At an individual level, we can see that many people are doing their shopping a little differently. They are buying organic foods, recycled paper, and even deodorants that are free of dangerous chemicals. The products some of us are looking for are less processed, better for human health, and also better for the health of the planet. This is called ethical consumption, and in order to practice it, we need to go beyond decision-making at the individual level.
The influence that consumers have, especially when organized, is enormous. Empowered consumers drive change at the institutional level. Through consumer power, we can demand and support the alternatives that are much better for both the planet and us. By describing and organizing numerous projects that people can participate in, this column on conscientious, sustainable consumption aims to empower people to use consumerism as a tool that will drive institutional change here at the University of Toronto. This is a chance for all of us to work together so that we can practice ethical consumption and through success, build momentum.
The goal of my first project in these pages is simply this: to get our professors to offer environmentally friendly course readers. As students and consumers, we can do this by asking professors to use non-chlorinated, post-consumer recycled paper. Course readers do not need to be made with chemicals that poison us, the land, and our children. Nor do they need to be made by clear-cutting ancient forests. Together, we can push for non-chlorinated, post-consumer paper in the course readers offered at this university.
If this project is successful, there are many benefits that we will enjoy. First of all, we will be supporting a cleaner environment. We will be withdrawing monetary support from an unsympathetic chlorine industry that produces 40 million tonnes of the stuff every year. For those who might not know, chlorine is a nasty chemical that remains stable over many years, and has now contaminated virtually every inch of the planet. It is even found in human breast milk. This isn’t necessary and it doesn’t have to be tolerated because there are alternatives and we should be supporting them.
Second, we will be supporting intact ecosystems that are both aesthetically pleasing and spiritually fulfilling. We will no longer be monetarily supporting clear-cutting, nor will we tacitly support those who argue that we must continue to do so. The fact is, recycled paper is available and economically viable, especially when ordered in bulk.
At bottom, this column will act as a call to action. It will ask you to participate, through simple actions, in projects that can steer U of T towards a much brighter and more ethical future. I am open to having others write and orchestrate projects for this column, as long as the projects are straightforward, ethical, and can demonstrate a clear ecological benefit. Hopefully, we will practice ethical consumption together and build momentum with success.
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