In this third article of our series on The Conscious Consumer, we examine the question: What is an environmentally conscious person? In case you missed reading them earlier, please check out the previous two articles in this series: The Conscious Consumer and Conscious Eating.

As climate change becomes an undeniable reality, the importance of taking care of the environment has become more urgent than ever.

At a high level, we believe that an environmentally conscious person takes the time in their life to develop three key mindsets, which then leads to three key behaviors.

3 Key Mindsets of an Environmentally Conscious Person

1. They realize their identity does not stop at their own skin level. They have an ability to mentally understand how everything is interconnected, even though they may not be able to see these connections. As described in the previous article on Conscious Eating, the meal you just ate is literally now a part of you. Besides being connected spatially, we are the product of the choices and actions taken by our ancestors many generations ago, and likewise the choices we make now will leave their impact for generations to come. 
2. They have empathy. Intellectually knowing that we are interconnected across space and time is one key element, but also caring for the suffering of others (potentially still unborn and across different continents) who will be impacted by our everyday choices is another equally key attribute. 
3. They have an impulse towards coherence in their lives and a desire to make changes. With this knowledge and empathy, the environmentally conscious individual will then have an impulse towards leading a coherent life and will make adjustments whenever necessary. As a simple example: Just because you grew up always using plastic bags at the grocery store, it does not prevent you from making the switch to carry your own multi-use bag.

With these three key mindsets developed, an environmentally conscious person will then engage in three key high-level behaviors.

3 Key Behaviors of an Environmentally Conscious Person

1. They Mindfully Consume and Conserve. One of the characteristics of an environmentally conscious person is their consumption habits. They prioritize using the resources they need, rather than mindlessly consuming everything in sight. They try to minimize waste and choose to use products that leave a minimal impact on the environment, including products that are easily recyclable, biodegradable, or reusing items that would otherwise be thrown away.
       They make conscious choices to reduce their carbon footprint by opting for more sustainable alternatives, such as electric vehicles, public transport, or bicycles. An environmentally conscious person puts a lot of thought into what they consume, including their food choices.
       They will consciously try to reduce the amount of energy they consume by minimizing their electricity and water usage, ensuring they switch off electronics before they leave the house and using smart appliances. They also conserve natural resources in their daily life by reducing water consumption and recycling as much as possible. An environmentally conscious person tends to avoid single-use products like plastic bottles, straws, and bags.
2. Sustainably Invest and Grow. An environmentally conscious person is always looking for opportunities to invest in sustainable products. They may choose to purchase products made using recycled materials or natural materials. By investing in environmentally friendly products, they leverage their purchasing power to play an active role in supporting businesses and companies that prioritize sustainability.
       An environmentally conscious person may create their own sustainable garden or participate in a neighborhood collective garden. They also compost non-toxic waste, which decreases the amount of garbage that ends up in landfills and serves as a natural way to create rich, organic soil that can be used in gardening.
3. Effectively Advocate and Educate. An environmentally conscious person is not just aware of the impact their own actions have, but they're also actively trying to educate others on how and why to make smarter environmentally friendly choices. They use the resources available to learn more about the problems our planet is facing and use the information to spread awareness and encourage others.
       Parallel with education, an environmentally conscious person is an advocate for environmentally friendly policies. They try to educate legislators on the consequences of their actions and influence policies that will help promote sustainability. They try to influence businesses to incorporate environmentally friendly practices into their production processes, resulting in more environmentally friendly and ethical practices and products.

What do you think? Do you agree that these three mindsets and three behaviors would lead to a healthier planet? What else would you add to this list? Please drop a comment or send us an email (ConsciousConsumer@SemperaOrganics.com) and we will feature the most interesting comments from readers in our future articles in this series.