In a world that glorifies consumerism, with everything new and shiny, life can be confusing and draining. What can a single person do to rebel against this throw-away society? In this blog, we share 5 ideas.

In a world that glorifies consumerism, overconsumption and excessive production of disposable items, it’s possible to feel overwhelmed and confused about our own contribution to this disposable society. 

 

What can a single person do, though? How can we rebel against this throwaway society?

 

Here are 5 ideas to get you started:

1. Choose To Repair:

Instead of throwing something away, how can you repair it? There are tons of videos on YouTube and blogs online explaining how to fix things with a step-by-step process. 

For more inspiration, take a look at the Japanese art of meaning broken ceramics called Kintsugi.

 

2. Buy Less:

In the world overflowing with disposable items, choose quality over quantity.

 

I invite you to ask  ‘how will this purchase enhance my life?’" before making a purchase - it’ll minimise the amount of unnecessary, not used things, especially clothing. 

When you do decide to buy a particular product, make sure it will serve you a long time and serve more than a single-use. We all know there are alternatives for disposable razors, cotton-tips, face wipes available nowadays, but have you actively started to make the switch? Pick one disposable item each month to research and switch. 

 

Consider if you really need to purchase a physical copy of a book or movie. Instead, can you find an electronic alternative or even borrow it from the library? 

 

3. Take Proper Care of Your Belongings:

Invest your time in learning about the proper care of the objects you have and enjoy using them for longer! The ritual of taking care of your items, whether it’s polishing your shoes, adding wood oil to your furniture or separating colourful clothes from the white ones are all ways to honour what you have. 

 

4. Rent / Share / Swap:

Do you really need to buy a drill if you're hardly ever going to use it? Maybe it would be better to borrow one from your neighbour? 

 

Do you really need a new dress or can you swap clothes with a friend or hire it for an evening?

 

Likewise, if you have items in your home that aren’t being used a lot, how can you consider extending their life by offering them to others? Services like Car Next Door, are a great example of how the sharing economy is alive in your neighbourhood. 

 

5. Emphasise Experience Over Stuff:

When we value the experiences we collect, rather than the objects we have, we begin to see the world a little differently. You may still choose to purchase physical items, but shifting your intention to the experience they provide can be helpful in comprehending the true value they bring to our lives. 

This is particularly useful when thinking about gift-giving. Will the gift sit on a shelf looking pretty, or will it add both practical function as well as enhance the life of the person receiving it? 

Can you give the gift of memory? Instead of gifting a friend a cookbook that will be read once and then sit on a shelf, can you take them instead to a cooking class?

 

Have you found your own way to rebel against throw-away society? We’d love to hear about it.