What is a conscious consumer?
As conscious consumers we believe that our purchasing choice is a vote for the world that you want. According to Jaya Ramchandani of Medium,A conscious consumer is an agent of change who considers the social, environmental, ecological, and political impact of their buycott and boycott actions.Below are some of the things you can consider as a conscious consumer this Christmas.
1. Check the label
When you check the label or the product description, consider these questions:- Where was this product made?
- Who made it?
- Were their conditions fair?
- How was it made?
- How was the environment was affected?
- Is there palm oil in it?
- Do I recognise the ingredient names?
- Are these ingredients safe for my body and the planet?
2. Opt for natural
Products made from natural materials, be that clothes, toys or skin care, will break down and return to the earth instead of contribute to landfill or pollute our environment. Clothes made from natural fibres, like those from our Slow Fashion range. Wrapping paper made from recycled office paper that is free from glitter and other synthetic embellishments. The Earth Greetings range is an office favourite here, and something we have stocked for 14 years! Wooden toys and games - these are great for young and old! The Finska tossing game is lots of fun to bring out at family barbecues, while our wooden puzzles and wooden kids toys promotes coordination, fine motor skills, imagination and problem solving. Natural skin care free from micro-beads and excessive plastic packaging. The Biome Skin Care range contains nothing by plant, ocean and earth, and comes packaged in reusable glass containers and makes for a beautiful gift for someone special. Our Rose Remedy Scrub + Soak is extra special! Plates made from palm leaves and other natural materials are a great idea if regular dinner plates are not an option. You can compost these palm leaf plates when you finish using them!3. Choose to reuse
This is an easy one and something you've probably been doing for a while, but as a conscious consumer, choose to reuse. Store food in something reusable, like our Glasslock glass containers. These containers are so versatile - use them to serve food, in the oven, the fridge, the freezer and the microwave! Use reusable beeswax wraps to cover bowls, plates and to wrap food with. If you think you might need some extra beeswax wraps on hand this year, why not try your hand at making some? Our Sustomi DIY beeswax wrap kit contains all the ingredients you need to make up to eight reusable wax wraps for a fraction of the price it costs to buy them ready made. The kit is a great gift idea too! Reuse an outfit you already own instead of buying something new for each occasion. If you would like to purchase a new outfit, consider one of the very special pieces from our Slow Fashion range and wear it to each occasion. Outfit repeating isn't a sin!
4. Pay attention to packaging
When purchasing products, be that gifts, decorations or food, pay attention to how they're packaged and how they reach you. Choose products packaged in no, minimal, reusable or recyclable packaging. Everything we sell at Biome meets these criteria. Did you know Biome ships packages plastic free? We pack your purchase in a cardboard box with cardboard fill and paper tape! You can reuse this packaging to send gifts to others, to store items, or to collect specialty recycling. You can also recycle it in your kerbside recycling. Biome offsets the environmental impact of shipping parcels by supporting Greening Australia's ReefAid program. If you are shopping in-store, remember your reusable bag! A natural fibre string bag is light but sturdy, and will roll up small enough to fit in your bag or glovebox.5. Look for companies that give back
There are a lot of companies out there doing amazing things, supporting local communities, local tradespeople and charities. S'Well water bottles, for example, supports UNICEF USA, and has committed $800,000 since 2015 to help provide clean and safe water to the world's most vulnerable communities. While every pair of Conscious Step socks supports a non-profit. You can purchase socks that protect oceans, plant trees, give books and many more. Biome is a force for good. We are a proud Certified B Corporation, which means we hold both ourselves and suppliers to high standards, and together with you we are part of a global movement of people using business as a force for good. We are also Approved by Palm Oil Investigations and 100% palm oil free. Biome has supported hundreds of community and environmental initiatives. See some of them here > And, we actively spread the word to help our community live with less waste, less toxins and less impact. You can see some of our fantastic media coverage here>Further Reading https://medium.com/we-learn-we-grow/lets-define-conscious-living-for-the-21st-century-336fcba332dc
