The Power of Purchase - Conscientious Consumerism
The power of purchase
What is conscientious consumerism?
Conscientious consumerism is exactly what is sounds like - being conscious, or "mindful" about what you buy. More than that, the conscientious consumer considers products for their sustainability.
From the cars we drive to the food we eat, everything we purchase is a choice.
For example, there are tons of different brands of eggs at the supermarket to choose from. Normally our first impulse is to shop by price, because, hey, everyone wants to hang onto their hard-earned cash, right? But, wait! Are all eggs created equal?
The answer here, and in the case of every other product or service out there on the market, is a resounding "NO."
A conscientious consumer makes deliberate choices to shop companies that are doing all they can to pursue the...
three pillars of sustianability
Also known as the 3 P's :
People
Planet
Profit
The "people" aspect ensures that people employed by the company or affected by it in any way are safe, healthy, and, in the case of the employee, paid a fair wage.
The "planet" aspect ensures that the environment is not unduly harmed by any of the company's activities.
For example, methane released into the atmosphere is an "externality" of cattle farming; this is because cattle produce a lot of methane (one of the most potent green house gasses!), but farmers are not required to offset their emissions and the price of beef does not reflect the environmental "cost" (what it would cost to either offset or remediate these emissions) of the operation.
Especially sustainable companies even attempt to address their "externalities" - effects they have on people or the environment that they are not legally responsible for and are not reflected in the price of the goods or services.
And finally, the "profit" aspect of sustainability ensures that company is structured in a way that ensures its longevity. For example, a zero waste company may be sustainable environmentally, but if their profits aren't enough to keep them afloat, then their model is not "sustainable" and they will go out of business.
If conscientious consumerism sounds like an insurmountable task, it's not! There are many resources out there to help you be a more informed consumer. To name a few:
a website called Good on You is an easy way to look into the sustainability of clothing companies. It's also an app, so you can use it on the fly!
you can look for any green certifications held by the company, such as the LEED certification for buildings, USDA Organic certification for food, and Energy Star certification for appliances.
Green America is a nonprofit with a great directory that lists green products and services of all kinds.
Every dollar you spend is a vote you cast for the kind of world you want to live in!
By Eve Carey