Around 80% of Scotland's carbon footprint is due to consumption: all of the goods, materials, and services that we produce, use, and, in the case of products, frequently discard after only one use.
In other words, our spending patterns (especially in the world's wealthiest countries) are the leading cause of climate change.
Every purchase we make, whether it's a new laptop, lamp, or loofah, contributes to global warming and depletes the planet's limited resources. Because everything we consume has a carbon cost, we've launched a new responsible consumption campaign to demonstrate how climate change is linked to what we buy.
Zero Waste Scotland have produced a suite of resources to promote there campaign with a clear message: Everything we buy has a carbon cost.
What you can do to help reduce your carbon footprint?
Buying and wasting less of everything we consume – from flights to food, fashion to furnishings – would help to reduce our carbon footprint.
We need to shift from a linear economy, in which we make, use, and dispose of products, to a circular economy, in which we maximise the value of the products and materials we use to make them last as long as possible.
- Shop second-hand instead of buying brand new - clothes, furniture, electricals, toys, garden tools - you can pretty much get anything second-hand.
- Rent instead of buying or borrow from a friend. Sharing is caring!
- Repair and reuse rather than throwing out.
- Take a reusable tub and cup to work for your lunchtime takeaway and hot drink.
- Choose reusable products over single-use - reusable period products, washable wipes and safety razors are a great place to start!