'Sustainable Choice' directory launches to prompt environmentally conscious shopping

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If climate change and pollution is the problem, then consumption is the culprit. Buying fast fashion and using products that are unethically made or procured is having a detrimental impact on our environment.

But often those who are motivated to make the change to greener alternatives are unsure where to start or fatigued by the challenge of distinguishing fact from fiction when it comes to keeping on top of sustainable best practices.

Sustainablechoice.com is an independent platform that's been designed to help inform customers about the sustainable practices their favourite brands do or do not have, and educate Australian consumers on how to ethically shop with confidence.

It is impossible to overstate the importance of changing the way Australians consume, so let's understand what this platform aims to achieve.

Fast fashion may be a guilty habit of many Australians, but Sustainable Choice highlights brands in many other sectors. Users of the platform can click into food/drink, home/garden, fashion and clothing, health and beauty, pet care, travel, utilities, business, technology, financial services, motor, construction and retailers.

For example, if customers wanted to learn which car hire brands are committed to more sustainable outcomes, they'll find Europcar is listed with a comprehensive explanation of the brand, its green mission, and the actions being taken. Brands that fail to deploy such processes will be absent from the website, regardless of their profile.

Sustainable Choice is one of the first platforms of its kind in Australia and cuts through ambiguous terms and claims to provide real actions and missions that brands have committed to.

Sustainable Choice has cleverly created a space that not only serves Australian consumers but also brands which are or are willing to enhance their environmental offerings. This independent platform profiles such brands, with a link to their website.

In a saturated market with Google rankings and clever social media marketing - brands are essentially promoted for their merit, with the vote of confidence coming from a third-party provider. This can be a game-changer if a brand's competition is a large company with local or national dominance.

Still in its infancy, Sustainable Choice will continue to assess brands new and familiar to the market and decide if their practices are up to scratch based on the growing accountability expected of modern, ethical brands.

In addition to educating Australians about the benefits of sustainable brand choices, the website also features articles on a wide range of topics. They cover things like best practice how-tos, brands to look out for, what supermarkets are doing right and wrong, and other social issues impacting the environment.

One article captured my attention as I love Tasmanian salmon and frequently purchase it from supermarkets. The article included a deep dive into the Tasmanian farming industry, what information was present and omitted from the label and the takeaways from that research.

Rather than taking information from the brands themselves, Sustainable Choice encourages customers to interrogate the practices of their favourite brands. The information about brands is there, but the platform also aims to empower its users to learn what information to look for and what components contribute to a sustainable choice.

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