Earth-friendly tips help build awareness about sustainable consumerism

Recycling may not be as
sustainable as it's advertised.
(Photo by No Revisions, Unsplash)

People might think sustainability means recycling, growing your own food, composting, not using plastic, and buying more sustainable products.

However, Joel Hartter, a professor in the environmental studies department at the University of Colorado, told CNN that a “common misconception is that reducing plastic is just about swapping disposables for reusables,” but that most waste comes from “packaging and how products are designed and distributed.”

Carolina Gazal wrote in the article for CNN that Hartter also said many materials that are considered recyclable often end up in landfills anyway and when they are recycled it still requires “energy, water and infrastructure.”

After interviewing multiple experts on the issue, Gazal wrote that the message is clear, “Sustainability is about thoughtful, systemic change that values durability, reduction and a smarter use of what we already have.”

To start living more sustainably, Hartter told Gazal, “Look for packaging made from paper, glass, aluminum or other materials that are widely recyclable and don’t degrade in quality after one use. Skip the vague marketing language. Words like ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘green’ aren’t regulated. Instead, read the materials list and look for specific attributes: ‘100% postconsumer recycled paper,’ for example. Bulk refills, concentrates and solid-form products (like bar soaps or detergent tablets) are typically lower waste.”

Gazal said that buying in bulk can be applied to food (as in buying one container of yogurt and putting single servings in to-go containers instead of buying single servings), hygiene items and cleaning supplies. In her article, she listed these and other items she uses with links to where to find them.