Buy Better, Consume Less: Create Real Environmental Change

by Sian Conway-Wood

Climate change is now a mainstream conversation topic, and yet every week our recycling piles are still overflowing and we're faced with a steady stream of brands trying to persuade us to buy their eco-friendly products in our quest to live sustainably.

For too long, corporations have shifted the eco-responsibility onto us, the consumers. It's time to push back and demand change.

In Buyer Beware, Ethical Hour founder Sian Conway-Wood provides practical tips on how to stop consuming, advice on how to see through corporations' greenwashing, and steps to hold them accountable. In doing so we can create demand for sustainability in supply chains, and put pressure on decision makers to implement systemic change that puts people and planet above profit.

Genres: Nonfiction

289 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 17, 2022

Reviews

[Lilian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buy Less, Consume Later is a call to move beyond your micro actions and engage with collective ways to move the needle in addressing climate change. In the book, Conway-Wood highlights the role of greenwashing perpetuated by our capitalistic society and seeks to help the reader identify these ploys as well as possible solutions that the reader can take. In her words:

Switching to a bamboo toothbrush might make us feel good, but it’s a drop in the ocean of systemic change needed to build a sustainable future. Overconsumption is the leading cause of the climate crisis, and greenwashing is playing a huge role in that destruction by fuelling our desire to buy more, and keeping our attention on ‘sustainable’ options instead of corporate change. To really make a meaningful impact, we not only need to consume consciously and challenge brands and advertisers, but we also need to reduce our consumption and change our entire relationship with ‘stuff’.

Sian knows being "fully sustainable" is easier said than done and cites her experience when shopping for a sustainable diaper brand and the underwhelming response she received when she made it from a "green" brand. In her opinion, it is better to consistently communicate the progress and changes that your brand is embedding rather than just outright greenwash your products to protect your brand integrity in the long run.

My biggest takeaway from the book was to continue educating myself and calling out brands when they commit the seven deadly sins of greenwashing. Conway-Woods gave me a lot to think about and I will endeavour to be a conscious consumer and citizen.

Thanks to Icon Books and Netgalley for a copy of this eARC.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick disclaimer before I start is that I do know Sian, the author of this book.

Regardless of the author, I loved this book. I'm always looking for ways to lower my carbon footprint and this book offers practical steps as well as some good business and political insights.
I've already made some changes and plans as a result, which is always a great sign for me.

The author strikes a good balance of realism, optimism and encouraging individual action, while also making it clear that we need to shift our emphasis of responsibility towards big business and Government.

[Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times repetitive but overall a good informative book with accessible resource suggestions!

[Merissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good primer on greenwashing and environmental activism, but it needed more editing. There is a lot of repetition and some syntax errors, as well as inconsistent use of acronyms, which was confusing at times.

[Pagehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book tackles some good ideas I have never thought about, for instance greenwashing by companies to ensure we as consumers feel better about consuming products of specific companies. The way to make greener choices is partly possible because of our own initiatives(activism, opting to consume less than what we need) but the role of the producers of all this waste is not to be forgotten.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really excellent book, packed full of practical advice on what we, as individuals, can do to combat the climate and ecological crisis the world is facing. It’s honest about the limitations of the actions that just one person can achieve, while at the same time showing how we can maximise our impact and still make a worthwhile difference.

[Rachelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buy Better, Consume Less... more of a call to action for environmental activists, this book challenges us to think better and purposely use products. I love the intent, but it just misses the mark. Nothing groundbreaking. If you've read the title, you've read the book's content.

[Maddie Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book from my local library, wanting to learn more about how I could tackle my own overconsumption. I appreciated the variety of practical steps to take as a consumer as well as a citizen. I thought insight into greenwashing marketing schemes, corporate justifications for unsustainable practices, and environmental politics rightly illustrated the issue of overconsumption. I felt prompted to make lifestyle changes and am beginning to do so thanks to the practical tips discussed. While it was a slow read for me, I was inspired nonetheless to start demanding sustainability through my purchases and my voice.

[Alba Mullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to topics in sustainable consumption. I felt I was familiar with a lot of the material and it lost me at parts. I’d recommend if you’re new to the topic.