Responsible consumption implies applying the well-known basic rules of sustainability, which were originally expressed in the “3 Rs” (reduce, reuse, recycle) and have recently been expanded to 7 or even 10: rethink, reject, reduce, reuse, refill, renew, recover, repair, return, recycle. Reducing the consumption of all kinds of goods and services means saving on raw materials, energy, water, land occupation, and producing less pollution and waste by having to manufacture less things.

To achieve a more responsible mode of consumption, the role of the consumer is essential, since it is the market demand that drives the supply. Consequently, assigning a part of the responsibility to the consumer is necessary to achieve a more conscious way of life. Do not forget that 'you can do more' for society, for the planet and even for yourself.

Consumers are required to bet on reducing consumption, and that can be made by reusing. That is, avoiding the discard of goods that are still useful, simply because they can buy it new. And when a good is no longer suitable for use, the right thing to do is to dispose of its waste in such a way that it can be recovered as raw material, used in other processes or simply thrown away without a negative impact on the environment.

A cultural change for turning our mindset from ‘use-and-throw-away’ mode of consumption to ‘reduce-reuse-recycle’ is extremely necessary.

Developing a more responsible consumption is positive for individuals and families: austerity makes people stronger, more resilient and autonomous. By limiting unnecessary consumption, we not only save money, but we also strengthen our willpower and the ability to control our lives, creating habits that in the long term will benefit our mind, our health and our finances.

In families, in addition to representing significant savings, moderating consumption is very educational for children and young people, since they learn to give value to things and incorporate these habits into their lives.

When reusing goods, it is often necessary to think about new functionalities and uses, about how to repair or renovate them. This gesture enhances creativity, ingenuity and the capacity for innovation, opening minds.

A shocking indicator is Earth Overcapacity Day, also called Ecological Debt Day, which indicates on which day of the year we have exhausted all existing natural resources for the entire year, so we are consuming beyond what we have. The EOD has been advanced from December 29 in 1970 to July 28 in 2022: we are needing almost 2 planets to sustain our way of life and that figure in developed countries raises to 2.5-3 planets.