Ethical living
Over the past year I have become increasingly aware of my responsibility as a consumer. I have realised that almost everything we buy has a negative effect on people and our environment. It is a fact that workers are exploited while profit margins increase, or that small scale producers may not be paid a fair price for their goods. The world too is affected through the resources consumed making and transporting what we buy to support our comfortable lifestyle, right through to the way we dispose of things when we consider them to be exhausted.
What can I do?
I am quite a conservative, middle-class sort of person, politically central but open to new ideas. I'm not usually the type to be championing these ideals, but I believe that it is my responsibility as a Christian to promote ethical trade and to consider the environmental impact of my decisions. I am sharing the resources I have found useful so that you too can make a difference.
What are the main issues?
"If I choose to buy an eco-friendly washing-up liquid, a fairly traded coffee, or
switch to a 'green' energy supplier then I am supporting those companies, and
sending a message to the organisations I choose not to support."
» Why buy ethically?
Ethical shopping: Food
A lot of the food we buy is processed not to promote health and taste, but to benefit the supply chain through an increased shelf-life, for example. The excess with which most products are packaged causes far more waste than is really necessary and the fantastic distances that most produce travels contributes to a wider environmental impact than you probably realise.
What to consider?
Four things to remember...
- Locally produced
- Organic
- Fairly traded
- Packaged without excess, and with reusable, recyclable materials
Locally produced food is better for the environment and your local economy: "A New Economics Foundation study found that for every £10 spent on local food,
the real worth in local wealth generation is £25, as opposed to just £14 if spent in a
local supermarket. Therefore, support your nearest farmers' market."
» Do try this at home, 24/06/2004
There are so many health issues raised with what goes into our food that it's no wonder
that Organic food is becoming so popular. Fewer pesticides means a better environment too.
» We are what we eat
Where products are sourced internationally I belive that we should pay a fair
price for the goods to those that produced them. Don't you? A base price is guaranteed
whatever the market rate is for the commodity. This allows producers to plan for the future.
» What is FairTrade?
The amount of materials used to package food is excessive. There are many examples of huge plastic tubs full of empty space when a paper or thin plastic wrapper would do just as well (and may even look better). There is more too - you may not even see the packaging used to transport the item to the shop. Try to choose items with the least packaging.
Ethical shopping: Clothes, electronics, banks, everything!
It is not just in where we buy our food that we can make a difference.
Everything we buy has an impact somewhere
and it is up to us to make an intelligent, informed decision.
Everything should be considered, from the garment manufacturers who work all the hours in a day
through to whether you agree that your bank is investing in the arms trade. What a minefield!
The Good Shopping Guide is a resource that I have found particularly helpful in making these decisions. It
states the facts in a simple, accessible and unbiased format.
» The Good Shopping Guide
My Choices
I have listed a summary of things that I have chosen to support, and those which lose out as a
result of my decision to move.
» The practical steps I have taken to make a difference (so far).
