We throw so many items in the trash every day, some of which have never even been used, let alone opened. Whether it’s food, clothing, electrical goods, even gifts, dumping these items in the garbage is wasteful, expensive, and bad for the environment. It would be far better if more of us could learn how to buy more ethically.

Not only would this save us money on a personal level, but there would be far fewer items thrown away, plus the things that were produced would be more environmentally friendly too.

Learning how to buy more ethically might mean changing some ingrained habits, but it will be worth doing when you see what a difference it can make. Read on to find out how you can start buying more ethically and doing your bit for the planet and your pocket.

Shop in Thrift Stores

Probably the best way to begin buying ethically is to start buying your clothing – and possibly other items such as books or art – in thrift stores rather than buying brand new items. Although it might take some time to find something you like enough to buy, the prices in thrift stores are much less than in other clothing stores and boutiques, and the money often goes to a good cause, so you are helping people in all kinds of ways which is something that Joz Opdeweegh wants to see happen more.

More than that, if you are buying used clothing you are stopping it from ending up in a landfill, which is something we all need to think more deeply about. Landfills are not going to be able to sustain our rate of disposal for too much longer, so whatever we can do to slow the problem the better.

Shop Locally

Taking the time to shop locally is a great way to be more ethical when you are making a purchase. If you buy something from a local company, you will know exactly where it comes from, and you’ll know that it has caused far less damage to the environment because it hasn’t had to travel far to get from the production area to the store and then to you.

By supporting your local stores and producers, you are helping the economy thrive in a very personal way, and your local area will improve because of it. Shopping in large corporations might get you what you want quickly, offering you instant gratification, but the damage it is doing to the planet is not worth the convenience.

Budget Better

As well as buying more locally where possible and buying used items if you can, if you can make a better budget for your spending, you will be able to avoid waste. A lot of the time people go to the grocery store with no plan about what to buy and with no limit on how much they want to spend – the price is what the price is, and they pay it without thinking.

This can lead to issues of over-buying, and then much of the food you purchase needs to be thrown away. This is such a big waste, and with so many in need around the world, it’s heart-breaking to think of.

Have an accurate budget and a good shopping list, and you can save money, have less waste, and shop much more ethically.