In November, we invite people to reflect on mindful consumption and reuse. This year, Earth Overshoot Day fell on July 24th. It marks the date when we’ve used up all the planet’s renewable resources for the year, and each year this date comes earlier. For Estonia, that day was already in early March this year. This means we used up our fair share in just about two months, and for the rest of the year we’re living at the expense of the future. So what will be left to live on in the future?
The goal of the Sustainability Months, which run from September to May, is to adjust our daily habits to be just a bit more modest. In other words: we raise topics, encourage reflection, and inspire habit changes. In November, as mentioned, we focus on mindful consumption and reuse.
In Estonia, the amount of household waste generated per person is lower than the European average, but in the past ten years the volume has increased by nearly a third – as living standards rise, so does consumption, and so do landfills. In December, we’ll focus on where waste goes and how to avoid it.
Around 18,000 tons of textile waste is generated in Estonia every year. This means that an average Estonian throws away about 14 kg of textile waste annually. Estonians consume about 12 kilograms of new clothing per person each year. The actual amount may be up to 20 percent higher when including purchases made abroad. So we throw away as much as we buy. But do we really need to buy that much, and where does everything we discard end up?
I placed 12 kg of clothing on the scale. It included a winter coat, a leather jacket and a summer jacket, three pairs of jeans, summer dresses and a formal dress, a bunch of blouses, two cotton sweatshirts and a sweater, office, sports and hiking clothes, a large sauna towel, some underwear, socks, and winter pajamas. If you buy that amount of clothing every year, you’ll either need a bigger home or you’ll have to throw away a similar amount. That certainly doesn’t belong in a landfill, and maybe I don’t actually need to buy so many new clothes so often?
We often hear that Estonia has lots of clean nature, air, and water, and that “the real environmental problems are in Asia, just look at what China is doing!” But the vast majority of our purchases are produced in Asia, from clothing to consumer goods and electronics. What’s more – we actually like it that way, because we don’t want industry in Estonia; it pollutes. Postal workers know how much cheap stuff comes to Estonia from China. The volume increases as our local prices rise, but the savings are deceptive – the items arriving from China are produced with major environmental harm, often contain toxic substances dangerous to the user, and usually only last for a few uses, so you end up buying another (or buy several at once because “it’s so cheap!”). All of this increases the mountain of waste and burdens both our environment and our wallets. So is China really more of a polluter than us, and are we really rich enough to keep buying cheap stuff?
The best way to reduce your negative impact on the planet is to refuse certain products or product categories, or replace them with lower-impact alternatives. If refusing isn’t possible, then reducing helps. Next comes reuse, which helps cut demand for new products. The impact of waste sorting is small and mostly gives us a good feeling that we’re doing something for the planet – but it may also mean we skip more impactful actions.
Returning to Earth Overshoot Day – it doesn't just account for consumption, but also the renewable natural resources generated over the year. If we “borrow” from the future, the planet’s biocapacity decreases even more (e.g., forests absorb less CO₂ year after year if we cut them down faster than they can regrow).
If everyone consumed like the average Estonian, we would need five planets. The biggest contributors to an Estonian’s environmental footprint are building energy (January’s Sustainability Month topic), food (we’ll focus on this in February), and transport (was the topic of September).
What each of us can do in November?
Before you buy, think: what are you buying, where from, and why? Is it because an ad told you to? Because you’re in a bad (or really good) mood? Because “it’s so cheap”? Because the last one was poor quality and broke?
Repair and refresh your worn-out gear. A surprisingly common reason for throwing out clothing is a missing button. But in that case, it’s more appropriate to buy a new button – not a new jacket! In addition to knowing how to sew a button, it helps to know how to cover a hole with a small embroidery or patch, find the shop that can replace your zipper or shorten a skirt or trousers.
Reincarnation of things. Something that’s “dead” to you may live on as something new for someone else. An old item can also be reborn with a new purpose. It’s an old joke that a coffee table can become a euro pallet, but no joke – an old fur coat can become slippers, jeans and dress shirts can become shopping bags, purses, wallets, etc.
Host a swap party with colleagues or friends. Clothes, books, dishes, toys, furniture – items that are no longer used in one home can save another household from buying something new.
Do the math: if something is 30% off, not buying it saves you the other 70%!
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming. Prepare wisely: think ahead about what you actually need, and check the regular price. That way, you’ll save money on something you genuinely need, and avoid impulse buys just because “it was so cheap!” (See previous point.)
If you’re used to treating or comforting yourself with shopping after a tough week, try finding new rewards. Rough week? – spend your shopping money on a massage instead! Did something big? – celebrate at a concert! Tight budget? – skip the sales, bundle up, take a thermos and sandwiches, head outside for hours and listen to the crashing sea or bubbling stream! (Also see the point before last.)
Rarely used items can be borrowed instead of bought.
Plan your Christmas gifts to avoid last-minute crisis shopping that brings no joy to the giver or the receiver. Ask your loved ones in advance to write a “letter to Santa” and take the time to find the right thing for each person. Also consider non-material or digital gifts. Instead of a random book, a cooking session in your kitchen, a nature trip, or a shared cultural experience might be more meaningful. Rather than stuff, a gym or massage voucher, or a subscription to a digital platform your giftee really appreciates can bring more joy. Food is always a good gift too – it doesn’t sit unused on a shelf – give fair trade chocolate, local farmers’ products, or homemade preserves. All of this also applies to birthdays.
If, after careful thought, it really makes sense to buy something new, choose something that lasts – and preferably from local producers. In the long run, it’s cheaper and saves your nerves too.