It’s no secret that becoming more sustainable needs to be a priority in all our lives if we want to bring about change. But, sometimes that desire is hard to reconcile with some of our shopping habits. In order to try to incorporate greener shopping tips into our routines, we asked eco expert Candice Batista (and founder of The Eco Hub) to help us out.
Meet Candice Batista
As a weather broadcaster I got to cover breaking weather events around the world and got to see climate change and its effects first hand. After some research on what I could do to help, I found that a lot of what was happening in the world was due in part to overconsumption and human behaviour.
The first steps towards shopping more sustainably
Deciding to be a more conscientious shopper doesn’t mean changing everything all at once. That would be overwhelming. Instead, start simple. When one product runs out, replace it with a greener and more sustainable option. This is an especially good bet for beauty products.
The next best thing you can do is begin to ask yourself whether you really need something when you shop. The average woman uses between nine and sixteen personal care products every single day, says Candice. If you simplify your beauty routine you only need a handful or products that work for you.
How to make good decisions
When it comes to finding green or sustainable products, Candice has a few tips for smart shopping. First up, be an educated consumer. There are so many resources at your fingertips when it comes to understanding labels, knowing your ingredients and learning more about a brand’s ethics. Candice recommends checking sites like ewg.org, davidsuzuki.org, envirnomentaldefence.ca and The Eco Hub. To go green today, more than ever before, there are affordable, effective, innovative products that can help.
Get started
To kick it off, we asked Candice what were the things that everyone should be doing when they shop”but don’t. She had a list. So, for your next shopping trip, keep these suggestions in mind.
- Carry a re-usable water bottle
- Say no to paper towel
- Ditch plastic wrap
- Recycle absolutely everything you can
- Buy in bulk
- Bring your own cloth bags
- Think before you buy
Remember, Change takes time, says Candice. Start small, set your own pace and then move onto the next.
Main image via The Eco Hub
