Purchasing

The groceries you buy for dinner tonight, the materials you use during a renovation or that lounge suite you've always wanted can have a number of environmental and social impacts that are not immediately obvious. These include:

• the energy and water used to make or transport them,
• the air, soil and water pollution caused by their production,
• the non-renewable resources used to produce them,
• the environmentally insensitive practices used to produce them, and even
• the impoverishment of communities as a result of the environmental degradation caused by the production process.  

Our spending patterns can also determine whether the items we use and ultimately dispose of are made from sustainably sourced and renewable materials, can be re-used and recycled, are biodegradable and toxin-free.

The same goes for our financial investments: superannuation, interest accounts, shares and venture capital. Some investments, such as those involving greenhouse-intensive or water-polluting activities, have obviously adverse impacts. Many others are not so obvious, such as an IT or toy company funded from environmentally unsustainable sources or used for activities that create pollution or environmental degradation.

This section provides information and practical solutions about sustainable purchasing and procurement, from saving money while being a savvy eco-shopper to sustainable and ethical investment. You can find out how to check the environmental credentials of products, or find model environmental specifications for contractors. Find actions to reduce the impact of the way you buy, consume and invest now!