Making an effort to be a more ethical consumer is a noble thing to do.
It’s one of the ways you can start living a more sustainable life that considers the health of the planet and the way people are treated too.
But you might be a bit unsure about where to start if you want to shop more ethically.
What issues should you be looking out for? What can you buy from a more ethical brand?
Is there anything that’s more difficult to buy in an ethical way? If you’re not sure where to begin, here are some options for making more ethical purchases.
Food
We need food to survive, and it’s something that many of us buy on a weekly or even daily basis. So it’s natural that many people want to know how to make their groceries more ethical and sustainable.
Some people will do this by only buying things labeled “organic” but this might not be as useful as you think.
It can be much better to focus on buying food produced locally and seasonally so that you’re not creating a demand for imported products. Buying more carefully to reduce food waste is also a smart thing to do.
Clothes, Accessories, and Jewelry
Clothes are another essential purchase that you can aim to make more ethical. Even less essential accessories and jewelry have ethical options.
It can often be best to start by looking for ethical brands such as Brilliant Earth, which make an effort to carry out ethical and sustainable practices.
Many brands are transparent about the way they do business, although there are also many that aren’t. As with groceries, buying less is also a good way to shop more ethically when buying clothes and accessories. Try to focus more on what you really need.
Image from Pixabay – CC0 License
Tech
Buying ethical tech items can be a struggle. It’s no secret that the materials used in many tech items and the labor used to make them are not necessarily the most ethical.
One way to be more ethical is to buy second-hand items, which helps to reduce waste. There are also some ethical tech brands, which might be less well-known than some of the big names but still produce good products.
For example, Fairphone is a brand that uses conflict-free minerals and works with manufacturers to ensure the well-being of workers. Buy new tech carefully to ensure you’re not being wasteful too.
Furniture and Home Accessories
Furnishing your home can be done in an ethical way too. It’s another time when you can consider buying second-hand items if you want to be ethical and save money.
But you can also find plenty of items that are made with sustainable materials and that have been made in ethical working conditions.
Of course, you can often expect to pay more for these items, but that doesn’t always have to be the case.
You can be a more ethical consumer in multiple ways. Think about how you spend your money and where your purchases come from.