Purchases

What you buy matters. Before your purchases end up on the store shelf, they have already generated carbon emissions. By choosing carefully what you buy, you are “voting with your dollars” on what is important to you – a clean, healthy, sustainable planet.

Textile production contributes more to climate change than international aviation and shipping combined!*

*https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvaud/1952/1952.pdf

Change what you purchase for your home.

• Repair instead of replace.
  It can be tempting to replace a broken item around the house, but the landfills are full of items that simply needed a minor repair to extend their useful lives. Simple mends to clothing, such as repairing a small hole in a sweater, freshening up furniture with wood markers or fillers, or repairing appliances such as vacuums or toasters can keep items in use for years to come.
• Keep a green house.
  It’s important to everyone’s health to maintain a healthy indoor environment. Cleaning products, particularly, are released into the environment during use and are evaporated into the air and rinsed down the drain. Many ingredients in common cleaning products are hazardous to both humans and aquatic species. Learn more about environmental and health concerns surrounding cleaning products and identify safer, greener choices.

Change how you shop

When it comes to shopping, ask yourself , “Do I really need it?” “Can I repurpose something I already own instead?” “Can I borrow this from a friend?” Thinking before shopping can go a long way towards identifying areas where you can reduce consumption. Here are some actionable steps you can take to buy smarter and buy less.

• Gift experiences.
  The best gifts for the environment can also be ones that create the best memories! Treat your friends and family to a new restaurant, find a class or workshop where they can learn a new skill or hobby, or gift tickets to a theater show or art exhibit. Buying for a child? Consider activities like ice skating, bowling or laser tag. Have fun instead of buying things!
• Shop pre-owned.
  There are many reasons to leave “fast fashion” behind. Buying mass-produced clothing may seem friendlier to the wallet, but in fact has huge costs to the environment. It is estimated that the textile industry creates 1.2 billion tons of CO2 every year [1]. And that doesn’t even take into account the trillion liters of water used in the production process or the limited ability to recycle clothing. Even donating clothes has serious consequences. More than 60% of donated clothes end up in a landfill and another 18% get incinerated [2]. Buying pre-owned is both environmentally conscious and fun.
  [1] https://www.checinternational.org/whats-wrong-with-fast-fashion/
  [2] https://www.greenamerica.org/unraveling-fashion-industry/what-really-happens-unwanted-clothes
• Buy better quality.
  Not all fabric is cut from the same cloth. Even 100% natural fibers such as cotton, wool and silk can vary widely in quality from brand to brand. When you can’t buy pre-owned, go for quality. Quality fibers last longer, especially when cared for properly. It can be difficult to know what to look for but there are signs to be aware of. Items that seem distressed or have loose threads and pilling are sure signs of lesser quality fabric. As a general rule, most “fast fashion” items priced under $100 may deliver trendy looks, but don’t go the distance. Making an investment in quality will cost less in the long run, though, because quality clothes last longer.
• Go naked.
  With packaging that is. Simply put, the less packaging, the less waste. Consider buying items like bar soap and bar shampoo that use little to no packaging.

Consider buying consigned clothing. There are a myriad of options ranging from basic to luxury, for adults and children, both online and local.

Change how you eat.

• Eat less meat.
  Eating less meat is crucial for a healthy lifestyle and a healthy planet. Meatless Monday is a global movement to encourage people to reduce their meat consumption by replacing one meat-containing meal each week with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts or beans. Join other like minded individuals and replace one meal each week with a meatless option, whether it’s on Monday or Friday.
• Shop locally.
  When it comes to food, local is best. Local food is fresher and doesn’t have to travel miles before reaching your table. We are fortunate to have a year-round, thriving farmer’s market in Westport. The Westport Farmer’s Market is committed to providing fresh, local, healthy and seasonal food. Visit the market, talk to the farmers who grow your food, learn about their practices, try some new vegetables and support Connecticut food growers!
• Grow a garden.
  The nice thing about growing your own food is that it is scalable – from a few herbs in the windowsill to a backyard garden and everything in between. Plus, it’s incredibly rewarding. Don’t know where to start? There are tons of online resources, including this one, that will teach you how to select a location, know what to plant and much more.