Reducing at the source is a question that comes before the others: “do I really need it?”

The Pure team thought of preparing a blog post to tell you about Quebec's Waste Reduction Week and how you can take part in it on a daily basis.

In recent weeks, some team members participated in the Montreal Zero Waste Festival and the conference "Being an Eco-Responsible Citizen" by Steven Guilbeault, environmentalist, speaker and co-founder of Équiterre . It was very inspiring.

This opinion piece, written by the contributors, offers opinions and reflections on reducing waste in everyday life. For more information, visit the Quebec Waste Reduction Week website for ideas, tips and tricks, and great blog links.

What is reducing?

Reducing at source is a question that comes before the others: "Do I really need it?" Then come the other behaviors: reusing, composting and recycling.

Reducing means consuming less and better. It also means changing your consumption habits:

• Repair your belongings
• Choose bulk
• Favor local purchases
• Avoid over-packaging
• Think about the production and life chain of our goods, the conditions in which they were manufactured, their lifespan and in our lives.

Consume differently

It's not easy, but it is possible. We were born into a culture and an era where owning property is valued.

Fortunately, attitudes are evolving, forcing us to question situations that may have previously seemed normal. And why not promote voluntary simplicity and minimalism? Many say it: there are advantages to owning less: having more time (less maintenance of belongings), more freedom (financial and mobile), and the chance to connect with what really matters.

Consuming better by making more eco-responsible choices also means returning to basics, to simplicity, and perhaps even to common sense. And it also means appreciating what we own more.

Beauty and responsible consumption

This topic is certainly quite contradictory. And why not reduce this contradiction? This topic affects us because we work in the "beauty" field and we are aware that for others, it may seem superficial. We all need to dress ourselves and furnish our "homes," don't we? So, let's try to find the balance between beauty and more responsible consumption.

Steve Jobs , Mark Zuckerberg , Barack Obama , Matilda Kahl … What do they have in common? The freedom and simplicity of dressing the same way every day. Sometimes just for work, sometimes all the time, and with a few similar variations. We find the idea so simple and brilliant! Basically, they eliminate one unnecessary decision from their lives every morning to focus on what really matters and the important decisions. They save time, they always feel good in their clothes, they are not judged on their "look," and they consume less clothing! We can also add to the list of benefits: financial savings.

What if fashion became about owning fewer clothes and wearing them more?

What if we, too, did like Marck or Matilda on a smaller scale? With more neutral colors, patterns, and cuts, it's easier to harmonize with the rest of your wardrobe and overcome the ephemerality of fashion.

Consuming less doesn't have to be boring.

In the home, it can also be the same thing by favoring more durable and neutral furniture and materials. For decor fans, changing the cushion covers occasionally, as well as the arrangement or presentation of accessories, adds sparkle to a room. Why not vary the arrangement of furniture or its use?

Repair, refurbish, exchange, buy and give away

Back to basics: repair rather than replace, upcycle used purchases and give objects a new lease on life. Do some " switch & bitch" » (in reference to the magnificent web series of the same name on tout.tv) of clothing, but also of various items, garage sales or even giving to people who need it more than us.

Giving furniture a second life and creating DIY projects is fun, beautiful, eco-friendly, economical, and adds emotional value to objects. They become a story. Plus, Pinterest and Instagram are brimming with ideas for refreshing furniture, rooms, accessories, and more.
Photo links:
Instagram
Pinterest

Bulk

We can't stress it enough: bulk shopping helps reduce our unnecessary consumption of plastic and packaging at the source. The vast majority of Pure products are available in bulk, and they also save you 25% on your purchase. For other goods, more and more local stores and large centers offer bulk purchases. A simple gesture with a big impact. While there's still room for growth in bulk sales and packaging reduction, it's reassuring to see all the companies now offering bulk purchases.

Food

More local produce on the plate, giving or exchanging our meals with colleagues and family, freezing them, growing a garden, cooking soups and "touskis" helps avoid food waste. Avoiding buying too much perishable food at once, thinking about menus and making lists before going to the grocery store helps us buy only the essentials.

Reducing these greenhouse gas emissions

Since December 21, 2016, Total Fabrication (the company that manufactures Pure) has been the first Canadian company to receive the Climate Commitment certification from Ecocert International. Since then, the company has implemented a greenhouse gas emission reduction plan and a sustainable development policy. More information here . Other ideas for reducing your individual greenhouse gas emissions here .

And you, what are your tips for reducing?
#tiptoreduce

Sources and inspirations:

https://sqrd.org
https://reseauvrac.org/consommer-en-vrac/
http://www.ecocert.com/engagement-climat
https://www.rncan.gc.ca/energy/renewable-electricity/7296#descriptors
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/fr/
http://www.ecohabitation.com/municipalites/diminution-emissions-gaz-effet-serre
http://www.ecohabitation.com/guide/toits-vegetaux-etape-etape-avantages-inconvenients
https://zerodechetoutaouais.wordpress.com/2016/09/19/salle-de-bain-zero-dechet-ou-presque/
http://www.lauraki.ca/conseils-pour-desencombrer/
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/search?q=decluttering
http://simplicitevolontaire.org/2017/04/12/changer-de-decor/
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/fr/a-vous-d-agir/trucs-et-astuces/reduire-reuse-recycle/
https://www.recyc-quebec.gouv.qc.ca
https://equiterre.org
http://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a10441/why-i-wear-the-same-thing-to-work-everday/