Many people try to be ethical consumers where they can in our society. Ethical consumption means that goods and services are produced in a way where there is minimal social and environmental damage and a lack of exploitation. It is hard to think of a process of producing goods where there is absolutely no exploitation. Even if your clothing is handmade, the materials that were used could have been the product of cheap labor and dangerous working conditions elsewhere.
Granted capitalism did not invent exploitation, it most certainly perpetuates it. For American’s who attempt to be ethical consumers, there most certainly is a privilege that goes along with it. Ethical consumption has become prominent for wealthy capitalist nations because it seems our needs are infinite while resources are not. Ethical consumption is a product of both class and race privilege. Class and race issues go hand and hand and we can see that power and wealth remains in the hands of white people and further extends to how we consume. Ethical consumption is often more expensive than buying something in Walmart, which already excludes those who live in poverty from being able to be “ethical” consumers for their basic needs.
Lifestyles such as veganism is another way people implement ethical consumption for both the social and environmental reasons. Being vegan is not an option for everyone and can also be hard for people with limited options to health foods. It is a great contribution for helping the environment, but veganism can have many draw backs- and racism is one of them. In Claire Heuchan’s “Veganism has a race problem,” she writes, “Until Black veganism is normalised, the humanity of Black vegans fully recognised, the movement cannot truly claim to care about quality of life.” And while many American’s try to be environmentally friendly, it is important to note that many people of color have been practicing mindful environmental practices as a part of their cultures for hundreds of years. While some environmental trends may surface the internet and receive praise, people of color practice being resourceful by reusing plastics, waters, and waste in general and repurpose it for all household needs.
Learning how to consume less and to consume smart are definitely steps in being ethical consumers. Opting out of buying Nestle and Apple products is one way we play our part, but our alternatives are not necessarily much better options. In the end, going to the store puts us between a rock and a hard place.
#noNestle was started on Twitter protesting Nestle’s unethical business practices.
Capitalism has been the driving force to ethical consumption but it is paradoxical because they cannot coexist. As a part of capitalist society, we can only consume in its confines unless we decide to be completely self-sufficient for all our needs. Laborers often times find themselves stuck between their survival and the survival of others. How do we reconcile the need to consume with the exploitation involved in most things that surround us? Although there are options, to be absolutely free from capitalism and ethical is virtually inevitable.