Allison Ogden Newton OBE, CEO of national environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, reports as she calls for support for people to tackle their consumer habits as a poll shows 28.4 million UK adults (53%) acknowledge they are contributing to climate change by ‘buying stuff’.
Keep Britain Tidy has launched a national campaign urging people to try for just one month to buy nothing new – apart from essentials – in the wake of concerns over the amount of waste generated by our buying behaviour.
Buy Nothing New Month was launched for the third time in November as YouGov research on our behalf shows more than 39 million (73%) of UK adults agree not enough is being done to help them prevent waste.
It’s crucial that government, businesses and councils collectively support people to reduce the environmental impact of their buying habits particularly at this time of year, as communities brace themselves for the most expensive and promotion-driven time of the year. The public is faced with the lure of ‘bargain‘ shopping events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the run-up to the festive period and often buy things they don’t really want or need.
We aim to ignite a change in behaviour by supporting people to try alternatives to buying new such as reusing, repairing, upcycling or abstaining in the first place - with the added benefit of being good for our finances at a time when money is tight for many.
It’s a tragedy for the environment that many impulse buys end up in landfill, polluting our environment, after just one use.
We know there is a public appetite for change. Our YouGov research shows people are ready to shift their mindset toward conscious consumption, with almost 35 million (65%) of people confident they could buy less – in fact, around two thirds (67%) are motivated to reduce the amount of waste their household produces.
Educating our communities about the link between what we buy and the resulting environmental harm is fundamental in normalising a sustainable approach to what we consume and what we waste.
While many may feel the enormity of the climate challenge and wonder what they can do as an individual to effect change, this campaign shows that together our small actions can make a real difference.
Visit www.keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/support-our-campaigns/buy-nothing-new-month to sign up now and receive weekly tips by email.
www.keepbritaintidy.org
About the contributor
Allison Ogden Newton
CEO
Keep Britain Tidy