Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
7 Tips for Becoming an Ethical Shopper
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
September 15, 2019

Share

Sustainability, labor conditions, politics and other issues prevalent in the news have left many consumers wondering how to be socially responsible. For some, this seems like an impossible task.
“Trying to create a perfect world or be a perfect consumer is not at all realistic,” says Dr. Ellis Jones, author of “The Better World Shopping Guide” and assistant professor of sociology at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. “We just have to try our best to practice and get better at navigating this so that collectively, our dollars start moving things in the right direction.”
Shopping ethically starts with educating yourself and supporting the products and companies that align with your values. Here’s what you can do to become a more ethical consumer.

1. Check Certifications and Ratings

Labels such as “Fair Trade Certified” or “USDA Organic ” signify that a product’s supply chain has gone through some level of vetting. However, standards can vary widely.
“It’s not that those labels are meaningless, it’s that their meaning has been watered down,” Jones says. “Most consumers don’t have enough information to know whether that particular fair trade certification, organic certification or sustainable seafood certification is a weak one or a strong one.”
Jones considers the B Corporation Certification , which companies such as Patagonia and Seventh Generation have earned, the current gold standard. It takes a comprehensive look not just at products, but at entire companies’ social and environmental impacts. This includes assessing factors like energy usage and workers’ wages. But the rigorous certification process makes this label harder to find.
In general, Jones says the more seals or certifications a product or company has, the better. When in doubt, turn to third-party organizations for guidance. For example, the Cornucopia Institute, a nonprofit watchdog group, rates farms and manufacturers of items like yogurt, eggs and toothpaste.

2. Shop Less Often

Overconsumption takes a toll on our wallets and the planet. Before buying something, think about whether you really need it. If you do, look for options that have a lesser impact, says Casey Taylor, a partner in Bain and Company’s retail practice. Investing in reusable, high-quality or easy-to-repair items can help minimize purchases.
“Instead of buying a new shirt from a fast-fashion retailer, you might think about buying used or buying pieces that’ll last longer,” Taylor says.

3. Seek Secondhand Goods

When you choose previously owned items, you aren’t contributing to the labor and materials needed to make new goods. Check thrift shops, garage sales and community groups like the Freecycle Network for inexpensive — or free — finds. Another sustainable solution? Rent clothes through services like Le Tote and Rent the Runway.

4. Choose Slower Online Deliveries

Retailers like Amazon have made selecting fast shipping a reflex, but it’s not always the most ethical option. When shopping online, choosing standard shipping over same-day or next-day delivery can ensure multiple items in an order ship together.
“For the environment, it reduces packaging and the number of drop-offs, and for customers, it’s just one less box that you need to recycle,” Taylor says.
Better yet, shop in person or buy online and pick up in store.

5. Shop Locally

Visit your neighborhood bakery or farmers market rather than a large chain. Supporting local businesses or buying locally grown produce is generally better for the environment because it decreases the distance that products have to travel, Taylor says. It also gives consumers the opportunity to ask merchants directly for details about how products are sourced and made.

6. Pick a Responsible Financial Institution

Financial institutions and products are part of the equation, too, Jones says. You can search for a bank or credit union that’s committed to social and environmental values. Community development financial institutions, for example, help underserved consumers build credit and acquire loans.
Some credit cards automatically donate to charitable causes like nature conservation and cancer research with every purchase. Consider applying for one that donates to causes important to you.

7. Be Prepared

Find small ways to make the ethical choice the easy choice. You can reduce waste by keeping reusable shopping bags or a coffee cup in the car or by the front door. That way, you’ll have them when you need them.
“Simple choices add up if you think about the number of times that you walk into a store or pop by a coffee shop,” Taylor says.
Developing positive habits takes practice. But with a little effort, shopping ethically can become second nature.

DON'T MISS

Fresno State Shows the Nation How a Peaceful Palestinian Protest is Done

DON'T MISS

Wired Wednesday: Digging Into Fresno’s Trash Hauling Fees

DON'T MISS

Fresno State Announces 2024 Undergraduate Deans’ Medalists

DON'T MISS

Duane Eddy, Twangy Guitar Hero of Early Rock, Dead at Age 86

DON'T MISS

Fresno State’s Randa Jarrar Dragged Out of Event Featuring Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik

DON'T MISS

Trump Calls Judge ‘Crooked’ After Facing a Warning of Jail Time if He Violates a Trial Gag Order

DON'T MISS

Federal Reserve Says Interest Rates Will Stay at Two-Decade High Until Inflation Further Cools

DON'T MISS

House Passes Bill Expanding Antisemitism Definition Amid Campus Protests Over Gaza War

DON'T MISS

Trump Awarded 36 Million More Trump Media Shares Worth $1.8 Billion

DON'T MISS

Fresno Trustees Discuss Interim Superintendent Decision. When Will They Decide?

UP NEXT

Trump Calls Judge ‘Crooked’ After Facing a Warning of Jail Time if He Violates a Trial Gag Order

UP NEXT

Biden’s Historic Marijuana Shift Is His Latest Election Year Move for Young Voters

UP NEXT

The Latest | In Israel, Blinken Pushes Hamas to Agree on Gaza Cease-Fire Deal

UP NEXT

What Marijuana Reclassification Means for the United States

UP NEXT

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Vows to Force a Vote on Ousting House Speaker Mike Johnson

UP NEXT

Protesters Clash at UCLA After Police Arrest 300 Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators in New York City

UP NEXT

Dems: We Will Save GOP Speaker Johnson’s Job if Republicans Try to Oust Him

UP NEXT

Hush Money Trial Enters 3rd Week, Begins With Gag Order Ruling and $9K Fine for Trump

UP NEXT

Planning for Potential Presidential Transition Underway by Biden Administration

UP NEXT

US Is Building a Pier off Gaza to Bring in Humanitarian Aid. Here’s How It Would Work.

Duane Eddy, Twangy Guitar Hero of Early Rock, Dead at Age 86

14 hours ago

Fresno State’s Randa Jarrar Dragged Out of Event Featuring Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik

14 hours ago

Trump Calls Judge ‘Crooked’ After Facing a Warning of Jail Time if He Violates a Trial Gag Order

14 hours ago

Federal Reserve Says Interest Rates Will Stay at Two-Decade High Until Inflation Further Cools

14 hours ago

House Passes Bill Expanding Antisemitism Definition Amid Campus Protests Over Gaza War

14 hours ago

Trump Awarded 36 Million More Trump Media Shares Worth $1.8 Billion

15 hours ago

Fresno Trustees Discuss Interim Superintendent Decision. When Will They Decide?

Local Education /

16 hours ago

Why Wheels on $10M Worth of Fresno Buses Don’t Go Round and Round

16 hours ago

Enough With the Excuses. Are You Part of the Problem With Fresno’s Public Education?

16 hours ago

New Battlegrounds Emerge in California’s Political Guerrilla War Over Housing

17 hours ago

Fresno State Shows the Nation How a Peaceful Palestinian Protest is Done

A peaceful pro-Palestinian sit-in at Fresno State on Wednesday lived up to its billing. “We want a cease-fire, and we just want a free...

12 hours ago

12 hours ago

Fresno State Shows the Nation How a Peaceful Palestinian Protest is Done

13 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: Digging Into Fresno’s Trash Hauling Fees

13 hours ago

Fresno State Announces 2024 Undergraduate Deans’ Medalists

14 hours ago

Duane Eddy, Twangy Guitar Hero of Early Rock, Dead at Age 86

14 hours ago

Fresno State’s Randa Jarrar Dragged Out of Event Featuring Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik

14 hours ago

Trump Calls Judge ‘Crooked’ After Facing a Warning of Jail Time if He Violates a Trial Gag Order

14 hours ago

Federal Reserve Says Interest Rates Will Stay at Two-Decade High Until Inflation Further Cools

14 hours ago

House Passes Bill Expanding Antisemitism Definition Amid Campus Protests Over Gaza War

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend