Ethical Consumerism

consumerism or green based purchasing is highlighted by those consumers who consciously make purchases of products and services that align with their own ethical or environmentally responsible values. Ethical consumerism is a driver of sustainable business practices and green branding, targeted towards those consumers who will purchase or not purchase utilizing the following two techniques;

1. The product or service they buy must meet their value-based criteria in relationship to the exploitation of human labor (Fair Trade) and the environment. Socially and environmentally responsible consumers buy based on the `eco-friendliness' of the product line. They are critical and skeptical and will be the first to label a product or service `green washed' ( a concept that states that a product, service or company is putting forth an image of ethical or green systems, when this is not really the case).

2. Ethical consumerism is also highlighted by boycotts of companies, products, and services that are harming the environment by the products they produce, the methods they are using to produce their product, or the transportation models they utilize to bring products or services to market.

Large scale companies, such as Wal-Mart, Nike, and Nestle have installed widespread green and sustainable business and operation systems throughout every area of their global enterprises.

Consumers who are purchasing ethically will look upon this type of forward thinking implementation and many will buy based upon the techniques these companies have undertaken. These large companies can be forces for great change globally when they make goals for their suppliers and vendors all along their supply chain. These are the kinds of approaches that an ethical consumer will study and act upon when making purchases.

The past decade has seen a growing awareness of ethical consumerism, moral purchasing, or green consumerism. Disagreements rage over the overall use of the terms and how these types of designations are being used more as marketing methods than as tools for good and ethical sourcing.

The 21^st century has become the Age of Green - Ethical Consumerism is the name of the game.