Ethical Consumerism and Recycling

LO: To evaluate the role of ethical consumerism and recycling

in helping reduce the negative impacts of Globalisation
 What is ‘ethical consumption’?

Ethical Shopping – A deliberate choice of products for

ethical reasons considering the social and environmental
costs of the goods purchased
Social Concerns Environmental concerns
 What is ‘ethical consumption’?

Ethical Shopping – A deliberate choice of products for

ethical reasons considering the social and environmental
costs of the goods purchased
Social Concerns Environmental concerns
- Exploitation of workers (unfair pay, unsafe - Food miles and carbon emissions
health and safety conditions), child labour, - Sustainability (deforestation, carbon etc.)
gender inequality, human rights abuse etc.) - Natural v harmful/manmade chemicals
 M&S: Plan A
• Plan A 2007 was introduced by M&S in 2007 as
they recognised the growing trend in ethical
consumerism
• The plan sets out 100 commitments to source
responsibly, reduce waste and help
communities over 5 years
• Plan A 2020 is being devised with new
commitments to try and make M&S the world’s
most sustainable retailer.
Evaluating Ethical Consumerism
Arguments for Ethical Arguments against Ethical
Consumerism Consumerism
Evaluating Ethical Consumerism
Arguments for Ethical
Consumerism
• Promotes individual action and
empowers ordinary people to offset
their environmental damage
• There are billions of consumers so
potential impact could be massive
• Consumers drive market demand for
goods and therefore can force firms to
change and cause bottom up pressure
• Doesn’t require government
intervention or telling people want to
do (libertarian) – inform people and let
them choose (more democratic)
Arguments against Ethical
Consumerism
• Consumers easily get confused with so
many different labels and messages
• People often feel their own
contribution is too insignificant to
change anything so don’t bother
• Often people opt for the unethical
choices or aren’t prepared to pay
higher prices for more ethical products
(money talks) – people tend to be lazy
and selfish!
• Buying reliably ethical products may
mean buying from HICs and less from
LICs with lax laws etc. (development
gap_
• Buying ‘organic’ means more land
must be used to grow the food
Ethical Consumerism: FairTrade

Describe the
growth of Fair
Trade Sales in
the UK
 Fair Trade
What is it and Why?
Ensuring that a fair price is paid for goods that are
produced so that producers and workers get a fairer
share of the money and are better protected (rights.
Tends to support small scale, democratic organisations
in LICs
 Fair Trade Problems
• Often the price seems unfair and too low because the good has
been overproduced (supply and demand). It would be better to
switch to grow other crops
• However by having a higher fair trade price it actually leads to
more overproduction of the good which in turn can actually
causes price to fall!
• There is little evidence that fair trade has lifted many producers
out of poverty. Most of the certified organisations come from
richer, more diversified developing countries (e.g. Mexico, SA)
• Inefficient way to help producers. Consumers pay premium
prices but most goes to supermarkets and only 10% trickles down
to the producer.
• Can lead to overreliance and dependency
• Consumers are also often confused by what is and isn’t free
trade – Blurred by labels or changes to products
 Fair Trade Problems
Who is fair trade for – producers or
consumers?

Is fair trade just a quick and easy way for

consumers in HIC to think and feel that they
are being ethical whilst people in LICs don’t
actually benefit?

Would we be better promoting free trade

instead?
 Ethical Consumerism and Recycling

LO: To evaluate the role of ethical consumerism and recycling

in helping reduce the negative impacts of Globalisation
Recycling
 Recycling
How does recycling deal with the problems of
globalisation? Key concept: scale and sustainability

• If all cans in the

UK were recycled,
we would need 14
million fewer
dustbins.
 Recycling in the UK
Task – Describe the trend shown
Facts
• In 2013-14 25.6 million
tonnes of waste was
managed by local
authorities. This was
9.1% lower than in
2000 despite a 9%
population increase
• In 2000 79% of local
authority waste went
to landfill, now it is
only 31% and 43.7% of
waste is recycled (12%
in 2000)
1. What isRecycling
Globalisation?
in the UK
Arguments for Recycling Arguments against
Recycling

Use Geofile to help

 The Circular Economy
A circular economy is an alternative to a traditional
linear economy (make, use, dispose) in which we
keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract
the maximum value from them whilst in use

https://www.theguardian.co
m/sustainable-business/10-th
ings-need-to-know-circular-ec
onomy
Distil down to 30 words…
Is this a better solution? Is this truly sustainable?
 The Circular Economy
The circular economy is an approach to sustainable development calling for
careful management of materials. The ultimate idea is to ‘design out’ waste all
together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg3OA1s8-SI
 Ethical Consumerism and Recycling

LO: To evaluate the role of ethical consumerism and recycling

in helping reduce the negative impacts of Globalisation
Plenary
Suggest why different groups
of people may have different
views about the need for a
‘greener Christmas’ (10) (June
2009 Q9)
 Homework
1. Read and make notes on the Fair
Trade and Recycling articles
2. Revise for Globalisation Assessment
on Friday