It is estimated that by 2050, almost three planets like ours will be needed to maintain the rapid pace of consumption that we currently have. Globally, 1.3 trillion tons of food are wasted every year when nearly 2 billion people are undernourished; converting forests into farmland releases 22% of the percentage of greenhouse gases and only 3% of the world's water is drinkable.

Consequently, the UN defined itself as Sustainable Development Goal 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production. This seeks to promote sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources, reduce waste generation and food waste, and promote the rational ecological management of chemical products.

There are some key questions before any purchase that serve as a guide to achieving responsible consumption, such as Do I need what I'm going to buy? How does it affect my daily life if I don't buy it? What benefits does it bring to my life? among others. In addition, it is important to analyze aspects such as production, transport, distribution, consumption and waste.

As responsible consumers, we can implement some habits in our daily lives to take care of the planet, for example: applying the famous three erres (reduce, reuse and recycle), using water dispensers, opting for local consumption, turning off lights, using energy efficient bulbs, buying sustainable clothing, not using plastic bags, using public transport, riding a bicycle, and others.

These habits promote a responsible production system, where it is verified which are the most environmentally friendly alternatives that exist. Responsible consumption involves choosing goods and services based on their potential environmental impact, preferring those that contribute to building an economic and social model taking into account environmental and human protection.

The benefits of responsible consumption include the reduction of extractive activities, improved soil management, reduction of pollution, reduction of water and carbon footprints, reintegration of waste into the production cycle and energy savings.

By: Andrea Zambrano

Photo: Cherie Birkner/Unsplash

‍