It used to be that we went out to shop and came home for a coffee, now we go out for coffee and do our shopping at home!
Instant consumption has made us a nation of thoughtless consumers.
Possibly one of the scariest things about this is that the public rarely make the connection between consumption and waste, and largely don’t understand what we mean by preventing waste, as opposed to recycling it.
They are frustrated about packaging, if they are thinking at all from an environmental perspective, but they don’t think about the impact of the manufacture of products or the distribution and delivery system that meant a small parcel could be delivered to their doorstep in less than 24 hours by a driver in a big van.
Our new report, ‘Shifting the public’s focus from recycling to waste prevention’, is the result of a long-term research project to establish what the public understand about waste and how that affects their behaviour.
The research showed clearly that while they have an understanding of recycling, many believed that simply by doing that, they were ‘doing their bit’ for the planet.
For the past two decades, the focus for behaviour change in local government, when it comes to the environment, has been to drive up recycling rates.
Putting the emphasis on recycling has had the unintended consequence of doing little to encourage people to buy less and thereby move up the waste hierarchy – to reduce and reuse.
The good news is that we are seeing some growth in the sharing economy, with online platforms and social media allowing people to easily advertise things they no longer want to sell or gift to someone.
But alongside this we have also seen a massive growth in online purchasing.
This is why we launched ‘Buy Nothing New Month’, as a first step in educating the public about the waste generated by consumption and offering simple alternatives for people to try out during January.
I, for one, loved the month. I learned loads of life hacks from leading role models in low-carbon living and I dug out a few old favourites that I am truly enjoying.
It was a month of ideas, features and inspiration that really were life-changing, even for an environmentalist!
It was a digital campaign with those who registered getting regular emails with tips and ideas, coupled with a social media burst.
Initial reactions show that those who took part embraced the concept, with more than 70 per cent buying nothing new during the month and 69 per cent reporting that they will think more about what they buy in the future.
Obviously, this is one small campaign by one environmental charity – a drop in the ocean of consumption.
What we need is a concerted drive by all those with a role to play, if we are to move up the waste hierarchy and put a dent in the more than 200 million tonnes of waste generated in the UK every year, before we even account for the waste generated by production and distribution.
We hope our report and campaign are the start of a conversation with the public and with those whose job it is to create a more sustainable future for us all.
