TT Chamber: Tips for sustainable living

PART ONE

Sustainability is often written and spoken about as a lofty concept driven by governments and corporations which will impact economies in the distant future.

However, the role of individuals, interest groups and civil society in the sustainability movement should not be underestimated. With some immediate and simple lifestyle changes, we can all contribute towards creating a more sustainable future.

How to shop sustainably

Sustainable shopping requires us to rethink what we buy and how we buy it. Consumers have the power to force change in the way items are sourced, packaged and sold.

The following are some simple and effective actions we can take:

– Reduce plastic: Buy items with plastic-free packaging and take a reusable shopping bag to the grocery store, the market and mall.

– Buy local: Not only is local food fresher and more nutritious, but it also has a lower carbon footprint and supports local businesses.

– Repair and refurbish instead of buying new: Before you replace your broken television, blender or couch set, consider having them repaired and/or refurbished. Repairs usually cost much less than buying new, and help small service providers in the community.

– Choose quality over quantity: To shop less is to shop better. Invest in buying better-quality products that will last longer.

– Buy what you need: If you are buying in bulk, consider splitting the purchase with a friend or family member. This will reduce your individual cost and result in less wastage.

– Support businesses that employ sustainable practices: Take the time to research the stores that you plan to shop at. Find out whether they are actively trying to reduce plastic use, sourcing produce from regenerative farms, buying from local farmers, etc.

How to dress sustainably

Sustainability is always in fashion. It is therefore quite alarming that the fashion industry produces ten per cent of the world's carbon emissions and is the second-largest consumer of water on the planet. The fast-fashion culture drives the demand for cheap and trendy clothing that, in turn, results in 85 per cent of clothing ending up in landfills every year.

Fast fashion also perpetuates unsavoury employment practices where workers in the developing world are forced to work under unsafe conditions with low pay.

These some conscious decisions we can make to support a more reasonable, sustainable culture as it pertains to what we wear.

– Buy better-quality clothing and wear it longer. As fashion goes, if you keep your clothes long enough, they will be back in style before you know it.

– Buy clothing made from natural fibres, such as linen and cotton, as opposed to synthetic fibres, such as polyester. Producing and washing synthetic fibres releases over 500,000 tons of microfibres into the oceans annually.

– Shop in your own closet. Be creative about mixing and matching your clothes and don’t be afraid to rework or revamp an old outfit.

– Repurpose old clothing. For example, old towels can be repurposed as washcloths. Even some international fashion brands, such as Rave Review of Sweden and Conner Ives in the UK, produce the majority of their designs from existing materials.

– Donate used items. Used dinner dresses and suits can be donated to schools and charitable organisations to be worn by students who need clothes for graduation, or to outfit young professionals.

– Rent a dress or suit. A growing trend in developed countries is renting garments for special occasions, including weddings, gala events and graduation balls. This is a sensible way to look fashionable at a lower cost while eliminating waste.

The TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce thanks the National Gas Company of TT (a member and signature event sponsor 2023) for contributing to this article.