In the whirlwind of our consumer culture, with material goods continually released that boast upgrades and enviable improvements, it’s no wonder that so many items in our lives have a suspiciously short lifespan. The constant turnover of items can be a real drag and something that creates more waste, and costs more money, than investing wisely in the sort of sustainable products that keep on giving. Targeting some significant areas of your life, this article details the sustainable options that’ll help you save time, money and the planet by choosing products you know will last past the next-best-thing.
Transport
Most Americans tend to use a car to get to and from work, to get to the store, and to pick up their kids from school. It’s deemed an essential item, and as such, there’s a good deal of variation in the sustainability of different manufacturers’ cars. You’ll want to be clever with your choice of automobile – if buying first-hand, look into warranties and consumer feedback; if second-hand, bear in mind the mileage accumulated, the number of previous owners and the service history. Small touches like regularly checking and refilling your oil goes a long way to ensuring engine longevity. You can find more sustainable choices by researching more energy efficient cars that you could source second-hand, or perhaps a battery- powered car.
Home
Inside your home, you’ll require some quality furnishings that might cost a little more than the budget options, but will retain a timeless style, appeal, and durability that the flatpack options rarely provide. For upkeep, enlist the help of expert carpet cleaning companies in order to maintain a like-new look while ensuring that no item of flooring or upholstery looks worn and in need of replacement despite its structural integrity. Paying that little bit extra will save you the costly price of replacement that comes as a result of poor upkeep.
Technology
With a new iPhone coming out almost every year and new televisions breaking news barriers in the home entertainment industry, you’ll want to make technological choices that you can rely on to go the distance. Consumer feedback on all items is a great place to start, though with technology you’ll always get what you pay for. Apple laptops are said to be more reliable than their counterparts in other companies, and this means dropping more in your computing investment will pay you back through years of sustained daily use. Constantly purchasing technology that needs replacing and fixing is an unsustainable way to live; rather, conducting research into the best quality items can help ensure you are not wasting your time and energy on the wrong products.
Clothing
Part of the reason why the fashion industry is so lucrative is that clothing items revolve on an in-and-out of fashion conveyor belt, and so buying into the latest craze in attire can be a costly and unsustainable consumer habit. Instead, look to invest in quality and timeless items or clothing – the likes of durable jeans and slacks, reliably-made pullovers and T-shirts, and brands that pride themselves on their workmanship as well as their appearance. They’ll last for years, given care in their washing, and will never drift into the ‘so-last-year’ category of clothing that inspires people to buy more and throw out more.
Sustainable living is both cost-effective and kind to the planet, so use these tips to make minor adjustments in your purchasing power to ensure you’re investing in the products and upkeep that’ll last.
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