_______________

AVOID PRODUCTS THAT END UP IN LANDFILLS

 

Number four on goodMRKT's ways to "grow more good" is a bit different because the best way to grow more good with this change is by making sure something else doesn't grow. Specifically, we're talking about the staggering amount of consumer products--from clothing and electronics to food waste and furniture--that end up in landfills every year. 

"There are ways to identify products that are likely to have a longer life span."

The amount has increased steadily and is only expected to grow higher and higher. But you can help change that trajectory by purposely purchasing products with a reduced likelihood of ending up in landfills.

You can do this in myriad ways, but the most straightforward approach is to buy products that you know will last.

We can't predict the future, so knowing which products will last isn't clear cut, but there are ways to identify products that are likely to have a longer life span. Generally, that means finding clothing, furniture, decorations, etc., made with higher quality materials or created by manufacturers known for better production practices. Brands that have lifetime warranties on their products or offer buyback programs for the items they produce are a great identifier.

"We have to train ourselves not to blindly seek out the least expensive version of a product we want."

As we move towards better-produced products, we must remember to avoid cheap products made with low-quality materials. And though it may be difficult to reconcile at first, we have to train ourselves not to blindly seek out the least expensive version of a product we want.

Now, is it easier to buy that white cotton t-shirt for $7.99 because you only need one and you don't want to spend a lot of money on an item that isn't really that important? Yes, of course. But once you begin to weigh the production costs of that $7.99 cotton t-shirt--how much was someone paid to make something that only cost $7.99? How can they afford the materials to create a shirt that they will only sell for $7.99? How long till that $7.99 shirt gets a hole in and then gets tossed into the garbage?--you realize what it actually costs for that shirt to be that cheap.

When we buy products that last longer, our purchase produces a win-win-win situation for all parties involved. For us, the consumer, we get better products. For the businesses, they're making better quality products. The final win goes to the planet because it becomes a lot less polluted. It works out for everyone.

Looking for a way to "grow more good" around the world? Avoid products that end up in landfills.

10 WAYS TO GROW MORE GOOD

 

SHOP OUR FAVORITES FROM GOODMRKT