The current unsustainable model is known as a linear economy because the resources become waste when they are no longer used. This results in sourcing new resources to replace them.

Products are built to be discarded or replaced, rather than to last. To make it worse, they use unnecessary or excessive packaging and damage the environment through mining or poor waste treatment.

Most products are unsustainable by design. So how does this impact our world? And what can we do to avoid this?

The Effect on Climate Change

Carbon emissions are part of every product we buy. This is due to how raw materials are obtained, the manufacturing process and transportation. Even at the end of a product's life, energy is used to transport, treat and dispose of them.

Raw materials sourced through mining can cause huge amounts of environmental damage to ecosystems. Mining also releases carbon stored in the ground.

The energy used in the manufacturing process is most likely to be from fossil fuels, which release carbon emissions when they are burned.

When transporting products, aviation and vehicle fleets are mostly fuelled by petrol or diesel, adding to air pollution and carbon emissions. Whether a product is delivered around the world, to the shops, or your front door, shipping has a significant environmental impact.

When the product is thrown away at the end of its useful life, transport is needed to collect the item and then it is either sent to a landfill or burnt, causing further environmental damage or releasing more carbon emissions.

So, for every product you buy, there are carbon emissions. The question is, how can we reduce the impact of what we buy?

The Circular Economy

The alternative to the linear ‘throw-away’ economy is the circular economy, which aims to keep resources in use for longer. Doing so minimises the need to mine new resources and reduces the amount of waste and pollution generated.

The three principles of the circular economy are designed to stop waste from being produced in the first place, to circulate products and materials, and to regenerate nature.

Improved design of products, waste and pollution is reduced, resources and materials are reused, and nature is regenerated rather than mined.

The UK Government has already committed to shifting towards a more circular economy, and there is recognition of the environmental, financial and social benefits of doing so.

Redesigning Products

Manufacturers are now being urged to redesign products to allow the materials to be recycled or repaired more easily. This will allow existing products to be used for longer without the need to replace them.

In the UK, a ‘Right to Repair Law’ was introduced in July 2021. For now, this means that TVs, fridges, washing machines, washer-dryers, and dishwashers will need spare parts available from two years after product launch to ten years after the product is discontinued, depending on the part. Repairs also need to be possible using everyday tools.

Following considerable consumer and media pressure, supermarkets are now more willing to look at ways to reduce unnecessary packaging. In 2019, it was realised there was an issue with optical sorting machines not being able to recognise recyclable black plastic food trays, such as those used for meat or ready meals. These black plastic trays were sent to a landfill because the sorting machines could not redirect them for recycling. Since then, supermarkets have changed the packaging to a different colour, so it can be processed by the machines for recycling.

As media attention has turned to certain industries, there has been a growing awareness of the harm being caused by industries in the pursuit of profit. Pressure by a collective group of consumers can have a considerable effect on how a company operates.

However, it is important to be aware of ‘greenwashing’. This refers to ethical and sustainable claims made by companies when in reality they are using unethical practises and causing harm to the environment, people and animals.

We can be aware of the downsides of consumerism, but it can often leave us feeling helpless about our efforts to be sustainable in a plastic-oriented world.

To deal with this, we can look at the smaller picture of what we can do at home to reduce waste.