Whilst it is true that there is no perfectly ethical consumption under capitalism, there are ways to mitigate some of the worst effects of your habits

In our climate change-afflicted, poverty-stricken and simply depressing world, it is easy to become defeatist. Why should I remember to bring a reusable bag to the supermarket or switch to an electric car when just 100 companies are (supposedly) responsible for more than 70% of the world's global emissions? If large companies are the problem, then surely they should change rather than individuals, right? Right, but there's things that consumers can do too:

• The consumer habits of wealthy countries massively impact climate change, with the richest 1% of the global population emitting more than twice the amount of fossil fuels than the poorest 50%
• Consumers can make sustainable choices, even on a smaller everyday level, that eventually have a substantial impact on their carbon footprint
• Choosing to buy from smaller businesses is more likely to guarantee ethical working practices and a smaller impact on the climate
• Simply buying less, rather than nothing at all, can have a positive impact

Although we have made strides towards ethical consumption, it is simply not achievable for all

• The Good Place, a philosophical sitcom discusses this notion. Buying flowers in the 1800s as a gift for someone was easIer as it had little effect on anyone else. However , buying flowers in 2021 where workers are exploited and carbon footprint considerations - harder to be ethical and good when the world has evolved in a way that exploits the planet and exploits others.

• Furthermore,In capitalism, the poorer people simply do not have the funds to be ethical, it costs money, more than they make. Richer people will start preaching an ethical lifestyle to poorer people that they simply cannot afford. For instance, shopping for conscious fashion will be more expensive than going somewhere cheaper like Primark. Does this mean that poorer people should feel guilty about not living ethically?

Some people believe that it is possible to partake in consumerism that is both ethical and sustainable. For others, ethical consumerism is an oxymoronic concept.

The origin of the phrase “there is no ethical consumption under capitalism” stems from a meme-led backlash on Twitter and Tumblr against a 2014 Elle UK fashion campaign. The company created t-shirts with the slogan “this is what a feminist looks like” and gathered celebrities such as Emma Watson and Alexa Chung to model them. However, it was soon discovered that these t-shirts were produced by severely underpaid female factory workers in Mauritius who operated in abhorrent conditions.

The general arguments which both support and deny the possibility of ethical consumption are as follows:

• Supporting ethical consumption: Ethical consumption concerns thinking about the origin of the product and the context in which it was made. Considering this, it is possible for consumers who have the money to make decisions to buy from more sustainable and ethical brands as this may influence the activities of corporates over time. Moreover, even those who do not have the money to buy more ethical brands should be discouraged from engaging in practices such as overconsumption.

• Denying ethical consumption: Some people, particularly those on the left side of the political spectrum, would argue that exploitation exists at every level within the capitalist system, albeit to different degrees. Therefore, it is impossible to practice ethical consumption in a purist sense. Moreover, some would argue that ethical consumption unfairly puts the moral responsibility for ensuring sustainability on consumers, even though 71% of global emissions are produced by just 100 companies.

Is this an easy out for dealing with an overwhelming and frightening crisis?

Studies say that ‘just _100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions’.

For this reason, I completely sympathise with people disregarding sustainable habits and questioning themselves: does it really make a difference if I buy a new dress for the weekend when oil companies are setting the literal ocean on fire?.

We all feel disengaged with the fight to stop climate change when we hear stuff like this. And so do I, its disheartening and depressing especially when scientists say that in 2019 we only had 18 months to save the planet and it is now 2021 and people are dying as a direct result of climate change.

But we must try, myself included, to try to not use this as an excuse to take our foot off the accelerator in our efforts to reduce our carbon footprints and the impact that we leave our one and only planet with.