The final quadrant of our environmental impact is all the stuff we consume – goods and services of all shapes and sizes. 

A lot of our stuff is genuinely useful. Others less so. But all of our stuff impacts the environment. Let’s take a closer look. 

Turnover

The key factor influencing the environmental impact of our stuff is the turnover rate. Electronics present the most relevant example. With a 2-year life cycle, all that e-waste is creating huge problems. So is the mining of all the rare-earth minerals in these products. 

Clothing offers another fitting example, where a high turnover rate has ballooned the impact of the fashion industry. Home appliances and furniture are similarly affected by high turnover rates. 

The perverse incentive behind all this waste is that higher turnover rates are more profitable for companies selling these products. Hence, the concepts of planned and perceived obsolescence have wreaked tremendous destruction on the planet and its inhabitants over the years.

Quality

One of the best ways to shrink your stuff footprint is to commit to purchasing quality over quantity. A quality product will generally last longer (and stay cool for longer) than a shoddy alternative. It’s higher price tag also demands more consideration for each purchase.  

From an environmental perspective, high quality means that most of the value was added by human creativity, while low quality means that most value comes from ecological destruction. 

Minimalism

An even better way to shrink your stuff footprint is simply to have less stuff. Minimalism is becoming quite fashionable nowadays as people wake up to the fact that a lot of their stuff brings more complexity than happiness.

We’ve touched on this topic before when discussing the industrial revolution that spawned all our stuff. Please take a look at this article and evaluate how frequently the stuff in your home gets used. 

Creativity

But the best way to shrink your stuff footprint is to transition from a consumerist lifestyle to a creative one. This shift brings many benefits, one of which is a smaller ecological footprint.  

Transferring time and energy from consumption to creation not only reduces environmental impact but also creates solutions for building a better society – a double win. 

To sum up

There is no doubt that we need to reduce our unsustainable consumption of stuff. The three best ways of doing this are, in order of usefulness: nurturing your creativity, simplifying your life, and committing to quality. 

These simple guidelines will give you a much more enjoyable life that can save many lives around the world.