SPEAKER: I’m happy to see so many people here tonight to participate in our lecture series on consumer awareness. Last week we talked about home buying, and this week we are going to discuss a topic of great relevance to our generation: ethical consumerism.

Without a doubt, globalisation has changed the consumer landscape. We’ve all joked about how impossible it is to find items in a store that are not made in China.  So, it’s no secret that international trade has increased competition in many markets, and has resulted in the monopoly of certain industries by countries with the ability to produce more for less. This isn’t necessarily a negative development. After all, competition can be good...it results in lower prices for us, the consumer, right? 

But there’s a dark side to the global market, and that’s exploitation. Our demand for cheaper products is fuelling unethical business practises that prioritise profit over human, animal, and environmental well-being. Sweat shops, factory farming, deforestation...these are the realities behind those seemingly amazing deals at the mega stores.

One way we can counteract this trend is to become ethical consumers. What are ethical consumers, you ask? They are people who make consumer choices informed by morals and an orientation towards social responsibility. Basically, ethical consumerism posits that spending money is like voting. Every time we spend money, we are making a statement about the kind of world we want to live in. If we buy products made in factories where workers are paid well and treated fairly, we are supporting an equitable and ethical economy. On the other hand, if we purchase products that were made with materials or methods harmful to the environment, we are participating in environmental destruction. And ultimately, we are the ones who have to live in the kind of world we create. So why not make a positive one?

But how can we do that? Well, that’s what we’re going to talk about for the rest of our time today. I’m going to offer you some advice on how to become an ethical consumer. Then we’ll leave some time at the end for discussion and questions.

Perhaps the most familiar method of ethical consumerism is the purchasing of organic products. We’re talking about food, clothing, cleaning products, and much more. Not only are organic products more conducive to your health, but buying them also supports more sustainable agricultural and production methods.

Take, for example, organic produce. It is more nutrient-dense, tastes better, and is safer for human consumption. But growing organic produce is also good for the environment, as it requires farming practises that promote healthy soil. So, you are really choosing sustainability when you purchase organic products.

Right...so, how things are made is just as important as what is made. That is why ethical consumers care a lot about production labour. You’ve all heard the term “fair trade,” no doubt. Fair trade is a social movement that advocates for high social and environmental standards for producers in developing countries. There are several fair trade organisations that act as licensing agencies for products and business adhere to certain standards. The most prominent is, um...Fairtrade International. The standards that Fairtrade International and other such organisations uphold include good working conditions and locally competitive wages for employees, and fair trading prices for products and services from small businesses.

Basically, fair trade standards protect the little guys from being exploited by large, wealthy buyers in the developed world. You can support such economic standards by looking for the Fairtrade label.

Of course, it’s a lot simpler to know if you are purchasing ethically produced goods if you buy locally. As our world becomes increasingly complex, people are more and more overwhelmed by the effort needed to investigate producers half across the globe. That’s why consumers are returning to locally made goods, even if they are slightly more expensive. It’s a lot easier to look into the practises of local businesses, both small and large, and to make informed choices about which ones to support. If somebody is exploiting their employees, you’ll hear about it. And these sorts of checks and balances are really at the heart of ethical consumerism.

Answer Key

1. C

2. F

3. H

4. D

5. G

6. organic products

7. organic produce

8. working conditions

9. trading prices

10. buy locally