Buy Less, Live More: Rethinking Our Shopping Habits for a Greener Future

Think about your own shopping habits.

Do you carefully choose a few pieces you love and wear often? Or do you tend to buy a lot — sometimes more than you really need?

Many of us fall somewhere in the middle. But what we buy, how often we buy it, and what we do with our old clothes can have a big impact — not just on our wallets, but on the environment too.

In today’s lesson, we’ll explore how our shopping habits shape the world around us — and how small changes can make a big difference.

📖 A Blogger’s Slow Fashion Summer

Okay y’all, the Slow Fashion Summer has started! Let me explain what it means for me.

Some weeks ago, I decided to take part in a challenge called “The Slow Fashion Summer.” This meant I was not allowed to shop until I drop or buy any new clothes at all for three months. The only things I could do? Swap clothes with friends or buy second-hand.

At first, I thought it would be impossible. But something started to shift. I cleaned out my wardrobe and donated clothes to charity. I’ve also put away items I wasn’t sure about — just to see if I’d miss them. So far, I haven’t.

More importantly, I’ve been learning to tell the difference between wanting something and needing it. I used to buy clothes just because they were new — or because I could pick up a bargain. Now, I only buy something if I truly need it.

I’ve been trying to stop myself from using my loyalty cards at my favourite shops. It’s not easy — but it helps! I still go to the mall when I need practical work clothes, but for everything else, I stick to second-hand shops. It’s better value for money, and honestly, I love the treasure hunt!

Next summer, I’m definitely doing this challenge again. I’ve learned to look great on a tight budget — and I feel good knowing I’m creating less landfill waste. Who’s with me?

🧠 Vocabulary Builder (in text as bold words)

• landfill — a place where waste is buried under the ground

• loyalty card — a card offering discounts to regular shoppers

• mall — a large shopping center with many stores

• tight budget — when you don’t have much money to spend

• value for money — when something is worth the price

• pick up a bargain — to buy something at a very low price

• to shop until you drop — to shop for a long time, usually buying a lot

• swap — to exchange something you own with someone else

🔤 Grammar Focus: Present Perfect Continuous

We use the Present Perfect Continuous to talk about activities that started in the past and are still happening — or have recently stopped and have a visible result.

Structure:
have/has + been + verb-ing

📝 Examples from the text:

• I’ve been learning to tell the difference between wanting and needing.

• I’ve been trying to stop using loyalty cards.

Use this tense when:

• You want to show the duration of an activity.

• The activity has been in progress recently.

• You want to express an ongoing process or habit change.

🧐 Now try this:
Which of these are Present Perfect Continuous and why?

• I’ve donated clothes to charity.

• I’ve been avoiding fast fashion.

• I’ve just found a vintage jacket.

• I’ve been trying to recycle more.

📝 Reading Comprehension Quiz

1️⃣ What was the main rule of the Slow Fashion Summer challenge?
2️⃣ What did the blogger do with clothes she didn’t need?
3️⃣ What kind of clothes does she go to the mall for?
4️⃣ Why does she like buying second-hand?
5️⃣ What is she trying to stop herself from using?
6️⃣ What has she been learning during the challenge?
7️⃣ Would she like to do the challenge again?

✅ Quiz Answers

• She wasn’t allowed to buy any new clothes.

• She donated some and put others away to test if she missed them.

• She goes to the mall for practical work clothes.

• Because it’s better value for money and fun.

• Loyalty cards from her favorite shops.

• The difference between wanting and needing.

• Yes, she’s planning to do it again next summer.

🗨️ Discuss These Questions

• Which picture best describes your attitude to clothes? Why?

• Do you buy new clothes often, or do you prefer second-hand or swapping?

• Have you ever tried to reduce your shopping? What was it like?

• Could you go 3 months without buying new clothes? Why or why not?

🌍 Interesting Facts & Figures About Fast Fashion

• More than 92 million tonnes of textiles end up in landfills every year — that’s one garbage truck every second.

• The fashion industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions, more than international flights and shipping combined.

• Hong Kong residents throw away 1,400 T-shirts every minute, according to Greenpeace.

• The average person buys 60% more clothing today than 15 years ago but wears each item half as much.

💡 Reflect & Predict the Future

Imagine it’s 200 years in the future. People have realized how dangerous waste is for the planet. Here's what they’ve been doing right:

• They’ve been planting trees in cities to reduce pollution.

• They’ve been developing new technology like 3D-printed houses and smart air-filtering panels.

• They’ve been turning cities into gardens, recycling water and reusing materials.

Which of these would you like to see in your city? Why?

👉 Visit Henry English Hub to explore more reading comprehension posts, vocabulary builders, grammar tips, and real-world English content for motivated learners like you.

Whether you're working on fluency, focus, or just want engaging topics to read about, you’ll find it here.

Real English. Real Stories. Learn, Think, Preserve.

©2025 Henry English Hub. All rights reserved.