Buy Nothing New This January

The impact of impulse buying

Reducing the number of extra things we buy can help to keep homes clutter-free, and help to save money. There are huge environmental benefits too. The process of making, packaging and delivering products often has a large carbon footprint.

Our throwaway culture is contributing to creating waste, and the methods we’re using to dispose of it can cause more damage to our environment.

We need to do more and buy less

While giving away unwanted things for reuse, and recycling is great, reducing waste at the source by consuming less is best. That’s why this January we’re asked to buy nothing new, you can of course still do your weekly shop and get the essentials but try not to get anything extra. The idea is to distinguish between things you may want versus what you need.

Throughout January, the Keep Britain Tidy website will be updated with tips on how to buy less, and inspiration on how to get the most out of what you already have at home. There is also advice on how to repair broken things rather than replace them.

Also, find out if it would be possible to rent, borrow, or buy second-hand rather than buy new. A ‘Library of Things’ could be an option, and these are starting to crop up all over Sussex: Lewes, Hastings, and Brighton.

So, challenge yourself to buy nothing new this January – feel free to share your ideas and progress.