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7 Ways to be a More Ethical Consumer Without Giving up Meat

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wake Forest chapter.

Sometimes the idea of ethical spending can be overwhelming. Going vegan, buying second-hand, and living “zero-waste” lives are all wonderful ways to help your planet, but considering taking on these lifestyles can be very daunting. Consider these tips in employing more ethical spending to help clean up your earth…and keep your wallet full!

Shop cruelty-free

Shopping cruelty-free is an easy change you can make when shopping for new clothes or makeup and hygiene products. Check for cruelty-free labels on the back of your products, and make sure your clothing is not made with real fur or leather. Find out more about how you can go cruelty-free here.

Ask for no straw

This is probably the most simple way that you can reduce your plastic consumption!

Make use of reusable cups and shopping bags

Reusable cups and shopping bags are super trendy and ethical. You would be surprised at how much plastic and waste you save.

Maybe don’t buy a top on impulse just because it’s cheap

It’s tempting, but one “cheap top” after another certainly piles up. Consider your waste consumption when making that impulsive buy.

Shop second-hand more often

Sites like Poshmark and Etsy provide wonderful fun ways to spice up your wardrobe while wasting less. See more second-hand shopping options here.

Employ “Meatless Mondays” into your week

You don’t have to go fully vegetarian or vegan to be more ethical. Consider consuming less meat overall, but don’t kill yourself over sticking to a diet if you find that it prevents you from living a fulfilling and balanced life. We all can do our part; many people doing small actions can make a big change.

Be imperfectly vegan

Pescetarian, ovo-vegetarian, lacto-vegetarian, flexitarian, or vegan— or maybe you just want to cut out red meat. There are numerous ways to start a new lifestyle that does not have to take you to such extremes. Do what you are comfortable with and start with baby steps. One small change means the world to those that don’t have the option to make these decisions for themselves.

Scotland Martin is a junior at Wake Forest University and is currently pursuing a major in Psychology with minors in Writing and Italian. In addition to Her Campus, Scotland is involved with Psychology Club, K-12 tutoring, research in social psychology, and the Delta Zeta Sorority. She concentrates her writing on the topics of ethical spending and psychology.
Taylor Knupp

Wake Forest '21

Taylor is a senior from Harrisburg, PA studying Business and Enterprise Management. She is the outgoing Editor-In-Chief of Her Campus at WFU. Taylor plans to move to New York City after graduation to work as a Business Analyst at Verizon.