What Is Environmentally Conscious Consumerism? A 2024 Guide
These days it feels like everyone's talking about sustainability, but let's be real - a lot of folks are confused. It's tough to figure out where to start. Especially, with everyone throwing around buzzwords like "eco-friendly" and "conscious consumerism." What is environmentally conscious consumerism anyway?
In a nutshell, "What is environmentally conscious consumerism" boils down to thinking about the impact your purchases have on the planet. That's right - every purchase is like casting a vote for the kind of world you want to live in.
Table of Contents:
- The Rise of the Conscious Consumer
- Making It Work: Turning Environmentally Conscious Values Into Action
- What Can Consumers Do?
- Conclusion
The Rise of the Conscious Consumer
For years, I never thought twice about buying cheap, disposable items - until I saw the impact firsthand. Plastic piling up in landfills, toxic waste from factories polluting our rivers and oceans - it was a real wake-up call. Remember in 2016 when global waste production reached 2.01 billion tons? It's scary to think that figure has probably ballooned since then, especially with plastic and electronic waste, which represent the biggest environmental hazards of our generation. Soil health is another indicator of this bleak future, because according to The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) over one third of the earth's soil is degraded and is projected to hit 90% by 2050. We need a change.
Thankfully, the winds are shifting. Back in 2021, IBM put out this eye-opening study where a whopping 93% of people said the pandemic really made them rethink this whole sustainability thing. The days of mindless consumption are fading fast, and companies are starting to take notice. It's not just a fad - it's a total mindset shift.
Environmentally conscious consumerism, often called conscious consumerism, isn't just about individual shopping habits. What is environmentally conscious consumerism in the context of businesses? Businesses have a huge role to play too. We can no longer ignore how important social media is. Social media makes it easier than ever for people to research brands and discover whether or not a business shares the same sustainable values they do.
It is about making conscious decisions based on a deep understanding of the business landscape, and how it impacts the greater social responsibility movement.
Let me tell you, when it comes to this conscious consumer revolution, today's consumers are leading the charge. Businesses need to be agile and adaptive because things are changing so rapidly. You risk losing consumers by sticking your head in the sand, especially when we have reports like this 2018 one , which showed a huge 71% surge in online searches for sustainable goods.
Smart businesses are figuring out they need to get with the program, prioritize sustainability, and show what they're doing about it. Because let's be honest - who wants to support a company that's trashing the planet for a quick buck?
If you want your business to thrive, you have to embrace sustainable products. That means ethically sourced, environmentally friendly materials all the way - from the very start of your supply chain to the end. Think sustainable packaging (because nobody wants more plastic in their lives), eco-friendly manufacturing processes (we don't want our air and water being polluted.), and maybe even finding a way to close the loop with a bit of a circular economy twist. That might mean looking for ways to offer product refills or designing products for disassembly and reuse.
Remember, your environmental impact, including things like energy usage, carbon emissions, and overall environmental sustainability will impact your relationship with consumers and will increasingly affect your bottom line.
Examples of Sustainable Choices by Top Brands
Here's the thing about sustainability: it isn't some big, scary concept that requires an MBA. This movement is being spearheaded by your average everyday people all around the world. Even major companies - the big dogs of industry - are changing how they do business. In their June 2021 Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey, PwC revealed that 50% of consumers consider themselves more eco-friendly than ever before. And it isn't limited to one part of the world either - consumers all across the globe are waking up to the damage we're causing. What is environmentally conscious consumerism doing to impact global businesses? What is environmentally conscious consumerism doing to bring about social change?
Here is a small sampling of sustainable practices companies around the world are embracing to promote sustainability. Remember, What is environmentally conscious consumerism if not just good business?
| Company | Location | Industry | Sustainable Choices |
|---|---|---|---|
| A.S. Watson Group | Hong Kong | Health and Beauty | Were the first in their industry to use recycled plastics for packaging bottled water. Recently made the change from plastic to more sustainable aluminum bottles across their product line. |
| Procter & Gamble | United States | Consumer Goods | Developed eco-friendly detergents formulated to work well in cold water to cut down on consumer energy use. Additionally, they are also minimizing water waste by minimizing water content in their detergents and have moved away from plastic in favor of paper in their product packaging. |
| Grupo Éxito | Columbia | Food Retailer | Implemented financial incentives for their cattle ranchers that reforest areas previously cleared of forest. Products sourced this way are tagged with a "sustainable meat" label which consumers are happy to pay a premium for. |
| Kroger | United States | Food Retailer | Partnered with vertical farming innovators, 80 Acres Farms to set up highly efficient indoor farms. Not only are these indoor farms estimated to produce over 300 times more food, they utilize a revolutionary system that consumes 97% less water and operate off of 100% renewable energy sources. |
| Coca-Cola | United Kingdom | Beverage | Teamed up with Merlin Entertainments to pilot "reverse vending machines." These machines offer a novel approach by rewarding recyclers with discounts and prizes, when they recycle their plastic drink bottles. This program was so well received it quickly spread beyond the UK's borders. |
There's a ton more we could add, but you get the idea. All across the globe, companies big and small are recognizing the economic opportunities environmentally conscious businesses offer. Forward-thinking companies understand they don't have to completely overhaul their business overnight to adopt sustainability into their core business strategies. The important thing is to at least make an effort, however small. The great news? It's getting easier (and more affordable.) to join the sustainable product movement, meaning there really is no excuse to sleep on this anymore.
Making It Work: Turning Environmentally Conscious Values Into Action
It can feel seriously overwhelming to put this whole sustainability thing into practice, but I promise it's easier than you think. Just a few small tweaks here and there and BAM - you're on your way. And the coolest part? These changes will probably inspire you to do even MORE good down the line. I've seen it with my own two eyes.
Don't be intimidated if all of this is brand new to you because making small, gradual changes to your purchase decisions makes all the difference in the long run. Trust me.
What Can Consumers Do?
As consumers, we are in the driver's seat when it comes to this whole sustainability thing. That's pretty darn empowering if you think about it. That said, taking a moment to pause and analyze the wider impact our choices make can sometimes be confusing. Where do you begin with environmentally conscious consumerism? What is environmentally conscious consumerism if not just a deep understanding of how to research more ethical and sustainable products?
Here are a few expert ideas.
- Support Sustainable Businesses: Put your money where your mouth is. Let these companies know we appreciate them taking action. Check their "About Us" pages, because this will often have links to external resources, awards they've won for their sustainable efforts, or provide links to certificates that showcase how dedicated they are to transparency in every aspect of their business practices. These could be organizations such as FairTrade or The Forest Stewardship Council that vet companies for ethical considerations.
- Embrace a Less is More Mindset: Really. It’s easy to get swept up in the never ending cycle of BUY, BUY, BUY. Marketing is engineered to part you from your money, and let's face it - we don’t need half of the stuff we buy. Resist that impulse purchase.
- Buy Second Hand: Honestly, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. The vintage and pre-loved markets are blowing up right now and it's no wonder. Reduce waste and save yourself a pretty penny. Check out places like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, ThredUp, or even your local thrift stores.
Easy enough, right?
Conclusion
At its core, environmentally conscious consumerism, which is often just called "conscious consumerism," boils down to being more aware - about our purchasing decisions, their effect on the environment and the global community. It’s about considering ethical factors alongside things like product sourcing and manufacturing practices. What is environmentally conscious consumerism? Environmentally conscious consumerism is a powerful tool to shape a more ethical, sustainable, and equitable world for generations to come. Now is the time to start asking ourselves - what kind of world do we really want to leave behind? Think bigger. Buy better.
