By Adrienne Wiebe, MCC Latin America
When we talk about advocacy to address the root causes of injustice and conflict, we usually think about actions that attempt to influence government policy, such as letter-writing campaigns, petitions, and marches.
However, we as global citizens also have considerable “consumer power” in a world dominated by an economic system that values profits over people, and benefits a minority elite rather than the common good of the planet and its inhabitants. Each dollar (or peso, quetzal, lempira, cordoba, goud…) we spend is a vote for the type of economy and world we want.
Better World Shopper http://www.betterworldshopper.com/ is a website that provides information for consumer citizens who want to make choices based on: human rights, the environment, animal protection, community involvement, and social justice. I have found it fascinating.
For example, here are the ratings based on their research for purchasing clothing. Many of you living in Latin America and working with MCC probably already frequent the “pacas” – secondhand clothing stores – because of limited budgets, but this guide indicates that buying second-hand is also good for the planet and its people.
Here’s another one of their ratings: this one for grocery stories. Again, those of us living in Latin America probably already purchase most of our food in markets, however this guide also ranks the larger stores.
As a consumer and global citizen, concerned with social justice and the health of the planet, do you have other information sources, strategies or tips to share? We’d like to hear from you.
I would like to offer two comments: first, the idea that we can change things as consumers reinforces the idea that it is possible to have justice without systemic change, and that one of the reasons people shop at Wal-Mart is because they don’t earn very much money, another symptom of the problems with our system. Of course, we will continue to consume so lists like this are helpful. I would also add that some of these companies lauded here treat their workers in Canada/US poorly (in particular unions and health benefits) and some of their advertising campaigns and treatment of female models, especially American Apparel, are very problematic.
I would like to offer two comments: first, the idea that we can change things as consumers reinforces the idea that it is possible to have justice without systemic change, and that one of the reasons people shop at Wal-Mart is because they don’t earn very much money, another symptom of the problems with our system. Of course, we will continue to consume so lists like this are helpful. I would also add that some of these companies lauded here treat their workers in Canada/US poorly (in particular unions and health benefits) and some of their advertising campaigns and treatment of female models, especially American Apparel, are very problematic.
Good points, Rebecca. I agree with you that systemic change is at the root, and that efforts made at individual/household behaviour change may be at best a drop-in-the-ocean and at worst a counterproductive distraction from the real issues. At the same time, maybe we CAN individually start living as if we are already in a just, sustainable world, while we continue to struggle for systemic change. It is not about being a judgmental “lifestyle” obsessive, but maybe it can be a part of a massive movement of non-cooperation, that eventually leads to alternatives and transformational change.
At least that’s what I have to stick to, or else I would become very pessimistic about the possibilities of change, and would just crawl into a cave and give up – which is what a lot of people do. What do you think?
Good points, Rebecca. I agree with you that systemic change is at the root, and that efforts made at individual/household behaviour change may be at best a drop-in-the-ocean and at worst a counterproductive distraction from the real issues. At the same time, maybe we CAN individually start living as if we are already in a just, sustainable world, while we continue to struggle for systemic change. It is not about being a judgmental “lifestyle” obsessive, but maybe it can be a part of a massive movement of non-cooperation, that eventually leads to alternatives and transformational change.
At least that’s what I have to stick to, or else I would become very pessimistic about the possibilities of change, and would just crawl into a cave and give up – which is what a lot of people do. What do you think?
I have found it much more difficult as a middle-ager to be a peace/social justice purist as I was earlier in life. So I don’t think that living ethically in personal shopping decisions is a distraction. Rather, I think that a refusal to settle for anything less than total transformation of our socio-economic systems often results in abdicating our own responsibility. It’s certainly easier to do the latter that than living in the murky grey of daily decisions in the marketplace, complete with jobs and children.
So thanks much for this post, although I’m disappointed that Canada is virtually non-existent for those behind better world shopper. Alas, we’re usually ignored by our neighbours to the south. Sigh.
I have found it much more difficult as a middle-ager to be a peace/social justice purist as I was earlier in life. So I don’t think that living ethically in personal shopping decisions is a distraction. Rather, I think that a refusal to settle for anything less than total transformation of our socio-economic systems often results in abdicating our own responsibility. It’s certainly easier to do the latter that than living in the murky grey of daily decisions in the marketplace, complete with jobs and children.
So thanks much for this post, although I’m disappointed that Canada is virtually non-existent for those behind better world shopper. Alas, we’re usually ignored by our neighbours to the south. Sigh.
Thank-you for this great post Adrienne. I found the clothing chart interesting after a conversation that I had with my brother last week when I was visiting back home. I was all excited about my “thrift store finds” when he pointed out that the middle and upper classes use of thrift stores is often thought to be a good thing globally, but can cause difficulty for markets and more importantly, individuals at home. For example, if my friends and I begin to solely shop at thrift stores, the demand for these products increase, the prices rise and the selection for those who more often rely on purchasing at thrift stores can be harmed. I hadn’t thought of it that way before…
Hi Cassie, Good point about the complexity of the economics involved. The issue you raise is similar to the debate about the commercialization of quinoa from Bolivia, and how some people thought that the price increases in the international market where making it impossible for locals to continue to consume quinoa (see previous blogs). Another case, is the commodification and sale of Mayan women’s woven clothing in Guatemala; in some places the price of huipiles (women’s hand-woven blouses) has risen so much because of the tourist market that local women can no longer afford to wear their traditional clothing. These types of situations are very problematic.
However, in the case of the clothing industry in the US and Canada, I think that it will not make much of a dent in the economy if more people start purchasing second-hand clothes. Clothing sales in the US were $20 Billion in the month of April 2013 (in a time of “recession”!); and in Canada it is about $20 Billion per year (the population of Canada is about 1/10th of the US). http://ycharts.com/indicators/clothing_store_sales
So trying to buy mostly second-hand clothes is largely a symbolic gesture, and an effort to live with integrity at the personal level. We can hope that eventually enough people will make their desire for a just economy known so that corporations will change their ways of operating; take for example the positive impact of 20 years of activism against NIKE sweatshop labour. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-living-blog/2012/jul/06/activism-nike
Or maybe we can dream of not just improving existing structures, but of completely new forms of economic activity that do not include corporations, as Rebecca suggested in the above comment.
Thank-you for this great post Adrienne. I found the clothing chart interesting after a conversation that I had with my brother last week when I was visiting back home. I was all excited about my “thrift store finds” when he pointed out that the middle and upper classes use of thrift stores is often thought to be a good thing globally, but can cause difficulty for markets and more importantly, individuals at home. For example, if my friends and I begin to solely shop at thrift stores, the demand for these products increase, the prices rise and the selection for those who more often rely on purchasing at thrift stores can be harmed. I hadn’t thought of it that way before…
Hi Cassie, Good point about the complexity of the economics involved. The issue you raise is similar to the debate about the commercialization of quinoa from Bolivia, and how some people thought that the price increases in the international market where making it impossible for locals to continue to consume quinoa (see previous blogs). Another case, is the commodification and sale of Mayan women’s woven clothing in Guatemala; in some places the price of huipiles (women’s hand-woven blouses) has risen so much because of the tourist market that local women can no longer afford to wear their traditional clothing. These types of situations are very problematic.
However, in the case of the clothing industry in the US and Canada, I think that it will not make much of a dent in the economy if more people start purchasing second-hand clothes. Clothing sales in the US were $20 Billion in the month of April 2013 (in a time of “recession”!); and in Canada it is about $20 Billion per year (the population of Canada is about 1/10th of the US). http://ycharts.com/indicators/clothing_store_sales
So trying to buy mostly second-hand clothes is largely a symbolic gesture, and an effort to live with integrity at the personal level. We can hope that eventually enough people will make their desire for a just economy known so that corporations will change their ways of operating; take for example the positive impact of 20 years of activism against NIKE sweatshop labour. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-living-blog/2012/jul/06/activism-nike
Or maybe we can dream of not just improving existing structures, but of completely new forms of economic activity that do not include corporations, as Rebecca suggested in the above comment.