Spending Power

My last post was about individual responsibilities and I have more to say about that now.
Governing bodies are cumbersome. They move ponderously and not always in the right direction. Time delays between ideas and action can be far too long. And then policies stall as the political power base changes. Action is much more effective at local level with individual commitment. So what inhibits us?
Our money gives us ‘spending power’. By choosing how we spend it, we can influence how shops stock their shelves, what goods are manufactured, the conditions in which they are manufactured. Our money can be a very powerful influence in all manner of ways that can affect our environment either directly or indirectly, for good or evil, when we have money available to spend. Supermarkets will justify their actions in stocking inappropriate products that we know to be environmentally unfriendly, or harmful in some other way, with the excuse that they are simply giving us what as consumers we demand. If we buy them they will continue to stock them. It really is that simple!
Are our spending patterns encouraging animal cruelty or slave labor in garment ‘sweat shops’? Appalling working conditions, child labor and poor pay still exist and we could be encouraging these without even realizing it.
The most effective and immediate impact we can all make is through changing our spending patterns. We are all in control of how we save, invest and spend, whether we choose ethical products, buy fair-trade and Traidcraft products, or perhaps give generously to aid agencies where we can be sure our money provides rapid relief.
We can and must fight to bring ethical trading in from the bottom up. We can enquire where our goods are produced and in what conditions and avoid all unreasonably cheap goods where we suspect that unethical working practices are present. If the information is not available, demand it.
Perhaps we could do more to support local enterprise. The local farmers’ markets promote respect for land and food. We could pay more for quality and eat less. Why not get back in touch with the seasons and eat foods at the right time of year when they are available locally. I am aware of the controversies over air miles versus the need to support foreign enterprise to help other communities; many of these stories must be considered on their own merits. Some of these choices may seem more expensive. But are they when balanced against the alternative predictions for our world? Does the suffering of fellow beings and the future of our planet matter so little to us that we are not prepared to change our habits today?


To be continued…

Adapted from Healing this Wounded Earth © Eleanor Stoneham 2011

To Die For, Fashion and The Big Issue

She is a pleasant lady, almost always there at the corner of the High Street, and I say hello as I walk by. But I never walk past unless I have bought the magazine she sells, and I never fail to find something of interest, of vital importance, or both, between its covers.
This week there is an article by Lucy Siegle, author of a best selling book written back in 2008, but of ever increasing relevance - To Die For: Is Fashion Wearing out the World, on the ethics of the fashion industry,

Her goal is to expose to us as Western consumers of “fast fashion” the facts behind the manufacture of the garments we buy too cheaply, throw away too quickly, value too little. She shows us why this system is doomed to exploit workers and produce excessive waste. Millions of workers on this global assembly line, predominantly in Asian countries, often suffer extreme hardships, intimidation and industrial accidents. Through knowledge she hopes we can make better decisions around our fashion purchases. Many of us already know in our hearts that the economics of cheap throw -away clothes cannot add up – that the environmental footprint of such fashion is quite extraordinary and totally unsustainable. I am sure we should all read this book and heed its message.

But let me get back to the magazine I bought this week with Lucy’s article in it. It is of course The Big Issue. I wrote about this in January this year.
Do please buy a copy next time you pass a street vendor selling it. You may be surprised at what a good read it is for £2. Last December there was a contribution from Prince William himself, demonstrating the empathy and compassion inherited from his mother that he feels for the less advantaged in society. And you are helping our fellow brothers and sisters who for whatever reason are less fortunate than ourselves find their feet again, come back from the fringes of our society and reclaim their dignity and independence.

You cannot even buy a coffee now in many places for £2. And how many of those do you buy in a week? So spare £2 for a Big Issue today – and every week.