173 How to Vote with Your Dollars Adventures in Sustainable Living

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast
Episode 173
How to Vote with Your Dollars
 

You have likely heard me say that our choices make changes. This is because our choices drive the market place. Now you may not think that your individual choices can make a difference. But, it is the cumulative results of the individual choices of the 7.8 billion people on this planet that has gotten us to where we are today. 

 

One of the easiest things you can do as a consumer is make better choices with the dollars that you spend. From the consumer goods you buy, to where you shop, to your choice of diet, to where you do your banking, there are numerous ways to vote with your dollars. 

 

So join me for E173 How to Vote with Your Dollars

 

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is E173 How to Vote With Your Dollars. 

 

Sustainability Question of the Week

 

What can we do as an individuals to have an impact on climate change?

Good News Story of the Week

 

And you all know that I love stories about doing things in an unconventional manner because that is what I have done for the last 20 plus years. But sometimes if you just simply get away from mainstream you often find there are much more efficient and environmentally friendly ways to do things. 

 

And in our modern world, many people are looking at older methods of construction and using sustainable materials to build homes that are much more efficient. And this is exactly what Anthony Hudson, an architect in England, managed to do. This home was part of a European Union project to pioneer the construction of more efficient homes. 

 

The walls of this home are made from hemp straw, earth and water to form a substance called cob. And best of all, the building still complies with all local building regulations. Building with mud is of course a centuries old technique and there are some homes in Britain that have lasted more than 500 years.

 

This house was part of an EU funded project with a focus on net-zero carbon construction. Building with mud is of course sustainable, it is inexpensive, and easy to source. Additionally, this house has a green roof in order to support local biodiversity and to replace the green space taken up by the build site. 

 

So, there you are folks. For this week a round of applause to the EU for bringing sustainable construction into the 21st century. 

 

That said, let’s move on to this weeks episode. 

 

Have you ever wondered why people make ethical choices. After all, ethical decisions tend to generate and sustain trust. They demonstrate respect and responsibility. And ethical decisions show a sense of caring. In fact, these types of behaviors provide a foundation for making better decisions in the future by simply setting the ground rules for our behavior. Ethics are the principles that guide us to make a positive impact through our decisions and actions. 

 

More and more people these days are wanting ethical and sustainable choices. I think people are truly starting to realize that we need to move beyond a consumer culture. I say this only because there is an ever-expanding selection of fair trade, eco-friendly and locally made products. This seems to indicate that people want to feel as if the products they purchase support their values. Recent surveys show that 78% of consumers feel that sustainability is important and 84% say that poor environmental practices would alienate them from a company or brand.

 

But since we still seem to live in a consumer driven economy, one of the best things you can do is to be informed about the ethical behavior of companies that you tend to patronize. This of course is the beginning of making ethical decisions about how you spend your money. While this is a good place to start, building a green economy is about so much more. It is about supporting businesses that actually adopt green practices such as supporting the local economy a