Responsible Consumption

1. RESPONSIBLE
CONSUMPTION
By: Vera Acevedo

2. Introduction
• Every choice we make as a consumer has an impacton the
environment and on society. When we choose something
because it is environmentally friendly or socially just, we make
it easier for more such products and services to be developed
in the future. To be a responsible consumer is to realize that
we have the power to help change the world through the
choices that we make everyday.

3. • Shopping is a means to an end, not an end in itself. To guide
your choices, we suggest using the 4R's (reduce, reuse, recycle
and recover).

4. What is responsible
consumption?
• Responsible consumption is a concept advocated by
ecological, social and political organizations who believe that
humans would do well to change their consumption habits
adjusting to their real needs and choosing options on the
market that promote environmental conservation and social
equality .

5. Some points to consider in responsible consumption are:
• Consider the environmental impact from the point of view of
the life cycle of the product to be purchased, evaluating
production processes, transportation, distribution,
consumption and waste that leaves the product.
• Determine the ecological footprint that certain lifestyle and
consumption occur.
• Determine which companies, products and services,
environmentally and human rights against other preferring not
complying with those requirements.
• Ask the type of trade you want to promote.
• Ensuring the quality of what you purchased.

6. Tips for environmental health:
• Go green and avoid contamination.
• Before you buy something , think carefully if you really need to buy it or if you're only
leading by advertising.
• If you decide to buy something, see what raw material is manufactured, how its
manufacturing process impacts the environment and if it generates any damage or social
injustice.
• Also consider what impact the environment and the social environment (especially close to
you ) has the use of what you plan to buy .
• Every time you buy something, you must also consider the impact caused by the waste and
garbage it generates.
• Avoid products "disposable " if they are not strictly necessary .
• Rejects plastic bags in supermarkets and leading retailers. If you can, when you go
shopping, bring your own cloth bags , paper , cardboard or even plastic ones, previously
used until they are worn out .
• Purchase the content and not the container. Many times you pay more for anything that
involves the manufacture and disposal of packaging, that are thrown directly into the trash ,
which for the content .
• Recycled before buying , many of the things that are to pull can be reused in other ways and
forms (use your imagination).
• Avoid canned and packaged products too . Lunch boxes and glass jars are a greener way to
store food in plastic and aluminum.
• Prioritize products returnable or reusable containers.
• If you use disposable items , make them compostable , biodegradable or, in any case ,
recyclable materials. For example plates, glasses , cutlery , bags , disposable pens
compostable materials such as bio plastics , instead of plastic .

7. Tips for responsible
consumption in the
information revolution
• Try to not only buy but also use free software whenever possible. For
example, use: operating systems, applications, software, firmware, drivers,
web applications and multimedia codecs, open and free of proprietary
licenses code, as these deprive users, researchers and developers around
the world of the four fundamental freedoms associated with software that
makes the Free software Foundation;
• Freedom # 1: The freedom to run the program for any purpose.
• Freedom # 2: The freedom to study the program and adapt it to your needs.
• Freedom # 3: the freedom to distribute the program the way you received
it.
• Libertad # 4: the freedom to modify the program and share their
modifications.

8. Tips for responsible
consumption in the financial
sector
• Investing in ethnical banking.