Sustainable Consumption

What is sustainable consumption?

Sustainable consumption is the use of goods and services required to meet basic needs and improve quality of life without placing at risk the needs of future generations. Consumption by households includes the selection, purchase, use, maintenance, repair and disposal of any product or service.

The link between sustainable consumption and sustainable development was stressed in the 2002 Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development which states: "poverty eradication, changing consumption and production patterns, and protecting and managing the natural resource base for economic and social development are overarching objectives of and essential requirements for sustainable development"¹ .

What is the Office of Consumer Affairs doing?

The actions that consumers take and the consumption and lifestyle choices they make can have positive or negative impacts on the social, environmental and economic well-being of individuals, households and communities.

The Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) recognizes that there are practical challenges for individuals in changing consumption behaviours. The Office is working with key stakeholders to take part in research and policy development on appropriate instruments, tools and consumer information products to promote and support sustainable consumption in the marketplace.

To learn more about the topic of sustainable consumption and to find out what you can do, check out the information below.

Selected Federal Government Programs, Information, Grants and Rebates to Assist Consumers in Making Sustainable Choices in the Marketplace

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• ecoENERGY initiatives are designed to help you save money while saving energy. It's all about using less and living better. This website includes information on ecoENERGY for Personal Vehicles, ecoENERGY Retrofit : Grants for Residential Property Owners, Energy-Efficient Equipment, ENERGY STAR® Qualified Products, Energy-Efficient New Homes, ecoAUTO Rebate Program, etc.
• Environment Canada has created an online database where you can find various grants, rebates, discounts and other incentives available to help use less energy, switch to renewable energy and produce less waste at home and on the road. The database includes municipal, provincial/territorial and federal programs and incentives. To start searching, visit www.incentivesandrebates.ca.

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Canadian Ecolabels

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To make purchases with the least environmental impact you should look for a label of certification. In Canada there are two government-backed ecolabelling programs.

EcoLogo^M

EcoLogo^M products have been assessed for their environmental impacts across their entire life cycle – that is from the moment the raw materials are acquired through to the manufacturing, transportation, distribution, use and disposal of the product. EcoLogo^M products are the "best in class" on issues such as energy use, amount of recycled material, hazardous substances and water use.

ENERGY STAR®

The international ENERGY STAR symbol is a simple way for consumers to identify products that are among the most energy-efficient on the market. Only manufacturers and retailers whose products meet the ENERGY STAR criteria can label their products with this symbol.

To know more about the above ecolabels, please visit the Canadian Consumer Handbook.

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The Consumer Role in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

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Consumers have an important role in encouraging businesses to adopt and advance corporate social responsibility (CSR).

CSR is a concept that has attracted growing attention from companies in Canada and around the world. CSR has been described as the business role in sustainable development. It's an approach to doing business that pays attention to economic, environmental and social performance, with the aim of continuously improving all three.

To learn more about CSR and how consumers can become more involved, visit the Consumer Role in CSR web page from Industry Canada.

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What can consumers do to help the environment?

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This section lists resources that you can consult to get more information on various environmental topics such as pollution prevention (at work, at school, in the yard, etc.), health issues and the environment, energy efficiency and more.

Environment Canada

• The Canadian Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse (CPPIC) is a comprehensive resource that provides Canadians with the information they need to put pollution prevention into practice.
• The National Office of Pollution Prevention has developed several pollution prevention (P2) fact sheets. These fact sheets cover topics including pollution prevention activities, best practices, and activities that individual Canadians, companies, and government departments can incorporate into everyday life.

Health Canada

• The Environmental and Workplace Health section offers information and advice on some of the most common environmental factors that affect human health: air, noise, soil and water pollution, climate change, environmental contaminants, occupational health and safety, pest control and radiation.

Natural Resources Canada – Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE)

• The OEE provides practical energy conservation advice to consumers, school boards, businesses and institutions, and has links to hundreds of related sites around the world. To view the list of programs offered by the OEE, visit their website.

Canadian Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC)

• Comparing Neighbourhoods for Sustainable Features guide can help you compare neighbourhoods for certain aspects of affordability, livability and the environment.
• By reducing the environmental impact of housing, EQuilibrium homes can help make sustainable communities a reality across the country. Find out how EQuilibrium Housing can enhance the quality of life of Canadians through healthier, more efficient and more comfortable homes.

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¹ United Nations. Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development, Available at: http://www.un.org. Back to text