Alejandra Cerda Ojensa: Asking the right sustainability questions

I got an email the other day from a brand that wanted me to feature their products on my Instagram where I post about sustainable living. I had previously checked out the brand; they have a well-designed website, a nice logo, and beautiful colours in their paint collection. I was happy to read their pitch – they had clearly taken the time to give me a good feeling.

I went on their website and clicked on ‘Sustainability’ in the menu with high hopes – but found nothing to impress me, rather the opposite to be honest. It made me think of how difficult it is for individuals to make good choices, even when we want to.

Having been in the sustainability field for a while, I now know the questions I want answers to before I decide to purchase a product: where was the product made? Who made the product and are they paid a living wage? Is the product made from renewable and natural materials or is it made from plastic? What happens with the waste they produce?

But if I had less experience making conscious sustainable choices, the chances are high I wouldn’t know what to look for on the sustainability page – and I would most likely have believed they were environmentally friendly.

I wish we didn’t need to be this well-informed to make good decisions, but until sustainability policies become less money-driven, we will all need to make wise choices. Asking companies how and with which materials they work is a good start.

Alejandra Cerda Ojensa is a Swedish sustainability blogger based in Copenhagen. She loves sustainable fashion, plant-based food, natural wines and music, and writes a column for Scan Magazine about sustainable lifestyle.

Instagram: @alejandracerda.co