Notes - Chapter 13 Consumer Choices

#### ***Lesson 1*** **[Ethical & Sustainable Consumption]** =================================================== **Ethics** relates to what is morally right and wrong. *Ethical Practices* ------------------- 1. - - - - 2. - - 3. - #### #### ***Lesson 2*** +-------...

#### ***Lesson 1*** **[Ethical & Sustainable Consumption]** =================================================== **Ethics** relates to what is morally right and wrong. *Ethical Practices* ------------------- 1. - - - - 2. - - 3. - #### #### ***Lesson 2*** +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Impact of a | **Positive** | **Negative** | | purchase on:** | | | +=======================+=======================+=======================+ | **People** | Having many workers | If the price is low, | | | on a low wage means | the **workers** may | | \[e.g., cheap | that garments are | not be paid properly | | purchase\] | produced **quickly | or work under unsafe | | | and cheaply,** giving | conditions. | | | more access to | | | | consumers, who can | **Suppliers** of | | | buy these trendy | materials should be | | | garments for little | paid fairly. | | | or nothing. This is | | | | called **fast | | | | fashion**. | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Environment** | Technology has made | Increasing demand for | | | goods and services | products has led to | | \[e.g., buying from | more accessible. A | an increase in | | abroad\] | consumer in Ireland | production, which | | | can purchase goods | requires more energy. | | | from all over the | The [burning of | | | world and get it | fossil | | | delivered to their | fuels] | | | door. This offers the | has led to a rise in | | | **consumer more | the amount of gases | | | options** and keeps | in the atmosphere. | | | **businesses | | | | competitive**. | Globalisation means | | | | consumers can buy | | | | from all over the | | | | world. The transport | | | | methods to get the | | | | products to the | | | | consumer also | | | | increase CO~2~ | | | | emissions. | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Animal welfare** | Testing on animals | Some companies test | | | means that products | their products on | | \[E.g., buying | are not tested on | animals before | | cosmetics\] | human skin. No humans | testing on humans. | | | will be hurt and the | Keeping animals | | | cost savings for the | locked up and testing | | | company will be | on them is animal | | | higher. | cruelty. An ethical | | | | consumer would not | | | | buy products which | | | | have been tested on | | | | animals. | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Earth's resources** | The needs of people | **Natural resources** | | | must be satisfied. | such as coal and | | \[e.g., buying single | Using scarce | water, etc. are | | use plastics\] | resources or finding | limited. Consumers | | | alternatives will | should try to | | | help satisfy the | purchase from | | | needs of the present. | companies who are | | | | trying to use | | | | [renewable | | | | resources]{.underline | | | | } | | | | in their production | | | | process and products. | | | | | | | | This is known as | | | | **sustainability**. | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ #### #### ***Lesson 3*** +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | **Renewable Resources** | **Non-Renewable** | | | | | - - - | - - | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ **Sustainable consumption** buying goods and services that do not harm society, the environment or the economy, particularly in the long term. ***Three pillars to sustainability:*** We need to consider how consumer choices impacts on each of these: - - - (this is also known as the [Triple Bottom Line]) #### #### ***Lesson 4(a)*** **Ethical consumers** only buy products that are produced in a fair and honest way. **Ethical goods** are produced in a way that is kind to the environment and to the people who produce them. A **boycott** is a voluntary act of protest in which consumers refuse to buy from a particular company. These often lead to real change. Example: Fast fashion brands, including H&M and Zara, faced boycotts over accusations of exploitative labour practices. #### ***Lesson 4(b)*** Consumers should ask themselves the following when making purchases: +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Environment** | **Ethics** | **Sustainable** | +=======================+=======================+=======================+ | - - - - | - - - | - - - | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ #### #### ***Lesson 5*** **The impact of ethical consumerism:** - - - - **What can you do?**