Leo Hickman has a lot to answer for. Donna and I are already fairly green: I cycle to work, we use washable nappies, and buy organic vegetables. Recently, I started Hickman’s book “A life stripped bare”; about his attempts to become an ethical consumer. As I have been reading, I have been involuntarily grunting comments about “food miles” and “fair trade”. Donna quietly sits, and absorbs these asides. Then, on a trip to the local supermarket, she fastidiously scans the shelves for local, ethical and organic produce.
I receive a text at work “You and your bloody ethical consumerism – need a mortgage to pay for our shopping”. When I return home, I learn that we have spent over £200 on not just ethical foodstuffs, but also organic shampoo, conditioner, bodywash, toothpaste, babywipes etc.
Gulp. Our cause is noble, but I think we need to simplify. Donna says that the worst thing was that ‘consumerism’ is such a long word to text.
2 comments:
Did you know that the energy you expend in washing those nappies is more or less equal to the harm that you'd do in buying disposable...you can't really win can you? And as you imply. for 'ethical' consumer, read 'rich' consumer.
Bury those plastic carrier bags in your back garden boys and girls - it will be a rich legacy to leave your grandchildren, in the post-fossil fuel days to come...
:-)
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