Herewith are sources of further information on the issue of green living
and ethical consumerism. We would appreciate any comments or additions to
this page; email your contribution.
links are in alphabetical order
Adbusters
http://www.adbusters.org
For cultural creatives and consumer jammers ... Worth exploring for inspiration.
By Nature
http://www.bynature.co.uk
By Nature offers green, organic and ethical products to fit your life and
your conscience. A great selection of organic clothing for the whole family,
recycled homeware, organic bedding, organic skincare, wind up and solar accessories,
fair-trade toys and home accessories.
Corporate Watch
http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/index.htm
An international website which includes very detailed information about some
of the most unethical companies in the world. Here you can find out about
the corporate crimes of Tesco, Nestle, Halliburton, Monsanto and other big
boys.
Ethical Consumer UK
http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/
An alternative consumer organisation who look at the social and environmental
records of the companies behind the brand names. Their website is excellent
and contains everything you need to know about ethical consumerism, from the
philosophy, to the history, lists of boycotts past and present along with
successes and more rarely, failures. They also have a page of Ten Shopping
Tips for the Ethical Consumer.
Ethical Directory Canada
http://www.ethicaldirectory.ca
Businesses from anywhere in the world can be listed on this Canadian-based website. Ethical Directory is a guide of ethical businesses, companies, organizations, nonprofits and websites that promote fair trade, ethics, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the environment.
Ethical Junction
http://www.ethical-junction.org/index.shtml
Ethical Junction is a one-stop shop for ethical organisations and ethical
trading. The site has an ethical shopping centre, a search engine that only
searches ethical organisations and the directory is full of hundreds of organisations
representing a huge range of businesses and interests. From ethical financial
advice, fairly traded goods and solar panels to business consultants, theatre
groups and campaign organisations, Ethical Junction is the place for shopping
and information. The Ethical Junction was formed to make it easier for us
all to adopt a more ethical and rewarding lifestyle and to help contribute
to making the world of commerce fair and sustainable.
Ethical Trading Initiative
http://www.ethicaltrade.org
The ETI is an alliance of companies, charities, NGOs and trade unions, working
towards a sustainable ethical future.
Get Ethical
http://www.getethical.com
An excellent internet resource and guide for ethical products, services and
news.
The Green Consumer Guide
http://www.greenconsumerguide.com/
An international website on environmental, ethical, sustainable products,
services and news.
GOOSHING
http://www.gooshing.co.uk/
GOOSHING is the free ethical shopping tool from The Good Shopping
Guide. It's a neat resource, as the site says, it "makes it
easy to buy brands from the most responsible companies at the cheapest price…
and boycott those corporates that don’t care about animal welfare, human
rights or the environment." It scans 250,000 products from over 350 shops.
Guide Me Green
http://www.guidemegreen.com/
This site has a green directory with organic, fair trade foods and non-food
products, together with an ethical directory that recommends brands which
support a more ethical lifestyle.
LUMA
http://www.lumadirect.com
LUMA are a young London-based mail-order company, who offer luxury organic and fair trade bed, bath and baby products with a quality, selection and value that competes head to head with conventional products. Organic cotton farming revolutionises the lives of cotton farmers in developing countries and they're passionate about the cause!
McSpotlight and Beyond Macdonalds
http://www.mcspotlight.org/index.shtml
These pages provide information about the unethical practices of many companies
and industries. On McSpotlight, you can find out what's wrong with multinationals.
Natural Collection
http://www.naturalcollection.com
This is a site much recommended by TDN members. It is a catalogue/website doing a range of stuff - fair traded, organic, low energy, reusable, recycled, ethically sourced, not tested on animals, vegan friendly, environmentally friendly cosmetics, cleaning products, and more - every product has at least one ethical angle, and they give a lot of info about sourcing. Furthermore, they donate a small percentage of each sale to Greenpeace.
Naturewatch
http://www.naturewatch.org/
Naturewatch is a non-profit animal welfare campaigning organisation whose
aims are to promote the prevention of cruelty to animals and to conduct and
support the publication of information concerning animals in furtherance of
their welfare. The Compassionate Shopping Guide is published by Naturewatch
and is available for just £2.00 (less if you order 10 or more). It is
an invaluable pocket guide of which brands to avoid and which ones are cruelty
free.
Only Fair
http://www.onlyfair.co.uk/
A company selling only fair trade products from around the world, including food, gifts and home ware.
O People
http://www.opeople.co.uk/default.asp
An ethical recruitment agency with
offices in Bristol and Gloucestershire who are well placed for local
recruitment and equally serve many clients and candidates in London and
across the UK. They say:
'Opeople
are the only recruitment agency in the UK that works with the
environment and healthier living in mind. We use green products in our
day to day business, use energy efficient technology, generate minimal
waste and have a very low carbon foot print compared to many of our
counterparts. For every person placed in employment, we give membership
to the Soil Association and plant an Organic fruit tree on their behalf
in local a school.'
The Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics
http://www.oxfordanimalethics.com/
Pioneering ethical perspectives on animals through academic research, teaching and publication. A site well worth exploring.
Spirit of Nature
This is a company that The Druid Network has a trading partnership with (rather
like those who often see with Amazon). If you use this link, if you buy anything
on their site, they give 10% to The Druid Network.
Sustain
http://www.sustainweb.org/
A really useful site on sustainable food and farming which we would recommend highly: see more.
Uncaged
http://www.uncaged.co.uk/
In the decade since it was founded, Uncaged has developed a unique campaigning
approach which has placed it at the forefront of the anti-vivisection movement
* * *
Here are some of the bad boys. Checking their website will enable you to
find out just what their products are, but also read their side of the story.
listed in alphabetical order
Nestle
http://www.nestle.com/Html/Brands/index.asp
Nestle's own version of its history can be viewed on its website but needless
to say, this version doesn't give a very full explanation of the scandals
which have periodically plagued the company. The most obvious damage to Nestle's
reputation has been its unethical marketing of artificial baby milk, particularly
in the global south. Nestle's corporate crimes are too numerous to be listed
here, so follow this link: http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/profiles/food_supermarkets/nestle/nestle5.html
Proctor and Gamble
http://www.pg.com/products/pg_products.jhtml
Procter & Gamble are one of the largest manufacturers of household cleaning
and personal hygiene products in the world. They produce more than 300 brands
in over 140 countries, with a global turnover of over $35 billion. An estimated
50,000 animals die at the hands of Procter and Gamble every year.
