Conscious Consumer
What does it mean to be a conscious consumer?
We all need food, fibre and shelter. If you are in a position to be able to make a conscious choice about what you eat, wear and use for infrastructure, then you can play an important role in the creation of primary production that is healthy, sustainable and equitable for all involved in the supply chain.
RegenWA are keen to empower Western Australian consumers to connect with local producers who are sustainably producing food, fibre and shelter by incorporating regenerative practices and are community champions.
A big part of this is taking the time to understand how farmers use innovative ways to overcome challenges and navigate changing market demands to produce these products for us.
We all have different circumstances and values, so we are just providing a simplified guide to get you started so you can make your own conscious choices.
1. Understand the principles of regenerative agriculture.
2. Get to know your farmer – talk to them at the markets about their practices, what challenges they face and how they overcome them. Read our farmer case studies and watch some farmer videos below.
3. Gain insights into how to consciously consume. Sustainable Table and Open Food Network are great places to start.
4. Grow your own food! check out this Gardening Australia segment of a gardener who has adapted to Perth’s climate and transformed her backyard into a perennial food paradise.
5. Read more about how to be a conscious consumer.
Food for thought – True Cost Accounting
True Cost Accounting in food and farming reveals the real impacts of food production on the environment, animal welfare, and health, often overlooked in pricing. These costs that are are often hidden in water bills, taxes, and healthcare expenses, impact future generations or other countries.
On the flipside, positive benefits like biodiversity restoration go unrewarded. This creates a skewed pricing system where seemingly ‘cheap’ food carries high environmental and health costs, while sustainable options remain expensive and inaccessible. The aim of True Cost Accounting is to rectify this imbalance in the food and agriculture economy. Read more about it here.
Where can I purchase local, sustainable produce?
The benefits of products that are grown or produced locally and sustainably has had growing awareness. The attraction to local produce lies in the desire to be involved in the community, increased freshness, and in fewer transportation miles.
Local Farmers Markets: Check out farmers’ markets in your area. Many small-scale farmers who practice regenerative agriculture sell their produce directly to consumers at these markets. Visit markets such as the Kyilla Farmers Markets in North Perth, Farmers Markets on Manning, Subi Farmers Market in Subiaco, or the Margaret River Farmers’ Market. These markets often feature local producers who may employ regenerative practices.
These are just some of the great people producing and supplying regenerative and sustainable products in WA to get you started – please get in touch if you know of more organisations so we can share their story. Email us at info@regenwa.com
Get to know your farmer
Now more than ever, people are excited about food – they want to know the story behind their food and the hard-working families that produce it.
RegenWA want to help reconnect people to agriculture.
Head to the Resources page and search ‘case study’ to get to know the people behind your produce.
We support local and regional food systems by providing a platform for Western Australian farmers to share their stories and allowing consumers to appreciate the complexities that a farmer has to navigate to produce the food, fibre, and shelter humanity requires for survival.
Companies using their power to build natural capital
There are many ways you can support companies who are actively building grass-roots momentum in this space. Put your purchasing power behind these businesses, donate to their campaigns, or apply for a sustainability project grant through their funding initiatives:
Good Grain funds projects that grow and process grain in ways that put the health of soil, water, biodiversity, and people first: https://www.goodgrain.au/
Country Road‘s climate fund drives climate solutions in the fashion industry by supporting projects that incorporate their four pillars of First Nations, biodiversity, innovation, and circularity: https://www.countryroad.com.au/climatefund/
Patagonia supports environmental organisations with bold, direct-action agendas and a commitment to long-term change: https://www.patagonia.com.au/pages/how-we-fund
Lush offers funding to small, grass-roots groups delivering environmental projects, including regeneration and rewilding: https://www.lush.com/au/en/a/au-charity-pot-funding-guidelines
1% For The Planet offers businesses arond the globe simple solution to drive environmental impact and build credibility: https://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/
