Sustainable Consumerism

"Sustainable consumerism" is a term to describe environmentally-healthy practices used by businesses or companies marketing a product/food etc., as well as the individuals who are buying these environmentally-conscious products. On the large scale, industrialization and capitalism are usually in opposition to this sustainability. The focus of capitalism is widespread marketing, mass production, and gaining the most financial profit with the least amount of effort or economic input. For these reasons, most large corporations or industries let their greed cloud their concern for sustainability. Despite this, "going green" has gained some popularity in recent times. As a result of this, some companies have tried to promote a feeling of environmental awareness and friendliness (this is usually a facade). This is known as "greenwashing"- or a deceptive form of green marketing which leads individuals to believe that a company's policies or products are environmentally-friendly. I would be willing to spend a little bit more money on occasion to buy products that were TRULY organic, as opposed to fast foods distributed by monopolized organizations. After analyzing my eating habits for example, I noticed that I actually do support a lot of local "mom and pop" restaurants than I thought. I have become familiar with a number small, "fair-trade" coffee shops and eateries in the area that I enjoy going to. This benefits the local community as well as the developing nations worldwide.