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At my local coffee shop,I often buy a certain brand of biodegradable,compostable,chlorine and bleach-free coffee filters labelled “If You Care”. They’re great at doing exactly what they’re supposed to do (filtering coffee),but every time I get them I laugh as I can’t help but detect a slightly threatening tone to the label.You’d better buy these if you care. If you don’t? You’re done for.
But I do buy them,because I do care (though the jury’s out on how unsustainable paper coffee filters are in the first place),and I’m far from the only one who would make the same decision. Swathes all show that Australiansdo go out of their way to shop more sustainably,with as many as 50 per cent of us actively looking for greener products and services.
Shopping sustainably can be expensive,but there are few things you can do cheaply to reduce your impact on the environment.Aresna Villanueva
That willingness to buy green has also been reflected in the transformation of our supermarket shelves over the past decade – especially for categories such as household cleaning goods. Almost all detergents,surface cleaners and laundry powders have numerous green options on offer,making various claims.
What’s the problem?
However,often – but not always – these sustainable brands come with a higher price tag. Take my coffee filters,for instance:a pack of 100 “If You Care”(I do) branded filters will set me back $15,whereas the same number of standard filters would only cost me $10.
Comparison website Finder’s found Australians are also less likely to spend on sustainable products this year compared to last thanks to the rising cost of living,with just 37 per cent of us saying we’re willing to pay more for green products.
To make matters worse,the claims made by the makers of these products are in doubt too – analysis by the Consumer Product Research Centre found just 31 per cent of green claims made about products could be substantiated.
What you can do about it
There are plenty of ways to shop sustainably without breaking the bank:
Advice given in this article is general in nature and is not intended to influence readers’ decisions about investing or financial products. They should always seek their own professional advice that takes into account their own personal circumstances before making any financial decisions.