Navigating greenwashing and temptation
We’re doing a blog series investigating sustainable lifestyle choices here at SEE-Change. Did you see our blog post last week? This week I wanted to talk about something that I particularly struggle with which is navigating temptation and conflicting sustainability advice. Something that can be particularly challenging is greenwashing. How do you know that the product that you are buying is truly sustainable?
Because of the increasing importance and value that consumers are placing on environmentally friendly products, companies tend to exploit this as a marketing tool. Terms like eco-friendly, natural, sustainable, green, and environmentally conscious are not regulated – and often tossed around on product labels. What do they actually mean, and are they even substantiated with evidence?
Then there’s the temptation of buying into the ‘sustainability aesthetic’. Considering how influential social media and online shopping is nowadays, it can be enticing to want to subscribe to an ideal of what sustainable living is, when it’s not truly depicting sustainable habits and behaviours. This came up in a recent group discussion so, I know I am not the only one who is tempted by highly marketed goods claiming sustainability!
The loophole that I've tried to trick my brain into is to not think about the sustainability of the product, but my purchase of it. I reframe my perspective from “this is a more environmentally friendly product” to “isn’t it more sustainable to use what I already have?” The most sustainable choice is to not buy anything new if you don’t have to!
Over the years, I’ve developed somewhat of a process. It is by no means perfect, but it helps me feel better and be generally more conscious of my purchasing habits.
The first step is to evaluate whether it is a want or a need. Do I want it because I like it or is it because what I already have is irreparable and this item will provide me with something distinctly different and important?
If it’s a need, my next steps are mainly to think about how time sensitive this need is, can I get this from a brand that is more transparent about its production practices, can I get it second-hand? And then I go back and evaluate again (just in case)– do I really need it? How often will I use it? What kind of quality is it? Will it last a long time? Can I repair it easily? Can I borrow it from someone or somewhere else?
If it’s a want, not necessary but a temptation nonetheless, I have a rule. I should be thinking about it genuinely every day or every other day for more than a few weeks before I even consider it. How much do I want it? Why do I want it? Is it a fleeting attraction? Does it go with what I already own? How much am I willing to spend on this? Is it timeless? Will I still like it after 3 months? After a year?
What are some of your mental shortcuts or processes when it comes to being a more sustainably minded consumer?
Considering all these questions is a way to really cut down on the random things I end up buying. But this doesn’t even begin to address the bigger challenges of evaluating the sustainability of the stuff you do need and issues like affordability and accessibility. Please comment below or email me at hello@seechange.org.au with any insights that you would like to share and I will integrate them into the next blog post!