We'll never to be able to make anything that is remotely regionally-dependent sustainable for a global market. There's a vast difference between producing for ~10,000,000 and producing for...
We'll never to be able to make anything that is remotely regionally-dependent sustainable for a global market. There's a vast difference between producing for ~10,000,000 and producing for ~100,000,000, let alone 80 times that.
Ultimately, easy global trade is antithical to sustainable living. It's a modern luxury powered by the invisibile concentrated power of fossil fuels.
The answer boils down to 'then stop producing mezcal for a global market.' Or produce it at sustainable levels and charge higher prices accordingly so it reflects the actual cost.
I have a feeling this bottoms out the fad early though, and people resume drinking cheaper options. At least it would be less devastating long term.
Works in theory, never works in practice. Telling a traditionally impoverished people to not-do-the-thing-that-makes-them-money in a capitalistic world never goes well, telling consumers they...
The answer boils down to 'then stop producing mezcal for a global market.' Or produce it at sustainable levels and charge higher prices accordingly so it reflects the actual cost.
Works in theory, never works in practice. Telling a traditionally impoverished people to not-do-the-thing-that-makes-them-money in a capitalistic world never goes well, telling consumers they should be paying what's actually fair doesn't either.
The concept of 'ethical consumption' is fraught with issues, but I do think that it still has a place much in the same way that we often vote for politicians which don't represent us, but do...
The concept of 'ethical consumption' is fraught with issues, but I do think that it still has a place much in the same way that we often vote for politicians which don't represent us, but do effect us. It is a framework for which we can make a better choice when presented with the facts. On some axis nearly any capitalistic corporation is going to be causing harm to the world, but some axes are much worse than others. It allows people a tiny bit of control in a system where they are not given control, but people should realize that it's not a way to absolve blame or systemically solve the problem either. At the end of the day, if I happen to have enough mental energy to research a product I wish to buy, or am simply presented with the information of this particular company's practices as compared to their competitors, I can make a choice that I feel better about and in the meantime learn a little bit more about the world.
I've always interpreted ethical consumption within a context that consumption is mandatory. If other models are available (gift economy), those are preferable. BuyNothing is a great way to start,...
I've always interpreted ethical consumption within a context that consumption is mandatory. If other models are available (gift economy), those are preferable.
BuyNothing is a great way to start, it helps jumpstart a gift economy from the secondhand charity/resale market. Biggest downside IMO is that many are tied to Facebook groups.
We'll never to be able to make anything that is remotely regionally-dependent sustainable for a global market. There's a vast difference between producing for ~10,000,000 and producing for ~100,000,000, let alone 80 times that.
Ultimately, easy global trade is antithical to sustainable living. It's a modern luxury powered by the invisibile concentrated power of fossil fuels.
The answer boils down to 'then stop producing mezcal for a global market.' Or produce it at sustainable levels and charge higher prices accordingly so it reflects the actual cost.
I have a feeling this bottoms out the fad early though, and people resume drinking cheaper options. At least it would be less devastating long term.
Works in theory, never works in practice. Telling a traditionally impoverished people to not-do-the-thing-that-makes-them-money in a capitalistic world never goes well, telling consumers they should be paying what's actually fair doesn't either.
I don't disagree. I probably should have been more specific. It's just further evidence how capitalism is at-odds with sustainability.
Oh, absolutely. The further I dig the more I'm convinced that ethical consumption is impossible.
The concept of 'ethical consumption' is fraught with issues, but I do think that it still has a place much in the same way that we often vote for politicians which don't represent us, but do effect us. It is a framework for which we can make a better choice when presented with the facts. On some axis nearly any capitalistic corporation is going to be causing harm to the world, but some axes are much worse than others. It allows people a tiny bit of control in a system where they are not given control, but people should realize that it's not a way to absolve blame or systemically solve the problem either. At the end of the day, if I happen to have enough mental energy to research a product I wish to buy, or am simply presented with the information of this particular company's practices as compared to their competitors, I can make a choice that I feel better about and in the meantime learn a little bit more about the world.
I've always interpreted ethical consumption within a context that consumption is mandatory. If other models are available (gift economy), those are preferable.
BuyNothing is a great way to start, it helps jumpstart a gift economy from the secondhand charity/resale market. Biggest downside IMO is that many are tied to Facebook groups.