Consumption Ethics

Page Headings:

In recent years we’ve never been in a better position to buy fair trade, invest ethically, be aware of how the things we consume are produced and we’re beginning to use this power (apparently 52% of us are switching brands1).

In both our personal and business consumption we could all be trying to buy fairly traded, environmentally friendly products, as directly from the producer as possible (i.e. from farmers markets) and we need to recognise our spending not just as spending, but as investing.

Here’s a list from PCS on how you can help fair trade efforts, and Oxfam’s Ethical Purchasing Policy and Friends of the earth’s answer to the question how can i use the supermarket less.

Online Guide to Ethical Shopping

Departments:

Editorials

  • New Consumer - Ethical Consumption Magazine
  • Earthscan - The World’s Leading Publisher on Environmentally Sustainable Development

Office Stationary

  • Green Stationary The UK’s premier recycled and green office products supplier
  • Paper high - Handmade paper products from India, Nepal and
    Sri Lanka

Energy

  • GreenPrices - an independent website dedicated to green electricity tariffs.
  • Electrocity - this provider builds more renewable energy schemes rather than repackaging energy already being generated
  • Good Energy 100% renewable energy
  • Green Energy UK supplies energy from British renewable resources
  • http://www.ecotricity.com/ - Dedicated to building wind turbines to provide renewable energy and wind power

Holidays

  • Traidcraft Tours - Experience a holiday that will be totally different from anything you have done before.

Supermarkets

Food etc

Tea & Coffee

Clothing

  • ZeroPointZero - fairtrade organic in association with traidcraft
  • People Tree - the ethical fair trade fashion brand
  • Fair Trade Fairies - fair trade and organic children’s clothing, nappies and other accessories
  • Ethical Wares an ethically-based mail order company run by vegans
  • HUG: Fair Trade organic fashion
  • Equop led by creativity and driven by social and environmental responsibility
  • The Hemp Trading Company fair trade urban street ware (Eco T the sister company offers unbranded merchandise)
  • ByNature - sell a wide range of ethical goods from fashion, diningware, beauty etc

Jewellery

Various Products

Ethical Investments

  • Ethical Investments - provides a range of services and advice for individuals, companies and charities wishing to take account of social, environmental and ethical issues.
  • Tridos Bank where money will only help finance organisations that benefit people and the environment
  • Quadris - ethical investment opportunities in forestry projects.
  • http://www.moneywells.co.uk/

Fair Trade Resources / Organisations

1
New Consumer Magazine