Reducing Waste: Sustainable Choices for Everyday Life
Reducing Waste: Sustainable Choices for Everyday Life
Reducing waste is one of the most impactful ways we can help tackle the climate and nature crisis. By making more conscious choices about what we buy, use, and throw away, we can conserve resources, reduce pollution, and minimise the amount of waste sent to landfill.
Our current "take, make, dispose" model of consumption is driving resource depletion, pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change. By choosing to buy less, buy better, and keep products and materials in use for longer through reuse, repair, refill, and recycling, we can all help reduce waste while often saving money too.
Awareness campaigns such as Plastic Free July and Zero Waste Week shine a spotlight on these issues each year, but reducing waste is something we can all work towards every day. Supporting businesses that are committed to keeping materials in use and out of landfill is a practical way to contribute to more responsible consumption and production, in line with UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.
Here are some examples of ESGmark® Certified companies helping to reduce waste, cut plastic pollution, and make sustainable choices easier:
Snug Scent reduces waste and supports a circular economy through its material choices, refill options, and upcycling scheme. Snug Scent uses biodegradable, recycled or recyclable and plastic-free packaging and encourages customers to return used packaging to be reused and given new life. They also offer refills for their candles, diffusers, room sprays, and car diffusers as part of their sustainability strategy.
POSY® London was founded with a simple yet powerful mission: to create high-performing natural deodorants, skin and hair care products that respect the body, the planet and future generations. Their natural deodorants, shampoo bars, lip balms and bath salts are packaged in paperboard, glass and tins, helping you to ditch plastics and reduce environmental impact.
Booheads puts sustainability at the forefront with their biodegradable electric toothbrush heads, using plant-based and biodegradable materials that are better for the planet. Compatible with major electric toothbrush brands, Booheads makes it easy to switch towards a less wasteful oral care routine. You can learn more about the materials they use here.
Swap excess for essentials this Zero Waste Week with Disruptor London’s innovative bars—shampoo, conditioner, cleanser, and shave—all-in-one for every gender. These concentrated, waterless bars deliver luxury and effectiveness with biodegradable packaging, slashing plastic waste and reducing the clutter in daily routines. By choosing Disruptor London, caring for yourself means caring for the planet—proving that with less, you truly get more.
Udiri minimises waste by transforming sustainable and upcycled materials, such as waste paper, cellulose fibre, and locally sourced fabrics, into exquisite jewellery, bags, and artworks. Each piece showcases the creativity and skill of their artisans, many of whom are women from internally displaced communities. Through their buyback program, Udiri empowers artisans to create, earn, and thrive, turning discarded resources into products that tell compelling stories of resilience and community.
Forest Distillery whisky, gin, and rum are made using locally sourced ingredients and sustainable materials to minimise environmental impact. Their unique ceramic bottles are designed to be repurposed or refilled through Forest Distillery’s refill initiative, encouraging a circular economy
Lavender & Lemon creates safe, eco-friendly alternatives to harsh chemical cleaners using sustainable ingredients. Their products come in elegant aluminium bottles designed for reuse, and their Return & Refill scheme helps minimise packaging waste.
Ganddee is the UK’s first platform focused entirely on local second-hand shopping. Their mobile app makes it easy (and fun) to find thrift shops, car boots, and vintage pop-ups wherever you go. Think Google Maps for thrifting. Shop second-hand, skip the plastic.
ESGmark® Certification is a symbol of trust and distinction, which allows consumers to identify organisations who believe in and act to deliver a fairer, more sustainable future. To find more ESGmark® certified businesses taking action to improve their environmental impact, head to our Community page.