That $10 purchase you made the other day may have had a bigger impact than you think. In a world where the news seems to worsen with each passing day, it can feel as if there is nothing the average person can do to make things better. I say cast that hopelessness aside and replace it with the recognition of the power your dollar holds.
Conscious consumerism is the acknowledgment that when you give money to someone or a corporation, you are directly funding what they support. If you buy an apple from a farm that kills dogs, you are partially responsible for the deaths of those dogs. That example may seem a little ridiculous, but it captures the severity of our choices.
The Red Cup Rebellion, a strike where Starbucks workers are putting coffee cups down and putting protest signs up, is one of many instances where conscious consumerism could make a real difference. Nov. 13, workers put their foot down in response to Starbucks’ refusal to meet their demands.
A multi-billion dollar company refusing to pay its workers livable wages and to implement fair labor practices, all while selling $8 iced coffees, should make us angry. It should make that pumpkin-spiced latte or the “Bearista” cup less enticing to buy. If we as consumers make a conscious choice to support Starbucks workers and get coffee elsewhere, we can make a substantial change in others’ lives.
You may think, “Oh, why don’t they get a real job?” or “these workers complain too much,” but these thoughts are simply the denial of what is right in front of you: that you are funding the exploitation of your fellow man.
The reality can be hard to bear. It is true, when we buy a phone made with a cobalt battery from Apple, we are supporting modern-day slavery in Congo. When we buy huge hauls from TikTok Shop, we may be supporting child labor in foreign countries. When we swipe a Capital One credit card, we are supporting the manufacturing of weapons used in the Palestinian genocide.
I get it, spending money on a sweet treat here or a cute little trinket there can sometimes feel like the only source of consolation in our rather bleak world. Because of the capitalist society we live in, it can be hard to consciously consume and make a purchase that does not contribute to the exploitation of another person.
But I assure you, we do in fact have a choice of where our money goes, and that choice can make a difference. A blatant denial of the existence of choice is what companies that profit from exploitation want us to have.
Selfishness will get us nowhere. When the elites have all the power and the masses are unwilling to protest, our unfortunate fates have been set in stone. We will consume ourselves into our graves, but not if we consume consciously.
Educate yourself. Find out what the companies you are buying from support, and consider if those things align with your values. When people are begging others to join their boycotts and righteous causes, feel as if it is your obligation to join them.
Buy your coffee from a small business and go to the local thrift store to buy new clothes. Buy a refurbished phone instead of a new one, or make that Big Mac burger at home. These choices seem insignificant, but if often made, and made by the majority, their impact cannot be ignored.
The food you buy, the music you listen to and the clothing you wear are all choices that can have a huge impact on others. Send a message with the money you spend, a message that clearly states you will no longer be complicit in the exploitation of others and that your morals are not just for show.
