In economic organization of society, we have the forces of supply and demand, as well as distribution (but that’s kind of a different story). So in the cycle of production and consumption, we also have consequences, such as pollution, exploitation, and the threat to our ecosystem. The price we pay for the item only reflects how much it cost to produce, scarcity, as well as how much people are willing to pay for a product. However, between laissez-faire economics and corporate commodities, it never works to reflect the environmental, social, or health costs. As consumers, we are only conscious of the price tag next to quality, and as we are beginning to become aware of things like global warming, the poverty, and pesticides, we wonder what our government is going to do about it or what we can do about it (without lowering our standard of living or killing our debit accounts). Most people I know are waiting for something to happen from the top of the enlightenment period, but why not start right here in our day-to-day lives?

Baby steps - Here are some things I have listed to share an idea about everyday consumers changing the world. Through demand we have the ability to encourage the production of one good over another. Choices - they are a reflection of how we live and what we find value in… I’m not going to get into reusing bags and bottles, donate to charity and cause, or taking public transit.. i have a feeling most of us are already aware and are doing what we can.

“Recycle” Shopping

When I picture a department store, I see racks of mass produced clothes manufactured in a factory from a third world country. Rather than perpetuating the waste and the exploitation of children in sweatshops, why not shop used clothing? Used clothing are generally in good to new condition, and one may find some unique articles, as well as a good price. While you’re at it, you can also sell some of your old clothes towards your new closet.

Used books are available online, and a great place I would recommend is Amazon.com. Many individuals and “companies” post their used books online and you can purchase directly from them. Generally after the shipping costs, the used books are far cheaper than buying brand new. This is a good idea especially for college students who have expensive textbooks to buy - it is far cheaper to buy used online than used at a bookstore! Usually takes about 2 weeks to arrive, so time may be a factor for some.

Google books also has a bunch of free books to download online. There are also many other websites that offer this if you go out and look. Why cut down more trees for the printing press? Why throw away your old books? There are also many used book stores around that you can sell your old books to. They usually don’t offer a good price, but if you can’t wait to get rid of them, it is a good option. They also serve as drop off locations for donations.

Organic Small Farm Produce

Did you know that land is far more productive in small-scale farming? With small scale farming, more food is yielded per acre, there is less homogenizing of germ seed, the ability to plant at different levels of soil (this practice is good for preserving the topsoil). In large scale farming, plants are grown under the philosophy of predictability, so therefore farmers want to grow a certain amount to be harvested in one day (whereas in small scale, it is harvested all season long). Therefore, it encourages homogeneity in what to produce, as well as in the germ seed.

There are some seed companies who are based off of this idea. For example, Monsanto has been genetically modifying seeds (or GMO’s) to create a predictable yield. In traditional farming practices, seeds are gathered from the old crop and replanted every year. With the newer Monsanto seeds, they cannot reproduce and so they die off every year. New seeds have to be rebought every year, and what’s more is that these seeds are patented by these companies, so there is vulnerability in that a corporation who can control a food supply.

Also, environmental stability relies on diversity. Because life feeds on life, diversity provides the balance and the support to all living species. If there was only 2 species, such as rice and man, it can mean disastrous results if the one crop should fail. Mass farming and its homogenizing quality only expands territory as population increases, so it is inherent that mass farming is unproductive and destructive in the long run.

So there is the gist of it - the reason why i think going to your local farmer’s market actually makes a difference. Through conscientious shopping we can enact the change that we want to see. Do some research, ask a few questions, talk to other people, find out the story of the products you buy. Sometimes we make mistakes, the news on TV is not always right, and sometimes we see that a system is not working the way it could or should be. I hope to see and hear other ideas out there, as well as other alternatives. When I do, I shall update this post.

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