“You Are Pure Potential” – Martin de Maat Magnet

YES, that’s US – all of us. We have the potential* to change things – loads of things. The thing we’re talking about here is changing behaviour and challenging our seemingly out-of-control disposable culture.

There was a time, long ago when people bought things to last and then reused them. But then a myth arrived on the scene, which made us all believe that reusing is somehow bad for us or out-of-date, and that it is better to buy new each time.

Reuse in the broadest sense means any activity that lengthens the life of an item.

Reuse is nothing new. What is new is the need to reuse.

Reuse can often be more effective than recycling. Once an item has been made at great cost to the pocket and the earth – doesn’t it make sense that it is used until it is rendered useless?

You might think that a reusable bottle or bag can’t make that much difference in the grand scheme of things. BUT… remember that we have the potential to change things – it is part of us.

*POTENTIAL existing in possibility: capable of development into actuality.
www.onyabags.co.uk

www.reusablebottle.co.uk

Onya Bags Ltd is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

How can we lower the environmental impact of our economic activity?
What affect is today’s consumerism having on our children?
Best-selling authors Tim Jackson and Ed Mayo lead a thought-provoking new course this autumn.

There is mounting evidence that ever-increasing consumption in the industrialised world adds little to human happiness – and may even impede it. More urgently, it is now clear that the ecosystems that sustain our economies are collapsing under the impacts of rising consumption.

Professor of Sustainable Development at the University of Surrey and Director of the Research group on Lifestyles, Values and Environment Tim Jackson’s new book, Prosperity Without Growth, tackles these issues head-on, and has been hugely influential in encouraging a radical re-think of economic growth. Tim is teaching on a course at Schumacher College this autumn titled To Buy or Not To Buy: Consumption, Growth and Prosperity that will present his vision of how human society can flourish within the ecological limits of a finite planet.

Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives UK and previous Chief Executive of the National Consumer Council will also take sessions drawing on research conducted for his recent book, Consumer Kids, which discusses the impact materialism and competitive consumption has on our young people today.
The course is intended for those working in community development, local or national government, education, social enterprise and ethical business, economics students/professionals, and individuals who are concerned about the prevalence of consumerism and would like to understand its economic basis and what constructive alternatives are possible. Why not join in and help redefine the economic system?

The course is now open for bookings and takes place from 4 – 9 October 2010. For more information please go to the Schumacher College Website www.schumachercollege.org.uk or call 01803 865934.

Ethical companies rely on people being willing to pay more to support a progressive idea, be it fair trade, sustainability or a green business. Assuming that most consumers know what these concepts mean, are they willing to pay more to support them, or will price always be the decisive factor?

With the mood of the country being dominated by talk of cuts in public spending and increases in taxes, and job security still very much at the forefront of many people’s minds, companies specialising in cheap are enjoying a boost in popularity.

Primark is the prime example, if you will excuse the pun; the brown paper bag with the letters ‘PRIMARK’ printed across it dominates the cities of the UK at the moment. Primark’s whole appeal is price. They are arguably the cheapest high street clothing brand. They have also been linked to UK sweatshops, with the BBC exposing a supplier to Primark with workers on 12-hour shifts at £3.50 an hour. As Neil Kearney of the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation is quoted as saying in the BBC article, “There’s no such thing as cheap clothing, somebody has to pay and in this case it’s the workers in Manchester”.

The report linking Primark and UK sweatshops came out in January 2009, yet the company has since enjoyed continuous growth throughout the UK. The link between cheap clothing and underpaid producers has been made and is well publicised, yet consumers do not seem to care enough to pay that little bit more and shop elsewhere.

There is simply no way that ethical businesses, such as the By Hand fair trade shop, can compete on price. Supermarkets sell silver earrings for a couple of pound a pair, bags can be bought for as little as a few pounds. Although the cheap prices can sometimes be explained by economies of scale – by the sheer quantity sold by the big players – more often than not the prices are cheap because the producers are forced into selling their goods for far lower prices than they are worth, or because the products are made in factories in countries such as Indonesia and China where workers work 12+ hour shifts, have no rights and are paid a pittance.

There is a reason products are cheap: exploitation. But do consumers care?

By Hand is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Women shun big brands in favour of natural beauty

New research suggests we are entering an age of natural beauty. When choosing what to put on their skin, more than twice as many women say natural ingredients matter more to them than the brand. The survey also found that more than two thirds of women prefer products that are not tested on animals and are free from artificial chemicals. But when it comes to going completely natural, more than a third of women would refuse to give up their lipstick.

The findings, released today, come from an on-line survey of 1000 women who were asked about their attitudes to natural beauty. Seven out of ten of the women said they regularly use organic soap or shower gel, two-thirds use organic skin care and just over half use mineral make-up. Advertisers may spend millions on glossy ads promoting their brands but it seems that more and more women are rejecting them in favour of more organic, ethical and natural beauty goods.

Janey Lee Grace, author of Look Great Naturally …without ditching the lipstick (released by Hay House on 1st June) carried out the survey in conjunction with psychology Professor, Karen Pine from the University of Hertfordshire. Over a third of women, when asked which item from their make-up bag they would be most reluctant to give up, said their lipstick. Janey Lee Grace commented, “The words ‘beauty’ ‘glamour’ and ’style’ can be linked with the word ‘natural’ without a thought of sackcloth! We can still have our lipstick and a clear conscience. There’s a 100 per cent natural alternative to everything from nail polish to self-tan, so in fact it’s now easy for women to save their skin, their cash and the planet while still looking gorgeous.”
Professor Karen Pine, author of Sheconomics, said, “These findings indicate a shift away from expensively packaged and heavily promoted luxury brands to more ethical and natural products. This is a sign that women are responding to the downturn in the economy and concerns about the environment by making different purchasing decisions. We know that women still want to look good and treat their skin kindly but this shows that women are not being seduced by the big advertisers and are making conscious choices based on their own principles.”

*****

Other stats from the survey
• Only 6% of women say they are not committed to using natural products.
• One third of women are uncertain about advertised claims, half are concerned about lack of availability and three quarters fear the products might be out of their price range.
• More than twice as many women think natural ingredients are more important than the brand.
• Two thirds of women say lack of artificial chemicals motivates them to choose natural beauty products. Two thirds also say not being tested on animals matters a lot to them.
• More than a third of women would not give up their lipstick and over 40% would hold on to their foundation if they had to choose just one make-up product.

The survey was carried out between 1st and 8th May, responses were from 1000 women and the majority were aged between 26 and 65.

CONTACTS:
For interviews contact joburgess@hayhouse.co.uk

Janey Lee Grace is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Come and check out our new FREE audiobooks and courses on MP3 – including ‘A quick MOT for your values’ and ‘The problem with consumerism’ – available at www.lifesquared.org.uk.

Life² is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Although the green agenda is at the forefront of political and social commentary at the moment, that does not necessarily mean that the average person understands how they can help the environment. Advertising, consumerism and capitalism are the basis of our thriving economy and as such, simply deciding that ‘being green’ comes down to halting consumerism is wildly optimistic if not completely unrealistic. Therefore, eco-shopping can be a good introduction to how to be eco-friendly whilst retaining the current mode of lifestyle that many consumers enjoy. 

One of the main problems with the green agenda, as I see it, is how depressing it can be! ‘Eco-warriors’ often put people off with their unrealistic expectations, therefore making it seem impossible that the average person can do anything to make a difference, bar giving up their home and setting up in a mud hut. Instead of looking at the green agenda as something requiring us to give up our way of life, we must try to find ways to incorporate green living into our every day lives. 

People need to believe the small differences can make a positive impact towards change. This feeling is never going to come about through the constant ‘apocalyptic’ language of the scientific and political fields and must be found somewhere else. Whilst it is entirely true that green wash holds problems for eco shopping, many eco retailers do an honest job of combining fairtrade, organic and natural produce that can replace some of the more harmful products that we use on a day to day basis. This is not buying more, it is replacing what we have (when it’s finished) with something more sustainable. Surely even if this is a small step, it is a step towards a better consumer attitude towards purchasing goods? 

One of the primary ways that can motivate people to purchase ‘green’ is by offering a cashback and carbon offset solution. Gaining a certain percentage on their purchases back makes it a reward for making a green decision and can have a positive impact on consumership. It is these small changes that can make a big difference to the way both companies and their clients advertise and sell their products. Rewarding people for shopping in an eco-friendly manner can increase sales (making profit for the green company) and increase awareness of the many great eco-friendly products that are out there. 

It is completely understandable that people are very cynical about green shopping as there has been so much press over ‘green wash’ and companies using global warming and climate change to advertise their products without any green credentials. However, this can be overcome simply with the knowledge of when to buy certain things. Replacing your goods with eco brands is something you should only do when your current product has run out. Replacing disposable plates with biodegradable ones has a positive effect on waste management and replacing your light bulbs with energy efficient ones can be good for the world as well as bringing down your electricity costs. This is why so many green sites combine their product sales with blogs and information on how to be an effective green consumer. If this informal education can give them a little bit of ‘food for thought’ about the impact their purchase is having on the environment then they may end up making consciously positive consumer decisions in the long run.

Consumerism is seeped into every part of our society, it helps our economy run smoothly and provides a large section of money for charity, non-profit and public services (such as the NHS and the Police). We shouldn’t be looking to stop advertising, to chastise people for buying necessities or living in homes without solar panels. We should be looking for ways to introduce positive change to the lives we already lead. We must look to educate and inform the public on their consumer choices and the effect these have on the overall ecology of the world. Eco-shopping is one route with which to introduce the green agenda to people without preaching. It gives people options, rather than criticising their decisions, which could put people off entirely.

MoreEco is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more