Practicing Conscious Consumerism in your home.
Conscious consumerism is the practice of mindfully and intentionally buying and using products as a statement of values. The opposite of conscious consumption is mindless consumption. It has been something important to me before I even knew it had a name, and has been a big part of my parenting style.
Ever since my girls were younger and at any store they were with me, which was as infrequently as I could possibly make it, they got the same parenting lecture when they inevitably ask “Can I have that, please?” Note that there is always a please. Any request that doesn’t include in a please and a thank you does not happen in or out of my house. But my response to “Can I have that, please?” is always to ask them if they want it or need it, and then remind them it’s my job as their parent to ensure I can meet their needs, not cater to all their wants. This is an economic lesson, a reminder of the value of a dollar, how to budget and what to spend money on. It’s an environmental lesson, being thoughtful about the source of the product and its impact on the environment. It’s a geography lesson. Where did the item come from and how did it get here (boat, ship, truck, Amazon fairy)? Lastly, it’s also a lesson in values. Does the company’s values align with those of you and your family and same test for the country of origin of the product.
By taking some of these into consideration you can save money, learn new things, practice being eco-friendly and teach your children valuable lessons.
Some of my favorite ways to be a conscious consumer.
- Buy in bulk! While not everyone is able to be a member there are lots of creative ways to enjoy your local warehouse club; by using the store’s free trial period, shopping online or shopping with a friend who has a membership!
- Check your produce and perishable foods and try to purchase domestic product when you can. A big bonus when you find locally sourced products, which usually have some marketing label to show it. Who doesn’t favor a “Fresh from Florida” strawberry?
- Do some research ahead of time of countries that employ child labor or have poor human rights track records. Support Made in America products or those from smaller, developing countries when possible.
- SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS! Try to avoid chain restaurants, coffee shops and other big box stores whenever possible. Yes, you might have to give up your Starbucks habit, but I assure you the local coffee shop owner appreciates and values your business a lot more. Kick your corporate head to Juice Mafia in Hallandale!
- Embrace Marie Kondo’s motto and ask yourself if what you are thinking about buying sparks joy. This is a big one for kids. How many times have you bought a new toy, it was used once and ended up in the giveaway or donate pile? Is it going to go into the abyss of other toys or games and never see the light of day again? Do you already have at least one at home that just needs to be found?
Each of these conversations can be had in an age-appropriate way but don’t be afraid to start big conversations with kids, even at a young age. It takes a little getting used to and you might have a learning curve at the beginning but once it becomes habit for you and your family, you’ll be glad you implemented it. When you take the extra step of conscious consumerism you’ll find you’ll reap the financial, economic, environmental and reinforce the principles you want your kids to grow up with.
