Ask, ask and ask again: Smart consumption choices for sustainability

By Prof. Suzanne Piscopo

It was a bitter minus 17°C outside and the coat I had brought with me from Malta was quite useless as a barrier against this extreme temperature. “Not to worry” said my new classmate. “I’ll take you to a place which will have plenty of good quality coats and at a very reasonable price.” This was 1992 in Nova Scotia, Canada. I was there as a Commonwealth Masters student and I was about to make my first foray into the world of Second Life shops!

The concept of getting good value for money had been ingrained in me from my early days of Home Economics as a student in Secondary school. Back then we were taught what qualities to look for when buying food, what questions to ask when buying appliances and what labels to seek when buying clothes. We also learnt about good practices to save energy and water, how to design rooms to take advantage of natural lighting and which floor and wallcoverings were easy to maintain. It was really all about quality lifestyle choices for family wellbeing. Little did we know that we were actually learning to be ‘sustainable.’ The term was not around yet.

Fast forward to 2025. Nowadays not only do we know much more about the impact of our consumption choices on our health and on our planet, but we also comprehend how many of the products we buy have repercussions on the wellbeing of humans along the supply chain. At the same time, technological advancements in many sectors have given us alternatives. In our homes we can now opt for renewable energy sources, or install efficient water usage systems. We can choose eco-friendly wall and floor coverings or soft furnishings, and decorate our rooms with upcycled or re-used items. We can seek to buy appliances which save energy and water and install smart lighting systems. We can check online whether anybody is interested in swapping clothes, books, or surplus of any produce or preserves. The list of available products and services which can help us to save money and also safeguard the natural environment is forever growing.

The basic question about whether a potential purchase meets a justified need or merely satisfies a want should ideally be our point of departure; as is the question whether the potential purchase is within our budget. But perhaps it is also time to consciously start asking other questions.

However, being surrounded by opportunities for consumption, physically and online, presents its challenge. The basic question about whether a potential purchase meets a justified need or merely satisfies a want should ideally be our point of departure; as is the question whether the potential purchase is within our budget. But perhaps it is also time to consciously start asking other questions:

Do I really need to buy this, or can I borrow or rent it? (Possible actions: Borrow a heavy duty food mixer for a one-off batch baking session; ask a relative or close friend if they can lend you an outfit for a special occasion; rent a piece of equipment for DIY home repairs.)

And if you decide you really do ‘need’ to buy an item, you can ask:

What is its rating when it comes to energy and water usage? (Possible action: Look for the best ratings indicating efficiency on labels.)
Can I buy an alternative which is produced sustainably, from materials which safeguard biodiversity and the soils and waterways, or which require little input of natural resources? (Possible actions: Opt for organic foods; buy clothes made from bamboo fibres or organic cotton.)
Will it create unnecessary waste? Does it have excessive packaging? Is the packaging or the container recycled or reusable? (Possible actions: Choose the least packaged item where possible; look for recycling labels with a high % of reused materials; opt for items in packaging with labels such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) indicating that materials are sourced from sustainably managed forest.)
Will its use or its waste pollute waterways or exacerbate air pollution? (Possible actions: Avoid chemically-laden products; opt for eco-friendly laundry detergents/sheets and clean your home with more natural products, which are kinder to our seas; scent your home with fresh flowers, or cooked fruit peels and cinnamon, which are not risky for respiratory health as are some artificial scents.)

One might say that keeping in mind all the above questions is a big ask in our time-strapped lifestyles. However, even if you start considering one or two of these questions and so make a more responsible choice this is already a step forward.

In full transparency, (possibly) my favourite question is not listed with the ones I mentioned above: ‘If I need to buy something, can I get it second hand?’ Given the global and national emphasis on a circular economy, at a household and family level buying second hand or second life is one of the best strategies for maximising the natural resources used in producing an item, as well as valorising all the labour of those individuals who were involved along the production and supply chain. It can also help you spend less and then use the money saved to buy sustainable items which are, perhaps, normally above your budget. Lastly, visiting second hand shops in-person, or browsing social media groups selling such items adds a fun, ‘treasure hunt’ feel to the exercise. And once you find what you want, the satisfaction is multi-fold.

The thick, heavy coat I had bought from the Salvation Army shop in Nova Scotia and which served me well during the Winter of 1992-93 never made it to Malta. Before I left Canada I donated it back to the shop as a dry-cleaned, pre-owned and pre-loved item. We say a cat has nine lives. I wonder which ‘life’ my winter coat has reached!