Shopping locally, how we buy and what we do with our old stuff has never been so important. How we shop and manage our stuff can support other people in Rhondda Cynon Taf whilst also improving our own carbon footprint.
Local businesses are far more likely to use local suppliers than big supermarkets or retail giants because transporting goods over long distances increases carbon emissions. By buying locally, you can help to cut carbon emissions and air pollution.
Change Delivery Habits
We’re all shopping more online than we used to. Whilst convenient, it also means a lot more delivery vehicles on our roads that cause traffic, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Millions of missed deliveries every year means lots of unnecessary, polluting journeys. Think about having things delivered to a convenient central location like a shop or locker or choosing to bundle items together.
Try to avoid having to return things if possible. Your returns mean more vehicle journeys and items can also be hard to resell and may even end up in landfill! Check your size or see if you could support your local high street instead and try things on.
Plan & Shop Smart
Save food, time and money by planning your shopping list around meals using a simple meal planner. Check your fridge and cupboards first before you start writing your shopping list. When shopping, only buy food that's on your list and/or which can be frozen and stored for later.
Buying loose items (where possible) can make it easier to buy only the amount you need.
Love Your Clothes
Buying fewer, better-quality clothes that you love and wear for longer will save you money and reduce your impact. You can make your clothes last longer by washing them with care and making small repairs. Make a pledge to wear clothes to last.
When you’re finished with a wearable item, donate it to a charity shop or swap it at a clothing exchange event.
Make Second Hand First Choice
If you’re thinking of buying any furniture, clothes, tools, gaming equipment, home appliances... the list goes on! Why not look go second-hand when more often than not the product is a lot cheaper than new and the quality is more or less the same. If you do your shopping online look for sites that sell preloved items.
Or even better, if you like to do your shopping in person and see before you buy. There are plenty of great second-hand stores here in RCT such as TooGoodToWaste, ReGenerate, 2nd Hand Furniture Company, the Shed Reuse Shops at Aberdare, Treherbert and Llantrisant and not to mention the local charity shops across the County Borough.
It's also possible to borrow where you can. Rather than generating more waste by disregarding unwanted items, pass them on. Alternatively, upcycling and DIY is a great way to repurpose and reuse your old stuff into something new.
Go Local
Local businesses are the backbone of our economy, they brighten up our high streets here in Rhondda Cynon Taf and often attract lots of visitors. Shopping at a local business, rather than a large chain, is actually better for the economy of your community.
Doing one bit of shopping at a local business is still making a massive difference!