Conscious consumption guide

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<p>Conscious consumption means considering how our purchases impact society and the world</p><p>at large. Beyond the financial cost, conscious consumers reflect on whether their purchases</p><p>will have a helpful or harmful effect on the environment and other living beings.</p><p>What is conscious consumption?</p><p>Conscious</p><p>Consumption</p><p>What we eat, wear and buy can impact</p><p>the wellbeing of the environment,</p><p>animals and other humans.</p><p>Conscious consumption means shifting from:</p><p>Taking</p><p>Rethinking</p><p>Making</p><p>Reusing</p><p>Disposing</p><p>Redesigning</p><p>These materials have been prepared and approved for</p><p>educational use for teachers and others working with</p><p>students aged 14 to 18.</p><p>The production of goods and services – including food, clothing and consumer products –</p><p>can have environmental impacts many of us have never considered:</p><p>How do the choices we make about what we eat,</p><p>wear and buy impact the environment?</p><p>The meat industry</p><p>is responsible for</p><p>more greenhouse gas</p><p>emissions than the</p><p>biggest oil companies</p><p>in the world.</p><p>One pair of jeans can</p><p>cost the environment</p><p>up to 3,781 liters of</p><p>water to produce.</p><p>The production of a new</p><p>smartphone can create</p><p>79kg/174 pounds</p><p>of greenhouse</p><p>gas emissions.</p><p>The way we consume, produce and dispose</p><p>of products can also affect the environment.</p><p>Three harmful consumption habits include:</p><p>Taking</p><p>When we think we need</p><p>something, our first</p><p>instinct of many is to</p><p>go out and buy it.</p><p>Making</p><p>In many places in the</p><p>world, there are always</p><p>new products being</p><p>manufactured.</p><p>Disposing</p><p>When individuals and</p><p>companies are finished</p><p>with a product, the</p><p>default can be to</p><p>throw it in the trash.</p><p>f Did you know?</p><p>American teens spend</p><p>$2,300 a year on food</p><p>and clothes.</p><p>f Did you know?</p><p>The production of new</p><p>clothes has doubled in</p><p>the last twenty years.</p><p>f Did you know?</p><p>The average American</p><p>produces 1,500 pounds</p><p>of trash a year.</p><p>These habits can lead to the depletion of natural resources (including water and our forests),</p><p>the contribution of harmful chemicals into the environment, and increasing amounts of trash</p><p>going to landfill.</p><p>Many individuals and companies are</p><p>becoming more conscious consumers</p><p>by changing the way they meet their</p><p>food, clothing and material needs.</p><p>Three alternative consumption</p><p>habits include:</p><p>Is there a</p><p>better way?</p><p>Rethinking</p><p>Instead of buying new products,</p><p>individuals can rethink whether</p><p>they really need a purchase.</p><p>Redesigning</p><p>Instead of making new products,</p><p>companies can find ways to deliver</p><p>goods and services in ways that</p><p>minimize the environmental impact.</p><p>Reusing</p><p>Instead of disposing of products</p><p>we no longer need, individuals</p><p>and companies can find ways</p><p>to reuse or recycle them.</p><p>Can one person really</p><p>make a difference?</p><p>Yes!</p><p>Generation Z (people born between</p><p>the mid-1990s and the early 2010s)</p><p>make up the largest generation</p><p>in human history. That’s over</p><p>two billion people!</p><p>While the environmental challenges</p><p>we’re faced with are big, we can start</p><p>to solve these through making small</p><p>changes repeatedly. If every person</p><p>makes one positive change to what</p><p>they eat, wear and buy, and we multiply</p><p>it by two billion, we can start to solve</p><p>the world’s biggest problems!</p><p>For more inspiration, and ideas of how</p><p>you can turn one small change into one</p><p>big movement, head over to YouTube</p><p>and watch the Little x Little1 campaign.</p><p>1 Little x Little campaign: https://www.youtube.com/</p><p>watch?v=OAQird65ulA&feature=youtu.be</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAQird65ulA&feature=youtu.be</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAQird65ulA&feature=youtu.be</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAQird65ulA&feature=youtu.be</p><p>What can I do today to become</p><p>a more Conscious Consumer?</p><p>What you eat</p><p>This climate change food calculator can</p><p>help you to find out the environmental</p><p>impacts of what you eat and drink!</p><p>Simply select a food, indicate how often</p><p>you eat it, and the calculator will show</p><p>you the potential effects your diet</p><p>has on the planet.2</p><p>What you wear</p><p>Check out the website and app Good on</p><p>You to see the environmental impact of</p><p>your favorite clothing brands. Good on</p><p>You allows you to type in a brand and</p><p>see how it rates in terms of its impact</p><p>on people, the planet and animals.3</p><p>What you buy</p><p>Websites such as The Good Shopping</p><p>Guide let you see how ethical your</p><p>favorite brand is compared to other</p><p>products on the market. The website</p><p>ranks brands based on their</p><p>environmental, animal welfare</p><p>and human rights policies.4</p><p>Many individuals and companies are becoming more conscious consumers by changing the way</p><p>they meet their food, clothing and material needs. Three alternative consumption habits include:</p><p>2 The Climate Change Food Calculator: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46459714</p><p>3 Good on You: https://directory.goodonyou.eco/</p><p>4 The Good Shopping Guide: https://thegoodshoppingguide.com/</p><p>https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46459714</p><p>https://directory.goodonyou.eco/</p><p>https://directory.goodonyou.eco/</p><p>https://thegoodshoppingguide.com/</p><p>https://thegoodshoppingguide.com/</p><p>https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46459714</p><p>https://directory.goodonyou.eco/</p><p>https://thegoodshoppingguide.com/</p><p>The United Nations’ Act</p><p>Now Food Challenge</p><p>Head over to the United Nations’ Food</p><p>Challenge website for videos and recipe</p><p>ideas to help you to make food choices</p><p>that are good for you, and good for</p><p>the environment!5</p><p>Confronting High Street</p><p>Shoppers with A Shocking Truth:</p><p>StaceyDooley Investigates</p><p>In this video from the BBC, Stacey</p><p>Dooley investigates the environmental</p><p>impact of the garment industry.6</p><p>How People make Only a Jar</p><p>of Trash a Year</p><p>Check out this article from the National</p><p>Geographic with real life examples of</p><p>how people have reduced food, clothing</p><p>and consumer waste, and tips on how</p><p>you can do the same.7</p><p>Want to</p><p>learn more?</p><p>5 The United Nations’ ActNow Food Challenge: https://www.</p><p>un.org/sustainabledevelopment/actnow-food-challenge/</p><p>6 Confronting High Street Shoppers with A Shocking Truth:</p><p>Stacey Dooley Investigates: https://www.youtube.com/</p><p>watch?v=zOe_M3GutdY</p><p>7 How People Make Only a Jar of Trash a Year: https://www.</p><p>nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/05/zero-waste-families-</p><p>plastic-culture/</p><p>https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/actnow-food-challenge/</p><p>https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/actnow-food-challenge/</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOe_M3GutdY</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOe_M3GutdY</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOe_M3GutdY</p><p>https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/05/zero-waste-families-plastic-culture/</p><p>https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/05/zero-waste-families-plastic-culture/</p><p>https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/actnow-food-challenge/</p><p>https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/actnow-food-challenge/</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOe_M3GutdY</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOe_M3GutdY</p><p>https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/05/zero-waste-families-plastic-culture/</p><p>https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/05/zero-waste-families-plastic-culture/</p><p>https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/05/zero-waste-families-plastic-culture/</p><p>EY | Assurance | Tax | Strategy and Transactions | Consulting</p><p>About EY</p><p>EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, strategy, transaction and</p><p>consulting services. 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For</p><p>more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.</p><p>© 2020 Ernst & Young, Australia.</p><p>All Rights Reserved.</p><p>EYG no. 005969-20Gbl</p><p>BMC Agency</p><p>GA 1012230</p><p>ED None</p><p>This material has been prepared for general informational purposes</p><p>only and is not intended to be relied upon as accounting, tax, or other</p><p>professional advice. Please refer to your advisors for specific advice.</p><p>ey.com</p>