A badge for eco-ethical consumers

[KateyKool]

Seems I am classed as an 'eco-ethical consumer'.
So I want to know just how ethical companies really are.
I don't trust any who claim to be green, it's all green wash. Cars, electricity companies, you name it, they all try and con us. And what about those exploiting people? Or abusing animals?
Should we have an independent body that has a badge that says THIS COMPANY HAS REAL ETHICAL VALUES.

Maybe one for Mumsnet?

If anyone is starting an eco or ethical company I can recommend a good book. No sure I'm allowed to mention it by name on the forums.

How do you find out how you are "classed"?

Why don't you trust so called Green Companies

What has animal abuse got to do wih your badge point.

Is the book in fact the reason you are posting?

Yabu.

Did you write the book?

If you are classed as an "eco-ethical consumer" I assuming you have purchased/used the services of the very companies you say you mistrust? Or am I missing something?

Did a street survey about my buying habits and researcher said I was an eco-ethical consumer. Like.

No I didn't write the book. My friend has started a small clothing company and found it had some good advice.

No, I avoid buying from companies, where I can, who have a bad ethical reputation like Nestle or IAMS. Alas have to buy petrol (though avoid BP or Esso). I have moved my energy supplier from EDF to Good Energy.

I don't trust companies that suddenly claim they are green or ethical when they aren't like EDF who own the largest supplier of coal to coal powered power stations. And support Nuclear. Like Helmans's claiming to being ethical because they now use free range eggs - only because supermarkets told them too. Or BP. Or many car companies who then have their ads banned like Renault. The list is long.

Animal abuse is a key factor in judging food companies about ethics.Always buy free range and farm fresh and organic when I can afford it. IAMS for example tested products on animals that resulted in many animal deaths. L'Oreal still test on animals.

Having answered the questions, the really important issue is, what do others think?

Are we happy to be conned or not know? Does it matter that we don't really know how honest claims are in ads, on packaging, in the media? Should all companies be required to be honest?

I'm not convinced by your arguement. It is difficult to decide what exactly is best for the environment, so some people may argue that EDF's commitment to nuclear energy is environmentally the right way to go. At what point would you allow Helmanns' credit for using free-range eggs given that you criticise Helmanns for making the right decision but with the wrong motivation? What do you mean by "buy farm fresh"?

It's not an argument, it's a reality. Get with the times.

No KateyKool it is an argument. What you are presenting is one side of a debate, or indeed many debates. I think you may just be accepting what you have been told about many companies and be jumping on some sort of fashionable ethical bandwagon judging by your response.

And what do you think "farm fresh" means?

I subscribe to Ethical Consumer magazine which provides comprehensive buyers guides based on specific ethical criteria: politics, environment, people, animal rights and sustainability. Each buyers' guide offers a suggestion for a best buy in that market. The website (www.ethicalconsumer.org) also shows you the rating tables so if animal testing is an issue you feel strongly about you can see which companies have marks against them for animal testing etc. Its worth checking out. I use it all the time to help me make decisions on buying products.

You seem very naive and uninformed.

And as one of the posters upthread said, it depends on your definition of ethics. Would you refuse to give to a cancer or HIV charity because some of their research is tested on animals?
Should you be driving a car at all? Do you really think some petroleum companies are more "ethical" than others?
How would you react if you were told that most environmentalists argue that nuclear power is the way to create energy in the future?

'Farm Fresh' means absolutely fuck all. 'Organic' does not automatically mean cruelty free.

There is a lot more to it.
Like breatheslowly says about the nuclear power.

Tesco have recently stopped their carbon footprint label thingie as there's just so much more to it than simply good/bad. Their strawberries from Scotland were apparently "worse" than the Spanish ones because of the peat.

It's difficult as being green has become such a money maker.
Greenwash is it?

I thought you were actually suggesting that eco-ethical consumers, should get a badge to wear so they can walk around supermarkets looking smug

Christ, Waitrose would be TEEMING with them.

Tricky. It isn't clear cut, for instance, buying flowers from Kenya. On the face of it, airmiles would make it unethical, but what if the flowers come from a cooperative where it's the only source of income?

Or if one uses reusable nappies. A lot of them are made in China, so the eco footprint got huge, unless one uses a more locally produced type, such as TotsBots.

The nappies are more about landfill. Another issue to consider.

YANBU to not trust the companies that suddenly start claiming eco-ethical (surely there's a better term than that?) values after a long history of just not giving a shit. Most of them are only doing it as a PR exercise or to keep the government from enacting laws and regulations that they can't manipulate. It's a sensible thing for those companies to do, but if you actually think that they will put [whatever good or value is important to you] above profit you're fooling yourself. They will do it only for as long as it serves their purpose and only to the extent they absolutely have to. But since they tend to be the biggest providers, that pressure to be seen to be doing something can have quite a significant impact, so it's not all bad.

As to the specifics of what is an eco-ethical choice, I don't think that's so clear cut. Or perhaps I mean there are contradictory choices that could fall under that label.

Buying Soil association approved organic food ensures quite a high standard of animal welfare.

'farm fresh' means feck all. It's nearly as bad as 'barn eggs'