While designing the website, we realised that we don’t just want people to find different brands to buy from, but the intention of the website is to discover and share alternatives. Which could be a brand, a different kind of energy provider, shoes, etc… but it could also be ‘living off grid’, or ‘fix your clothes’, ‘buy second hand’, etc…
Instead of buying new books, try swapping, borrowing, second hand. Here’s an article. If you buy new books, encourage those on recycled paper and using plant-based inks, like this one from Happy Pineapple. Putting pressure on publishers to move towards a regenerative approach to their business would definitely help.
Repairing your shoes and mending clothes is nothing new and it should be normal.
Considering that the world is already full of waste and non-recyclable materials that are gonna be around hundreds of years from now, and the fact that producing anything new comes with an impressive carbon footprint, I think we should focus on REDUCING, REUSING and UPCYPLING. These 3 can be applied to many areas of our existence
But there’s more. I’ll get back with suggestions. Thank you.
BTW, off the grid is great, but it’s against the law in some parts of the world. Crazy, I know.
Check out Rob Greenfield’s projects - documented alternatives to consumerism (conscious or not)
I would say that at the moment it doesn’t necessarily matter the exact type of content we publish as an "alternative guide’ but only the way we show it. Anca had the idea to show a type of badge on these elements that are not “products” / brands, but alternative guides.
I reckon a different type of grouping could help too (eg: “Alternative products” “Alternative solutions”).
It really depends on the goal of the website and why the users land there, if it is to promote products I’d say just focus on products. There’s a lot of information out there on how to do specific “things” better (like buying second hand, etc), but if I need a shirt and this service doesn’t give me a shirt then I’d go somewhere else.
If instead, you reckon that the general user would get value out of it keep these in, maybe less or more prominent depending on the value you think it actually adds to the common user.
As you’re saying, there are indeed lots of blogs talking about how to buy second hand, how to mend your socks etc, and people who want to specifically search for those topics, most likely end up on one of them.
However, we’re trying to address users who are searching for ethical products and services (ethical consumerists, the good on you crowd etc), who don’t think too much about repairing, fixing, diy, buying second hand etc, but would greatly benefit from suggestions like these. At least to see them, so maybe next time they will think of them (if they still want to buy a new ethical pair of shoes this time).
So I guess this is not the classical scenario of “build exactly what your users want” kind of project… it is that, but we also talk about what we (and our users) should do
Yes for sure, I’d imagine the same scenario, and in the end, thought that having those suggestions would never harm any users, but giving them the right relevance will create a better experience.
I’d imagine this “alternative solutions” list to be at the bottom of all other alternatives and just as a “list of tips” maybe with some “further readings” links (this way you could even track how many are interested in knowing more).
I would imagine an ethical directory should have a main heading for ethical transport. If sub headings are allowed then some to start off with would be: walking, cycling ( also covering, cargo trikes, touring, disabled cycling, etc,) other low impact forms such as roller skates and skate boards, sailing. Once the low impact forms of transport are covered then medium modes of transport can be applied, such as electric bicycles/trikes, electric skateboards, electric scooters etc.
You should also include sections for public transport and then another for other types of general transport. It would probably be best to start with what we have and let it grow organically, so as to just include what is of interest to the users.
