Responsible consumption: what it is, benefits, and examples of good practice

Being a responsible consumer means comparing products, checking their origin, and reading labels to know what they contain and how they were made. It involves assessing whether they are beneficial for our health, but also for the local economy and the planet, and whether the company respects human rights and ethical values, among other aspects of our environment.

Why is responsible consumption important?

This practice has become a universal commitment that some consider a trend, but which now represents a key necessity for building a more sustainable and resilient community. Here’s why responsible consumption is relevant:

• Improves health and quality of life: if you consume natural, 'eco-friendly' products, grown and harvested without fertilisers and toxic substances, it will have a positive effect on your health and your body. Also, living in a less polluted environment will help to improve your quality of life, reducing the risk of illnesses related to environmental factors.
• Encourages awareness and education: practising responsible consumption invites you to reflect on every decision you make day-to-day, to do your research, and to inform yourself about what you buy, so you can do so with awareness and integrity. It has become a learning tool that helps to change habits and ways of thinking.
• Helps the environment: it allows us to minimise the exploitation of natural resources and pollution, as well as helping in the fight against climate change. If you choose to consume organic and sustainable products, you will be helping to reduce your ecological footprint and promoting the efficient use of energy and natural resources like water.
• Promotes social justice: you will be supporting companies and organisations committed to labour rights, that promote equality within their teams and offer dignified conditions for their workers. Each of these aspects contributes to the functioning of a fair economy.
• Boosts responsible companies: when you choose to buy products from sustainable brands that are committed to the planet, you are sending a message to other less sustainable companies, encouraging them to adopt transparent and ethical procedures. As a consumer, you could turn the market around 180 degrees.
• Aids the sustainable economy: circular and local economic models benefit as well, as importance is given to details like durability, repair, and recycling, which helps to control waste and strengthen production by boosting local employment.

These aspects can be summarised as being consistent and responsible when consuming products, evaluating what you really need and what impact it has on your daily life, the environment, and your personal and local economy.

Characteristics of responsible consumption

Buying a product isn't just about satisfying personal needs; it also involves doing so responsibly, with awareness and analysis. Along with commitment, ethics, awareness, and solidarity, these are the main characteristics of responsible consumption:

Sustainability

It is possible to meet current needs without compromising or jeopardising those of future generations, respecting and preserving natural resources through conscientious environmental behaviour and promoting good practices that allow for environmental balance.

Education and awareness

Providing information to society and future generations is fundamental to motivate them to make decisions with responsibility and knowledge. Being aware of the effect that consuming a product can have on the environment will help people to be increasingly analytical when they shop.

Ethics

Promoting fair and respectful processes for human, labour, and animal rights throughout the entire value chain, from production until it reaches the consumer, thus helping to foster a transparent market.

Waste reduction

This serves to combat the 'throw-away' culture, minimising the purchase of single-use plastic products by encouraging repair, reuse, recycling, and the reduction of unnecessary packaging.

Quality over quantity

It encourages the consumption of good quality, durable, and functional products to avoid the use of disposable items which, due to their short lifespan, must be produced and bought more frequently, thus generating more pollution and waste.

Support for responsible companies

This practice or habit will favour organisations committed to the environment, those whose business model operates under social and environmental criteria, and which ensure the transparency of their processes and the well-being of their workers.

Local collaboration

It strengthens the economy of your immediate surroundings and your community, as by purchasing local products you will support those businesses that 'coexist' in your area. This also helps to reduce the carbon footprint generated by the transport of these products.

Consumption awareness

Responsible consumption means being reflective and analytical about what you buy, investigating and taking an interest in what you acquire: where it comes from, how and by whom it is produced, and what consequences it will have for everyone.

Benefits of responsible consumption

There are many benefits to implementing responsible consumption as a daily routine, both personally and collectively. The contributions range from improving quality of life and health to contributing to the well-being of the environment and society, making the planet a more habitable 'home'.

Environmental benefits

The reduction of pollution and our ecological footprint, as well as slowing down climate change, are some of the effects of responsible consumption. Opting for sustainable products and renewable energies will help to preserve ecosystems and protect biodiversity, as well as reducing CO₂ emissions.

Economic benefits

Many see responsible consumption as a costly habit in the short term, but it actually allows for long-term savings. Choosing to buy long-lasting products, taking into account their energy efficiency or reusability, is a very effective gesture to promote the circular economy. Using low-energy light bulbs or using only the water you need will be noticeable on your utility bills.

Health benefits

Buying organic, local, and sustainable food, using fewer plastics, or avoiding items with harmful chemical components, or whose production requires the use of pesticides or damaging industrial processes, will translate into a progressive improvement in your health and well-being. Also, simply walking frequently, using a bicycle instead of a car, eating a diet rich in seasonal foods, and living in less polluted environments will have positive effects on your physical and emotional well-being.

Social benefits

It promotes the application of fair working conditions and provides support to communities, boosting fair local trade and fostering equity within that social nucleus. The combination of these aspects will serve to strengthen the idea of ethical consumption, which favours local economies and companies that respect human and labour rights.

Practices for responsible consumption

Below, we show you several basic, everyday actions that will allow you to lead a more responsible and committed way of life for your well-being and that of the planet:

Move sustainably

It's better for the environment to travel by bicycle, in electric vehicles, in shared cars, or on public transport. All these practices help to improve air quality in cities and reduce noise.

Buy local

So-called 'zero-mile' trade means buying local and seasonal products that are produced or grown in your community. This allows for the reduction of emissions derived from the transport of these items and also serves as an incentive for regional producers.

Make the most of renewable energies

If you use energies from renewable sources (solar, wind, etc.), you will minimise CO₂ emissions, thus reducing your carbon footprint, and you will support the energy transition by promoting a clean system.