If we have any real power as individuals, it is as consumers. Every time we shop we make choices that have an impact on the environment and choices that send important and powerful signals to manufacturers and retailers.

Not long ago it was only latter day ‘hippies' or ‘new agers' who rode bicycles to the supermarket, shopped with a basket and whisked omelettes with free range eggs. But increasingly we are all making the connection between what we buy and discard and the planets legion of environmental problems. Mainstream manufacturers and retailers are being forced to respond to a media and publicly driven ‘green' agenda they can no longer ignore.

The supermarket is in many ways the front line in the fight for a better world. Here the battle lines are drawn, and through our simple, everyday purchases we have the power to effect important change.

The advertising industry has responded swiftly to our heightened concern for the environment with a range of mind-boggling new terms: eco-friendly; environmentally friendly; ozone friendly; dolphin safe; photodegradable; free range; environmentally safe; natural; organic; biodegradable; cruelty free – the list goes on. But terms apply to only one aspect of the product, while other elements of the product's contents or packaging may actually be environmentally harmful. The ‘ozone friendly' aerosol is one such example. While no longer a threat to the ozone layer, many aerosols contain hydrocarbons which contribute to photochemical smog, and the packaging itself is expensive, extravagant and non-biodegradable.

However, you don't need to panic. The ‘green' minefield can be traversed quite safely by asking yourself four simple questions before making any purchase:

Do I really need this?

What is it made of and how was it made?

How many times can I use it?

What will become of the thing when I throw it away?

To shop with a conscience is to start to see the connections we have with the environment around us. Whatever the product, it will have or has had some impact on the environment somewhere, however with each conscious choice we can minimise this impact. (From Earth Quest, courtesy of Margaret Lee, Channel 9, & Hutchinson Australia.)

Tips & Tools
Quick-links to Buying Guides & Directories
Search the Sustainable Living Directory