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CUSU Little Green Book 1997
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Ethical Shopping
It is often said that we are ruled by the forces of the market. The truth is: we are the forces of the market. The whole of the economy, no matter how opaque it seems to the individual, ultimately rests upon you, the consumer. No toxic batteries, no excessive packaging, no washing powder with phosphate would ever be produced if we, the consumers, wouldnıt buy them. This is one arena where we donıt have to wait for big politics to make a change.
The most frequent argument in discussions about ethical buying choices is that 'they cost too much'. In many cases, this is simply not true. A short visit to Sainsbury's will confirm that the 'bad' products are often the more expensive ones, the most striking example being vegetables packaged in mountains of plastic that are significantly more expensive than their loose equivalents.
With every single washing powder claiming to be eco-friendly and a new product being boycotted by someone every day, it's easy to get overwhelmed and lose all hope of making responsible decisions. But making a positive impact by how and what you buy is easier than it seems. Becoming more aware of your decisions how you make them, why you make them, and that you make them is far more important than knowing every single fact about tuna fishing and landfill policies you donıt need to study a green consumer guide for hours to realize that buying apples from New Zealand is probably not such a good idea, or that buying Fair Trade coffee or tea is probably less exploitative of people in the Third World than buying 'regular' brands. (Of course, it still doesnıt hurt to have a consumer guide handy for less obvious cases...)
Here are some general questions you can ask yourself to make your buying decisions more conscious:
Is it overpackaged? What's the environmental impact of its production process? What will its environmental impact be when it's used? Has it come from much further away than necessary? Is it produced by a company known to be negligent of the environment? Does it exploit or benefit people in the Third World? Do I really need this? By the way your influence as a consumer can extend much further than your own private shopping. As a member of a college, department and university, you can influence what's used and what isn't. Make your voice heard!
Far-fetched Fruit
A lot of products have more negative impact on the environment by being transported over absurd distances than by their entire production process.
Europe has a perfect climate for most fruits there is no need whatsoever to import apples from New Zealand. Even given that some fruits seem to thrive only in the plains of Urugay, the question arises: do we really need them? Often, making a conscious choice as a consumer means exercising the right not to buy.
Market Stalls
Market stalls are Cambridgeıs real treasure. Youıre blessed with living in a market town situated in Englandıs most fertile region make sure you use it! It's a lot cheaper than Sainsbury's, and the queues are shorter. Healthy, locally grown, seasonable produce in paper bags purchased under the open sky is a really good start for the day.
Fair Trade
As a consumer, you have the choice of participating in the exploitation of the Third World, or doing everything you can to make world trade fair and making your money go to the producers rather than the traders. There are lots of fair-traded products to choose from why not try them out?!
Clothing
In Britain alone, people throw away one million tons of clothing every year. Finishes, dyes and other chemicals used in the treatment of textiles exert an environmental toll, as does the processing of raw materials, like wood pulp and petro-chemicals in the production of synthetic fibers. Many of these substances are known or suspected carcinogens. Also, most cheep clothing is produced by underpaid labourers in the Third World. It is our excessive desire for new clothing which is at the root of these problems.
It's up to us
- Look for clothes made from recycled fibers
- Ask for unbleached and green cotton
- Look for eco-friendly labels
- Recycle clothes, or pass them on to others or Oxfam
Washing & Cleaning
As far as detergents and washing powders are concerned, beware of products containing phosphates, bleaches and optical whiteners.
Phosphates disturb the ecological balance of water bodies and lead to excessive growth of algae. The greenest cleaning products are probably the ones from Ecover. Try to avoid dry cleaning; handwashing is often just as good.
Water
The average Briton uses around 130 litres of water a day. This means flooded vallies for reservoirs, as well as a major disturbance of aqueous ecosystems. There are lots of ways to save water: stop taps from dripping, replace baths by showers, only half-flush your toilet, turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, only boil as much water as you need when using the kettle, ...
Recycled Paper
Collecting paper for recycling is important, but itıs only one half of a loop that needs to be closed. Recycled paper is currently more expensive than the one made from fresh tree corpses, but thatıs mainly because not enough people are buying it. Most shops that sell toilet paper have a recycled variety; this should be made from low grade waste (recycled newspapers and magazines) so that high grade waste can be made into stationery and printing products. Look for paper made from post-consumer waste, as opposed to factory offcuts.
Bulbs & Batteries
Low energy bulbs make a lot of difference in the long run most of the energy in ordinary light bulbs is lost as heat. Try to avoid non-rechargeable batteries (many colleges provide a recharger), and if you do use them, look for ones that are recycled and/or can be sent to the producer for recycling after use. Avoid cadmium and mercury wherever possible.
Plastic
There are over fifty types of plastic, made from valuable resources such as oil, natural gas and coal. They take a fair amount of energy to produce and do not biodegrade readily. This long life span is totally inappropriate for their rampant throw-away usage. Some plastics, like PVC, pose health risks when improperly incinerated. Plastic is difficult to recycle; however, recycled plastic sacks and bin liners are readily available, and the Body Shop sells a range of recycled bath accessories.
It's up to us
Avoid plastic packaging Bring your own bag for shopping Refuse plastic bags in shops
Cosmetics
Almost all cosmetics are extensively tested on animals. Honesty and Polma are two brands that arenıt. The Body Shop actively opposes animal testing; theyıre also ex-panding their range of fair- traded products and offer refills on their plastic bottles.
Banking
Many high street banks are involved in the Third World debt crisis and the arms trade. The Cooperative Bank (near the Grafton Centre) has a clear ethical policy and avoids unethical and environmentally damaging investments.
Organic Produce
Conventional agriculture uses lots of pesticides and other chemicals. The Soil Association has drawn up certain standards of production that farmers must meet to use their "organic" label; the resulting produce is healthier for both you and the environment. While free-range eggs are preferable to ones from battery hens, the standards for "organic" eggs are more strict.
Kit-Kats, Lion Bars, Butterfingers ...
Nestlé are widely critized for their aggressive marketing of baby milk in the Third World. If you want to join the boycott, stop buying Nescafé and its chocolate friends.
Saving Energy
Switching off lights and monitors when you donıt need them, putting lids on pots and pans, checking your windows for drafts and closing them when the heating is on, putting on a jumper instead of turning up the heating, keeping doors shut and closing curtains at night can make a bigger difference than you might think. In the unlikely event that you need to buy a fridge or a washing machine, make sure to take its environmental impact into account.
Fast Food
You may have heard of the verdict in the 'McLibel' trial, where McDonald's lost on several important points, including their cruel treatment of animals, deliberate depression of wages and specific targeting of children in adverts. Generally, fast food often comes with a lot of packaging.
Little Things
- Tipp-Ex and glue use solvent-free
- Recycle printer cartridges
- Buy returnable bottles
- Take stairs, not lifts
- Buy economy packs
- Reuse envelopes
- Avoid aerosols
Further Reading
When you become more aware of your role as a consumer and the choices you're making day by day, you realize how little we know about the things we buy. The suggestions in this section are a good start, but if you want to go beyond them, a consumer guide will soon become indispensable. Many of the ideas for this section were taken from the Green Consumer Guide by John Elkington and Julia Hailes, published by Gollancz, some are from the Buy Recycled Shopping Guide published by the Cambridge City Council.