可持續消費行為指南

文/喬納森·戴維斯 譯/施慧靜

掃碼聽讀

在咖世家用自帶杯裝咖啡，而不用一次性咖啡杯，這是可持續消費的一個例子。但是，一個簡單的可持續消費舉動并不等于可持續行為——只是其中一方面罷了。

2可持續消費行為關注的是我們（消費者）如何考量可持續性并將之付諸行動。它關注你的態度、行為和行動如何受到可持續發展關切和目標的驅動。

3概括地說，可持續消費行為與你的生活方式息息相關。

4成為踐行可持續行為的消費者，需要三步：

1. 消費更理性

2. 購買更得當

3. 處理更妥善

消費更理性與購買更得當的區別

5不弄明白如何讓消費更理性，就無法真正做到購買更得當。

6以下是消費更理性與購買更得當的主要區別：

7“消費更理性”指的是秉承綠色理念，做出對環境友好的選擇。這些選擇可能包括家庭節能、以最環保的方式旅游、巧妙通勤、減少肉類消費、支持本地產品與服務、選購環保材料、自制代替購買，以及學會重復利用。

8但是，消費更理性還包括確定商品值得購買，即使是有環保標簽的商品也要三思。

9“購買更得當”是指購買體現我們環保理念與環保選擇的產品。待我們樹立了環保理念與道德觀念，掌握了如何才能做出對環境友好的選擇，第二步就是“購買更得當”。

10舉例而言，要想做到家庭節能，下次就要購買節能冰箱。

11再舉一個例子，防曬霜通常是我們必買的產品。但是，為了減少對環境的不良影響，我們應該挑選對珊瑚礁無害的防曬用品。

12之后，一切歸結于如何妥善處理。

13為助你達成目標，我們概述了三大步驟，并以你日常飲用的咖啡為例。

第一步：消費更理性

14消費不只是購買實體商品，還涉及我們的生活方式。我們首先要改變的就是生活方式。

15可持續消費行為通常意味著消費者意識到自己的消費行為及其對地球的影響。要用這份意識樹立自己想要遵循的核心價值觀。

16示例：與其用可重復使用的杯子去喝平時常喝的有國際公平貿易認證標簽的咖啡，不如思考并關注咖啡產業帶來的整體影響，涉及種植者、其投資、從連鎖咖啡店中獲利的企業（以及這類企業對可持續性的影響）、包裝材料、運輸排放及成本等等，不勝枚舉。

17我們往往能得出這樣一個結論：真正的可持續消費意味著簡化生活方式，而不是簡單地從一個品牌換到另一個。

第二步：購買更得當

18既然我們已經決定要讓消費更理性，下一步就要把認識付諸行動，讓購買更得當。

19購買不是被動的行為。為了做到購買更得當，實踐可持續消費行為，你應該去查驗產品是否擁有有效的認證，并了解其真實含義，這樣才能避開打著綠色幌子的產品，避免落入市場營銷套路。所以，要自己做調查！

20示例：認識到往常喝咖啡的行為對可持續性造成的全面影響，你決定今后只在特別的場合飲用（仍然選擇有國際公平貿易認證標簽的可持續咖啡）。平時就換成自己能在花園里種植的花草茶，或者選擇英國本土公司用英國產原料制作的茶包。

21查看生產環保產品所用的材料：瓶子要優先選擇金屬或可回收玻璃而非塑料制成的；永遠用可重復使用的產品代替一次性用品。

· 能自己種植或制作，就不買，

· 能買二手的，就不買全新的，

· 如果是廢棄時難以處理的產品，那就找替代品。

22做出購買決策之際，你得考慮諸多問題，確保你的購買行為符合自己的環保理念和環保選擇。此時，提出正確的問題是關鍵：

· 該產品是否節能減排？是否有節能認證標簽？

· 該產品是否使用了環保材料？這是一個重要的可持續性議題。

· 該產品是否經久耐用？有沒有更耐用的替代品？

· 該產品的生產是否合乎道德？選擇合乎道德的品牌。對于時尚產業而言，尤其要重視這個問題。

· 該產品的原料是否來自本地？是否有機？

· 該產品是否未使用動物實驗？有沒有暗地里使用動物制品？

23根據對自己各種理念和選擇的重視程度，我們往往要做出權衡。有的環保產品雖然由環保材料制成，但是產地卻跨過半個地球，有的則是通過據知有不道德行為的連鎖巨頭銷售。

24你可能會發現，有的可持續品牌盡管表現出了支持環保的行為，但其整個供應鏈對環境造成的負面影響更甚。

第三步：處理更妥善

25你購買的產品不是用完即消失的，所以在買之前就要想到后續的處理。

26示例：改喝花草茶之后，你把咖啡當成了偶爾的享受，并開始把茶葉渣制成堆肥。你可以用這肥料在花園里培育出更多的花草，還能讓花園的土壤更肥沃。你用金屬茶壺沏散裝茶，因為就算茶包可以降解，最環保的做法還是杜絕這種浪費！□

Getting your Costa coffee in your own cup, instead of a single-use one, is an example of sustainable consumption. But a simple act of sustainable consumption is not the same as sustainable behaviour—it’s just one aspect.

2Sustainable consumer behaviour is about how we (consumers) think about sustainability and then act on it. It’s about how your attitude, behaviour and actions are driven—or not driven—by sustainability concerns and goals.

3To sum it up, sustainable consumption behaviour is about yourlifestyle.

4There are three steps in the process to becoming a sustainable consumer:

1. Consuming better

2. Buying better

3. Disposing better

Consuming better vs buying better

5You can’t really start buying better until you understand how you can be consuming better.

6Here’s the key difference between consuming better and buying better:

7Consuming better is about having green values and making eco-friendly choices. These choices could include:saving energy at home, travelling in the most eco-friendly way, commuting cleverly, reducing meat consumption,supporting local products/services,picking eco-friendly materials, opting for DIY instead of buying something,and learning to reuse stuff.

8But consuming better is also making sure something is worth buying, even if it’s labelled as eco-friendly.

9Buying better is about purchasing things that reflect our eco-values and eco-choices. This is the next step, once we have established our eco- and ethical values and know-how to make ecofriendly choices.

10For example, when we want to save energy at home, our next fridge should be an energy-efficient fridge.

11Another example is that we often can’t avoid purchasing suncream. But in order to reduce our environmental impact,we should look for reef-friendly options.

12After that, it all comes down to disposal.

13To help you get there, we’ve outlined the three initial steps and used your daily cup of coffee as an example.

Step 1 — consuming better

14Our consumption doesn’t just cover the physical items we buy, but the lifestyles we lead. And that is the first thing we want to change.

15Sustainable consumer behaviour often means being conscious of your actions and the impact they have on the world. Use this consciousness to create key values that you want to follow.

16EXAMPLE: Instead of reaching for your usual Fairtrade1國際公平貿易認證標簽是一個獨立的消費者標簽，由國際公平貿易標簽組織（FLO International）擁有與保護。產品上印有該標簽代表發展中國家生產者在此產品貿易上得到較公平待遇。coffee in a reusable cup, you consider and are conscious of the entire impact coffee has on farmers,their investments, the corporate businesses profiting from the coffee shop chain(and their impacts on sustainability), as well as packaging materials, transport emissions and costs… the list goes on.

17Quite often, we find that true sustainable consumption leads to simplifying your lifestyle, rather than just switching from one brand to another.

Step 2 — buying better

18So, we’ve already decided to consume better. Now, we put that knowledge into action and buy better.

19Buying things is not a passive action.To buy better, with sustainable consumer behaviour, you should check for valid certifciationsand fnid outwhat theyreally mean,soyou can avoidgreenwashing2greenwashing 環保幌子，漂綠（指公司或機構假借環保之名進行宣傳）。and not fall for the marketing spiel. So do your own research!

20EXAMPLE: After becoming aware of the full sustainability impact of your usual coffee, you decide to save it for special occasions (still selecting Fairtrade, sustainable coffee) and switch to herbal teas you can make from your own garden, or a local British tea bag company using British-grown ingredients.

21Check the materials the eco-friendly products are made with: choose metal or recyclable glass over plastic for bottles, and always pick reusable options over single use.

· If you can grow or make it, don’t buy it,

· If you can buy it second hand, don’t buy it new,

· If it won’t be easy to dispose of,find an alternative.

22When making a purchase decision,there are many things to consider to make sure it ticks most of your ecovalues and choices. It’s about asking yourself the right questions:

· Is it energy efficient? Does it have good energy labels?

· Is the material eco-friendly? This is one of the big sustainability issues.

· Is it going to be durable? Is there a more durable alternative?

· Is it ethically made? Look for ethical brands, especially in the fashion industry.

· Are the ingredients/materials locally sourced?Arethey organic?

·Is itcruelty-free3cruelty-free 沒有使用動物實驗的。?Arethey secretly using animal products?

23Often, it’s also about compromise,according to the weight we give to each of our values and choices. Green products can be made with eco-friendly material but sourced on the other side of the world, or sold by a huge chain that is known to have unethical practices.

24You might find that the proenvironmental behaviour of sustainable brands is completely outweighed by the negative environmental footprint of the overall supply chain.

Step 3 — disposing better

25When you’re fniished with a pro-duct,it doesn’t vanish into the ether. So, disposing of things you consume is something you need to consider before you buy.

26EXAMPLE: After switching to herbal teas and only picking up coffee as a treat, you start composting the spent herbs. You can use these to grow more things in your garden and fertilise the soil. You use a metal tea infuser and brew loose herbs, because even though tea bags are biodegradable, it’s better to cut out that waste altogether! ■