Yesterday was international coffee day and free coffee was everywhere.
On my way home from work I walked past several coffee shops which were passing out free coffees, but I declined to grab a cup. I love coffee as next as much as the next person, but it's not the delicious caffeine laced liquid I was refusing, it was the single use product it was held in.
Though it meant a lot to me (saying no to coffee is HARD), I felt my refusal was lost in the sea of people swarming in for free products. It's a scene I have witnessed many times before as I walk through the city. Promo workers handing out free knick-knacks, cereal bars, cans of soft drink, what have you - with people on their way to and from work mindlessly grabbing the products. Many people proceed to toss the products into to the nearest rubbish bins without a second look.
The allure of free crap (sorry about the swear, but I can't honestly think of another word for these kind of promotional products) is strong in our society, regardless of what the product is. I saw it happen all the time when I worked in retail: buy this sunscreen and receive these six smaller bottles and a key chain you didn't know you needed, FOR FREE!
All of these products and knick knacks, which are so readily disposed of, have valuable resources embedded in their creation. Our lives are full of stuff we don’t need and each thing has an environmental cost. It's time to say 'NO,' to mindless consumption.
Reduce what you buy and always ask: Do I really need this?
Estimated CO2 Saving: 17kg per month (200kg per year)
You can reduce your overall consumption by questioning all significant purchases and resisting impulse buying. Before purchasing, give yourself at least a day or two to cool off.
What can one person do to change mindless consumption behaviour? Next time you see someone giving away free stuff, stop and ask yourself - 'do I really need this?' - Just because an item is free does not mean you should stop asking yourself this question. In fact, the ecological footprint of a free product could be much larger than that of one a company could profit from. A free product is made quickly and with little thought, the way it is intended to be consumed. The answer is simple, do not take any product you will not use, free or otherwise.
Women make 85% of the of household purchases, and we have real power to influence market behaviour. If 1 million women all make one better choice, however small, it leads to real change!