How to consume responsibly?

You've probably come across empty cans and plastic bottles near a beach, or even on a playground, where litter is strewn on the ground... What a sad sight! And to think that with awareness and a few simple gestures, we can avoid this... We tell you everything about responsible consumption.

What is responsible drinking?

Responsible consumption is a way of consuming while realizing that natural and human resources are not unlimited. Objective ? To preserve the environment. This mode of consumption has positive effects on our health, the economy and society as a whole.

Responsible consumption:what do the French think? [1]

14% of French people believe that we should reduce our consumption.

31.8% agree with the idea of ​​avoiding consuming products that we can do without.

52.9% believe that we must consume differently, in particular by integrating more responsible products.

Our poor consumption habits have catastrophic effects on the environment. Overconsumption leads to mass deforestation, the disappearance of many animal and plant species, global warming, air, water and soil pollution, the depletion of natural resources, etc. And it is the man who is responsible for it. Intensive agriculture and livestock farming, industry, transport and our waste have gradually harmed our planet to satisfy often futile needs.

The good news is that we all have the opportunity to make a difference and take positive action by becoming responsible consumers.

Which labels can we trust?

So-called "responsible" labels are constantly emerging and it is sometimes difficult to know which ones provide a real guarantee to responsible consumers:

• The European Ecolabel , created by the European Commission, is awarded according to the same criteria throughout Europe. It guarantees reduced environmental impacts throughout the product life cycle.
• NF Environment is the French Ecolabel. It is issued by AFNOR, and is awarded to products that have reduced environmental impacts over their entire life cycle.
• AB is the official French label since 1985 for products from organic farming:plants and animals produced or raised without the use of chemicals.
• The European label for organic farming must , since January 2009, appear next to the French label AB on the same product. In the long term, it will be able to constitute the single logo attesting to the certification in organic farming.

How can I become a consumer actor?

If we cannot reverse our past overconsumption, we can act today and consume sensibly to limit our impact on the environment. All you need to do is take a few simple actions on a daily basis. Here are our tips for becoming a consum’actor:

• Choose seasonal fruits and vegetables :consuming what nature has decided to offer you naturally means reducing transport and the use of pesticides. Avoiding tomatoes and strawberries in the middle of winter is already a first step towards responsible consumption.
• Choose products with the least possible packaging :prefer products in bulk or with very little packaging. Also bring your own shopping bag or shopping bag to avoid plastic bags.
• Prefer short circuits: consume local to promote the local economy and reduce the carbon footprint (less transport =less pollution). To buy in short circuits, go to the producers in the AMAPs.
• Drink tap water instead of bottled water :in France, we are lucky to have drinking water directly from our taps. Choose this water to reduce plastic packaging. Water too hard? Install a water softener or use water filter jugs.
• Use biodegradable and natural household and cosmetic products :you can even make them yourself! On the bathroom side, opt for washable wipes and say goodbye to disposable cottons.
• Recycle your waste :very important, recycling is an essential element of responsible consumption. You can recycle your waste to make your own compost, repair or donate what no longer serves you.

Consuming responsibly has become a true way of life. Buying only what you need and limiting your waste production has positive effects

[1] green-economy.fr