These eco-friendly items that we overconsume

How many water bottles, reusable bags or lunch accessories are lying around your house? A lot ? You are not the only ones. These objects, sold as being more ecological than their plastic counterparts, often accumulate in our drawers. Why do we overconsume objects that are supposed to last us for life?

Reusable water bottles

The days of plastic water bottles are (almost) over. Many people have a bottle that they carry around everywhere. And the habit is well established. In 2021, nine out of ten Canadian households had at least one member who used their own water bottle, according to Statistics Canada.

Companies have noticed the popularity of these reusable versions, including the latest darling of fans of water bottles and cups: Stanley. Its Quencher model has sold more than 10 million copies, and the company’s revenues have increased from US73 million in 2019 to US750 million in 2023, according to a CNBC projection.

But how can we hold back in the face of new colors, new formats and models of bottles that appear almost every week? “A single bottle could do the trick, but we are constantly in demand,” says Amélie Guèvremont, full professor in the marketing department at ESG UQAM. There are always consumer desires. »

“A bottle of water, it’s no big deal to buy one. It’s not keeping it and buying others that’s serious,” explains Mélissa de La Fontaine, co-founder of the Incita cooperative and zero-waste lifestyle advisor and facilitator.

According to a Quantis study, commissioned by Nestlé in 2010, a new aluminum bottle should be used 10 to 20 times to offset its environmental impact against that of a (single-use) plastic bottle marketed as sustainable.

We often underestimate the resources required to manufacture the object and its life cycle. Reusable aluminum, plastic and steel bottles produce around 1.5 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent, according to the study by Quantis and Nestlé. The plastic bottle (single-use) emits just under 0.15 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent. “Reusable objects have a larger environmental footprint than single-use objects. It will become competitive when it is used over several years,” explains Mélissa de La Fontaine.

Lunch accessories

Stainless steel straws, reusable snack bags, lunch containers in all possible sizes and designs. Accessories for lunch time abound in the boutiques. These objects are valued while we are told to reduce our waste, especially the individual packaging that reigns in the snack aisles.

Alexandra Perreault remembers that when she started out in the zero waste lifestyle, she bought several of these items, particularly for cooking and lunch, which ultimately turned out to be useless. “I bought reusable straws and I was proud to show them off, but in the end, I used them four times,” says the president of the Longueuil Zero Waste Movement. Plus, I already had straws at home, so that creates another type of waste. »

“I have reusable Ziploc-type bags, but I wouldn’t tell people to run out and buy them if you don’t know if you’re going to use them,” explains Mélissa de La Fontaine. The question is: “Are you actually going to use them and do you need to have 14 versions of the same thing?” »

Some accessories never even offset their environmental impacts despite the number of uses. This is the case for bamboo straws and beeswax wraps. A study published in 2021 in theInternational Journal of Life Cycle Assessment concluded that these had a higher incidence than their plastic counterparts – even when used many times – due to the manual washing required after each use.

Reusable bags

Reusable bags, large and small, surely accumulate in your car or cupboards. Not to mention the grocery bags, which we sometimes forget when we arrive at our destination, which forces us… to buy more.

“There are bags with special editions, with designs for example by local designers or artists. It’s really pretty, but it makes you want to eat it,” believes Amélie Guèvremont. In addition to being a fashion accessory, the reusable bag has become a must-have for responsible consumers who should never shop without it, says the professor.

Alexandra Perreault was tempted, a few years ago, by bulk bags, which replace small plastic bags for packaging fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. A sort of lure, according to her, since she did not use plastic bags any more than bulk bags during her shopping.

A cotton bag, for example, would need to be used at least 7,100 times to be a truly eco-friendly alternative to the classic plastic bag, according to a 2018 estimate from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, due to the large quantities of energy and water required for its production and its effect on the ozone layer. Cotton bags are also difficult to recycle, reducing their environmental qualities.

What to do ?

“It’s difficult to go against the grain of marketing. Marketing is very, very strong, it’s powerful,” concedes Alexandra Perreault, who believes that the zero waste movement has perhaps been taken up by companies to sell new objects.

Mélissa de La Fontaine speaks frankly about “reformatting” her brain to think differently. We must first become aware of our purchasing habits and our needs, she says, and then we can ask ourselves if we really need the new fashionable ecological object.

Alexandra Perreault suggests searching your home first to see if you don’t already have something that could fulfill the desired function. Otherwise, you can borrow the desired item. We can also look at the used side before eyeing the new side. But we should not aim for perfection, she reminds us. We take it one step at a time.