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There’s been a lot of hype around conscious consumerism of late, amongst both the sceptics and the evangelists. Some say that it’s a lie; that the acts of individuals buying less and making better purchasing decisions creates no significant difference on their environmental impact compared to someone making less eco-conscious choices, and that capitalism needs to evolve in order for real change to happen. Others say that the change has to start from the bottom and work its way to the top. The truth probably lies somewhere in between these two extremes, and is certainly not as black and white as the stances outlined before.
Despite critics of conscious consumerism, we still believe that small changes can make a big difference, and that together we can change the world. At Kijani Living, we always look at brands’ credentials when it comes to ethics, sustainability and environmental impact. Our brands are using recycled and recyclable packaging, responsibly sourced ingredients, and safe ingredients and biodegradable formulas that don’t harm the environment.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are upon us. Brands and companies that don’t offer some kind of promotion are almost non-existent, as are people who don’t pick up some kind of product on offer for themselves or for gifting this Christmas. We all want to have nice things, but we all have too many things. With this in mind, we’ve put together these simple step by step questions to help make your Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas shopping that little bit greener.
Do you really want it?
Or are you just buying it because of the enormous saving you will make? E-commerce has made impulse buying so easy that you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your bed to make that purchase. Before putting anything in your shopping basket, we recommend that you think long and hard about your reasons for buying.
If you’ve been coveting a skincare product for a long time, now is the time to see if you can bag yourself a bargain. If the latest influencer says you have to buy this beauty product now, it’s the best thing ever and here’s a link to the Black Friday deal, you probably don’t really want the item.
Still unsure as to your desire? Well, here’s some food for thought: The Daily Mail reported several years ago that women use just 1 in 10 of the beauty products they own and waste an average of 5,846 products with a value of £180,000 in their lifetime[1]!
Do you really need it?
Every item you buy should fulfill a purpose. There is a big difference between wanting and needing something, especially if you have a living budget to stick to. Before making a purchase, question if you really need the product, and whether you can afford it. There are some essential personal care products that it would be wise to stock up on to take advantage of the savings, however you don’t want to overstretch yourself financially.
Will you really use it?
If you have regular staples in your supplement, beauty and dietary regimens, then now is the perfect time to stock up on products that you use day-in day-out. Be sure to store these products well, and ensure you place in order of expiry, the closest expiry date at the front. If the time approaches and it looks as though you aren’t going to make it through your stash, give away to friends or put an ad on a local community posting group.
What steps are the brand or company taking to be greener?
Perhaps this question should come first, rather than last, but if you made it this far then we know that you are genuinely looking at products because you need them, want them and believe you will use them. We highly recommend taking a moment to Google brands and do your homework on them. If the answers are foggy, write to the company. If you don’t receive an answer back, question why. Transparency is key when it comes to these topics. Most big brands know that they aren’t doing things perfectly, but the ones that care will be taking steps in the right direction to lower their environmental impact.
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