Environmental footprint refers to the impact of our lifestyle choices on the natural environment. Before we delve into the subject, we will focus only on individual environmental footprints.
When we think about the environmental footprint, we need to take the whole production process into account:
- What materials are used when making the product? How are those materials grown or produced?
- Where is the finished product travelling from?
- How efficient/sustainable is the packaging?
- What will happen with the packaging and the product once its life cycle ends? (Can it be recycled, reused, up-cycled, or donated?)
FOOD PRODUCTION
If I buy avocados from California, the environmental footprint of that purchase will be larger than if I bought them from Spain (I live in Europe). In my case, Spanish avocados will leave a smaller environmental footprint than Californian ones because of the distance they have to travel.
Going further, if we only buy seasonal fruits and vegetables, the environmental impact will be lower than eating out of season. After all, those exotic fruits and veggies (including avocados) must travel long distances to reach consumers. Eating locally
Making preserves is also a good way to enjoy foods you love out of season without harming the environment.
HOUSING
The size of the accommodation also matters enormously. The bigger the house, the larger the footprint it leaves behind. In addition to higher maintenance costs, big houses require more furnishings, more cleaning (using more cleaning products), and more fuel to keep warm in winter and cool in summer. Also, research shows that people tend to buy more of everything when they have larger houses.
TRANSPORTATION
The way we use transport has a vast environmental impact. If I used my car every time I went to a corner shop, that would be environmentally problematic, unsustainable, and unhealthy for my body. Walking, cycling, and using public transport are much kinder and more sustainable choices, and also better for your pocket.
SHOPPING
Buying new items, such as clothing, household equipment, and electronics, which are mostly shipped from overseas factories, will have a more negative environmental impact than buying second-hand or repairing your clothes or broken equipment. Apart from the production process and travel, we also need to remember that many rare minerals go into making electronics. Often, mining those minerals is neither sustainable nor humanitarian, so not feeling the pressure to buy new electronics every time an update is available will make a difference to the natural environment. It will send a signal to the corporate world that you, the consumer, don’t support the linear economy model.
For instance, I order oils and ointments for my kids from Bristol (UK). All of the ingredients the maker uses are grown in her garden = locally produced. Even though she still needs to put her products in a parcel and ship them to London, the whole process leaves a much smaller environmental footprint than if I were to buy the same type of product from a company that sources from, say, Asia or South America.
Since I got into sustainability and eco-minimalism, I have started paying more attention to where the products I buy come from. I’m trying to buy local, European-made products. However, it’s not always possible, and I get mega annoyed with myself when I find out that the sustainable swaps I’m using are produced in Asia and shipped all across the world to Europe, leaving a massive environmental footprint behind.
ONLINE SHOPPING
The same rules apply while ordering online. I try to buy several items at once, but often they arrive from different warehouses, and instead of one box, I end up with five. This creates not only additional waste but also pollution from transportation and inefficient delivery systems.
CONCLUSION
If you seriously consider turning your life around and becoming more sustainable, assessing your environmental footprint is an integral part of the process. Always start small, and don’t overwhelm your system with too much change or information at once. Try to take actions that you know you can, always considering your living situation and affordability.
Buying 2nd hand will be cheaper than buying new; buying seasonal and local will be more affordable than buying out of season.
There are websites which help people offset their environmental footprint, so if you would like to do that, just research what is available. I’m not recommending any companies here, but make sure you check out who is behind those projects & companies. Some of those businesses are run by the same corporations and people (some of the climate deniers) who got us all into the mess we are in, hoping to make some quick money.
The best offset is always to try to leave as little environmental footprint behind as possible. Keep in mind that small actions do impact your local community, your friends, and your family. Over time, your signals will reach corporations/producers, who will need to adapt to the circular economy model to thrive in the new world.
Leave a Reply