By Emily Cato-Symonds -
Are you up for a challenge that will help you save some money and help the planet too?
You’re in luck because this October is Buy Nothing New Month.
It’s a one-month challenge to buy nothing new (with the exception of essentials like food, hygiene and medicines) - a great way to reduce unnecessary consumption, help you reset your spending habits and start using your money for the things that really matter to you.
If you’re wondering how this all came about, in 2011 the Sydney Herald ran a poll asking, “Is Buy Nothing New a good idea?” More than 10,000 people voted and 82% said yes - and we agree!
Buy Nothing New Month isn’t about going without, it’s about taking one month to ask, “Do I really need this?” and if so, “can I get this second hand, rent it or borrow from a friend? What are my alternatives?”
It’s a good time to think about where our stuff comes from (the planet's resources), where it goes when we’re finished with it (landfill) and how we can extend the life of our ‘stuff’. And that includes gifts too!
It’s crazy to think that 2,700 liters of water is needed to produce the average t-shirt - that’s enough to fill more than 30 bathtubs! That’s not including other negative impacts that can include harmful pesticides often used for cotton farming, poor working conditions for workers, and transportation and manufacturing releasing carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Then when we’re done it’s sent to landfill where it releases more harmful emissions! The good thing is, you can help to reduce this cycle.
Every little bit counts, so let’s do this together and make a difference! Conscious consuming really does make a difference for us, the planet, and our wallets.
If you’d like to learn more about this challenge and find out your 4 goals for Buy Nothing New Month, click here.
And if you have gifts to give in October, you can solve that challenge simply by giving Good Gift Cards :)
Interested in creating your own registry? Start here
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