How can we fix the environmental catastrophe? How do we battle monopolistic corporations? How to stop the sweatshops or improve overall workers’ rights and working conditions? How to keep public interests above private interests? At first, these challenges seem like they will remain even after we fix the political situation in our countries through democratic participation. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is called ethical consumerism.
In democratic societies with free-market economies, each one of us has the power of having a choice. Politically we can choose to support and participate for certain policy/movements/parties/candidates etc. And economically we can choose to buy or boycott certain products/services or choose to provide that product/service ourselves. That is the beauty of the system under which we currently live because our choices will directly shape local and global politics and economy. But, the most important barrier that you have to pass is yourself: you have to believe that your choices are making an impact, because your choices do make impact which can eco far into the future.
HOW TO BECOME ETHICAL CONSUMER
Everytime you are purchasing something you are sending an information to the supplier that there is a demand for that product/service. The information will encourage supplier to make more of the same products/services. If you choose not to make a purchase you are sending information to the supplier that there is no demand for that product/service and as result they will produce less of that certain product/service. If you care about the environment, workers rights and fair competition than it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to know every ethical detail about things you are purchasing and act based on that information. It is as simple as that and it is known as the law of supply and demand.
Here are some of the questions that will help you consume ethically:
- Do you need to buy that or you just want to buy that?
- If you buy tnat, will you use it?
- Can you find the sustainable option of that?
- Is the company you are buying from doing fair business?
- Can you buy it local?
- Can you buy it from the used market?
- Can you make it yourself?
- Can you burrow it from someone else?
- Can you rent it?
VALUE FOR THE MONEY
Unfortuatelly buying on the basis “best value for the money” is often in direct opposition with ethical consumerism. In order to provide the best value for the money suppliers can engage in unethical business practice which allow them to cut the costs of production. This can include anything from paying labor force low wages and not respecting worker’s rights to ignoring negative impact on the environment and undermining competitors. This does not necessarily apply to everything that has best value for the money but as an ethical consumer you have to make sure that you know everything about the supplier. Going a step further would include inspecting your supplier’s suppliers. In long term, best value for the money can cause least value for the human and the environment.
What goes around comes around perfectly applies to economy. When you base your purchasing decision solely on the best value for the money principle, perhaps you are deliberately maintaining unethical business behaviour which is making some worker’s life miserable. And if your working conditions are currently miserable it means other people are buying based on that principle for the company that you work for. Karma is mainly spiritual but it can be also economical. So lets start building our economic karma through ethical consumerism from now on and forever! Ethical consumerism has the true power to shape capitalism they way we want it to be but it all depends on YOU.
