Waste Management: How to be a more eco-conscious consumer to help the planet

*Consumers have a critical role in shaping the marketplace, and we must support them to mobilise businesses and governments to ensure sustainable consumption is accessible to all

Emmanuel Akosile | ConsumerConnect

Sequel to the commemoration of the annual World Consumer Rights Day Monday, March 15, 2021, there are seven Rs of waste management that can help to sustain the planet.

These are part of the continual efforts at providing you with important information to make you become a smarter, savvier, and more confident consumer.

Aside from raising consumer awareness and advocacy, the consumer world is focusing on tackling plastic pollution as part of its 2021 goal.

Consumers International, a not-for-profit charity and consumer advocacy organisation, also wants to encourage consumers around the world to make a concerted effort to adopt more sustainable behaviours to help preserve the planet earth.

Helena Leurent, Director-General of Consumers International, said: “Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing issues facing our planet.

“Consumer awareness of the plastics crisis is growing around the world. Consumers have a critical role in shaping the marketplace, and we must support them to mobilise businesses and governments to ensure sustainable consumption is accessible to all.”

If you want to help reduce the extraordinary amount of plastic pollution the planet is dealing with and be a more eco-conscious consumer, you should focus on practising the following “7 Rs” of waste management, courtesy of Consumer International.

Replace: Consider replacing some of the single-use plastic products you use on a day-to-day basis with reusable products that can be cleaned and maintained.

For example, you might replace plastic straws with metal or glass straws to help cut down on waste.

Rethink: Even if you’re buying sustainable products, the packaging they come in could be a major source of plastic pollution.

Buying “naked” or unpackaged goods helps eliminate that problem — and you even get to cut out the extra step of opening up boxes or bags.

Refuse: Saying no to single-use plastic products at restaurants and other retailers is a simple way to cut down on excessive plastic use.

It also compels you to think of more sustainable solutions in some cases, like bringing reusable bags to the grocery store.

Reduce: Cutting all of the plastic out of your life is a tough thing to do, so you can start by reducing your plastic footprint in small ways.

Taking the process in steps can help alter your mindset and make adopting bigger changes down the road a little easier.

Reuse: In cases where you can’t avoid using a single-use plastic item, don’t settle for just throwing it out. If you can save it and repurpose it for something else, then you’re doing your part as a sustainable consumer.

Recycle: Recycling products is one of the best ways to ensure plastic isn’t needlessly making its way into the ecosystem.

You can do your part by making sure you have proper access to waste infrastructure and collection.

Repair: Plastic pollution isn’t all about bottles and packaging. Often, we think we have to throw products’ hard plastic pieces and broken parts out.

But going the extra mile by repairing them can make a world of difference.

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