Consumer goods
Key figures
Consumer goods account for ¼ of French national greenhouse gas emissions.
If everyone on Earth lived like the French, we would need 2.9 planets’ worth of natural resources to keep up.
The fashion industry is the 3rd biggest sector in terms of water use behind rice and wheat production.
What you can do right now
Buy sustainable clothing: while the production of 1kg of cotton uses between 7,000 and 29,000 litres of water, flax – used to make linen – can subsist on rainwater alone. One hectare of flax absorbs 3.7 tons of CO2 per year.
Carry out regular maintenance on your household appliances and white goods: 1 out of every 2 products brought in for after sales service is suffering from poor maintenance.
Avoid single-use plastic products (straws, cups, bottles, bags). Plastic is not infinitely recyclable: an estimated 40% of the original materials are lost during the recycling process.
A virtuous circle of daily action
EMPLOYMENT
3% of jobs depend on the circular economy in France, or the equivalent of 800,000 full-time positions.
SOCIAL
Setting up local collaborative consumption networks facilitates social inclusion and contact between people.
BUDGET
Prolonging the life of your household appliances by one year rather than replacing them will allow you to save €963 over 10 years.