January 9, 2012
As Rebecca Scott discussed in her TEDx talk, each time we purchase a product or service, we are “voting” with our wallets. We don’t have to wait until the next election cycle to make informed decisions about how we will be represented; we can start by taking a look at the companies and products that we allow into our lives and homes. Do we vote with our dollars for companies that support our shared values such as environmental sustainability and social justice? Or for companies that abuse the environment and mistreat their workers? How can we find out?
If you have as many questions as I do, here are two helpful websites shared by Green Sanctuary Team members that research well-known companies and their products and provide rankings in categories such as care for the environment, attention to human rights, healthiness, and community involvement.
Better World Shopper (www.betterworldshopper.org)
Good Guide (www.goodguide.com)
Have you used either of these guides? How do you feel about values-based ranking systems such as these? Share your thoughts with us!
Photo by Tom Raftery
