Friday, September 4, 2009

Conscientious Consumerism


Every purchase we make has a consequence on the carbon footprint, human rights and even corporate behavior. For instance, buying a tea or coffee brand that uses sustainable practices for local environments and farmers would be better than buying similar beverage brands without such consideration.

Now, let's talk about Walmart. People like to shop there, because the prices are cheap. But, what's cheap at one end costs US employees at the other end. As the largest US employer, Walmart can influence wages, benefits and treatment of employment at other businesses. Also, there's a serious problem of Walmart buying from overseas sweatshops. This is how the company saves money by buying from businesses that pay their employees poverty wages.