useful things which brings more joy and peace of mind, than the shelf scored vague rags and trinkets.

Whatever the motivation, conscious approach is that before you buy any goods or start something to enjoy, stop for a moment and ask yourself: what consequences this will have for me and the surrounding the world?

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