I've started looking into ethical shopping. How can I best use the resources that I have to make the world a better place, or at least to minimise my negative impact?
My current thinking comes under several headings. I don't know much about any of this yet, but I'm going to feel my way:
1. Good treatment of workers - do the companies pay well? Are the conditions safe? What are the impacts on the community?
2. Minimal ecological impact -is the product or service safe? Renewable? Clean?
3. Packaging - can it be recycled? Is it excess packaging?
Sometimes there is a trade-off - for example, biofuels have low ecological impact but high impact upon communities, as they come to replace food crops.
As a starting point, I'm approaching it like this:
1. Do I really need it?
2. I should buy quality items that last rather than disposable items
3. Buying clothes? Charity shops FTW
Apparently, guides to ethical shopping are available in book form - perhaps I can pick one up from Oxfam?
Time to drag my head out of the sand...
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