Is it possible to produce goods and services in a fair and ethical way, without damaging the environment?

There remains fierce debate surrounding the question of whether consumerism can ever be accommodated within a sustainable framework. In other words, is it possible to produce goods and services in a fair and ethical way, without damaging the environment? The question is not quite so straightforward. For example some fair trade products such as coffee can be ethically produced, but can also have an adverse impact on the environment. It would appear, therefore, that there is no universally accepted definition of what actually constitutes green consumerism.

This lack of consensus does not mean, however, that we cannot live greener and more sustainable lifestyles – far from it. There is a growing realisation today that our actions are having a detrimental effect on the planet, pushing more people to consider how they can make a difference. The increase in demand for fair trade products and surge in clean energy are two areas that are testament to this. Other people see sustainable living as an effective way of reducing costs and saving money. For example, insulating the house or car sharing.

Having decided to adopt a greener lifestyle, reduce our carbon footprint and save money into the bargain, the question then arises of how we go about finding green products and services amongst the myriad of confusing claims, greenwashing and different alternatives! There are suppliers of everything from fair trade clothing to green insurance policies, but these have tended to be fairly disparate and involved lots of internet searches and shopping around niche websites.

A genuine desire to help protect the planet, encourage sustainable living and make it easier for eco-conscious shoppers to find greener products and services led to my decision in 2005 to launch the Green Providers Directory.

The idea was that the directory would provide a one-stop shop for all things green, eco-friendly and sustainable – all under one roof. Suppliers are listed in easy-to-use sections, with a description of what they provide and contact details. The directory is free and easy to use, providing links to a range of renewable energy suppliers, fair trade clothing, health and beauty products, energy saving devices, ethical gifts and organic wines, as well as news and updates on environmental issues and related topics.

The directory has since been listed in The Guardian and Channel 4’s environmental sections and on green.tv, a United Nations Environmental Programme. It also has a number of links with schools and universities, including Cambridge University, Bradford University and the University of Huddersfield, providing articles and information on green issues and sustainable living.

The directory is also involved in areas such as helping to protect the world’s rainforests and endangered species, writing articles for green blogs and publications, and providing support for a number of environmental causes and campaigns.

In the 11 years since the launch of the Green Providers Directory we have seen progress in many areas such as growth in clean energy production, fair trade products being stocked in major supermarkets, electric cars, charges for plastic bags, climate change agreements and banning of bee-harming pesticides. But we’ve also witnessed fracking, continued population growth, species extinction, rainforests being destroyed for palm oil plantations and other severe ecological threats.

I would like to think that the directory has made a useful contribution to protecting the environment, and that it can play an ongoing role in helping to build a sustainable future for our children and the planet’s rich and diverse wildlife.

Guest post by Dr Gary Robertshaw

The Tide is Turning

Some time ago, we received a communication from an organisation that claimed all consumerism was wrong and that it would not associate itself with a directory that promoted selling of any kind, even if this related to green and ethical products. This viewpoint has been repeated many times in various guises, and is often manifested in different political interpretations such as communism vs capitalism and socialism vs free market thinking. Irrespective of ideals and political persuasions however, and whether we agree with consumerism or not, the reality of the situation is that it is here to stay. The question then becomes one of what types of consumerism are acceptable and which are not? This is where the true debate lies. There is certainly bad and irresponsible consumerism. A shirt made from cotton grown using pesticides and use of child labour may be cheap but it is certainly not ethical. Filling a car with cheaper fuel provided by an oil company that is destroying natural habitats and ruining lives in areas like the Niger Delta or the Arctic gives the green light to such companies to continue with impunity. Buying beef from cattle raised on land from cleared rainforests, sourcing paper from companies associated with the jungles of Borneo being cut down and decimation of orang-utan populations, buying from supermarkets which sell unsustainable palm oil, buying electronic gadgets built with rare earth metals from toxic mining where countless children have been poisoned and killed, the list is endless... [read more]

Worse than malaria or TB but never discussed

According to the Blacksmith Institute in partnership with Green Cross Switzerland, the health burden of pollution from industrial activities is as bad or worse than that of malaria or TB. Yet the problem goes largely ignored. Why? Because pollution is seen as the necessary price of economic growth. And economic growth is what keeps governments in office. The new report claims that waste from mining, lead smelters, industrial dumps, mercury, radionuclides, pesticides and other toxins affects the health of an estimated 125 million people worldwide. In one tragic example, doctors carrying out vaccinations in a Zamfaran village in Nigeria questioned the general absence of children attending their centre. They found the reason. Hundreds of children from the village had died from lead poisoning whilst thousands more were stricken with the effects of high levels of lead in their systems [read more].

Does Fair Trade really make a difference?

Fair trade has come under criticism from some quarters as marketing hype. The Adam Smith Institute has even claimed that fair trade is actually unfair because if offers only a small number of farmers a higher, fixed priced for their produce at the expense of a majority of farmers, who can be left worse off. So does fair trade really make a difference? Read more

The largest carbon-neutral settlement on the planet

Samsø island in Denmark is the largest carbon-neutral settlement on the planet, with a population of 4200, based on wind-generated electricity and biomass-based district heating. They currently generate extra wind power and export the electricity to compensate for petro-fuelled vehicles. There are future hopes of using electric or biofuel vehicles.

Green car insurance. What is carbon neutral?

When insurance companies talk about being carbon neutral, they mean balancing a measured amount of carbon emissions with an equivalent amount that is captured through one process or another. With net emissions being zero it becomes ‘carbon neutral’.

The most environmentally aware insurance companies will always seek to firstly reduce their own emissions and those of their customers. This will include making their buildings more eco-friendly and cutting energy use. Customers will be encouraged to drive more fuel efficient cars and given advice and incentives to reduce their carbon footprint. Only after this will unavoidable emissions be offset.

Carbon emissions can be offset in a number of ways. For example, carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels can be balanced against renewable energy that creates a similar amount of useful energy, so that the carbon emissions are compensated. More dubiously, insurance companies can pay others to remove carbon emissions by planting trees or by funding 'carbon projects' that lead to the prevention of future greenhouse gas emissions, or by buying carbon credits to remove them through carbon trading.

Always be wary of companies who claim to be carbon neutral by simply paying for their emissions to be offset!

Supermarkets, which are the greenest?

The number of supermarkets in the UK has risen dramatically over the last few decades. Its not just the numbers that have risen - supermarkets have aggressively expanded into a wide range of non-food markets including clothing, electrical goods, books, CDs, DVDs, financial services, pharmacy products. The list keeps on growing.

At the same time, the number of independent shops, grocers, butchers, florists and corner shops has been in gradual decline as they struggle to compete with the sheer size and prices offered by the large supermarkets.

The current picture is one of a rapidly expanding supermarket sector coupled with the demise of local and small shops.

Whereas it was the small food retailers that were previously threatened by supermarket expansion, a plethora of smaller shops are now facing increased competition as the supermarkets diversify their product range.

The dominance of the supermarkets is also centred around four main companies; Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys and Morrisons. Most people in the UK now shop at one of these big four supermarkets. According to the Independent (6th June 2011), Tesco has a 31% market share, Morrisons 12%, Sainsbury's 16% and Asda 17%.

Supermarket dominance is important not just from a local economy perspective but also from an ecological standpoint. That is because the big four supermarkets often pursue business models which are inherently unsustainable and damaging to the environment. Whilst they try to mask this with pseudo-green marketing campaigns, underneath the facade it is apparent that their true motive is profit.

For example, cheap food is often flown in from around the globe clocking up a huge carbon footprint whilst cutting out local producers. Palm oil in many of the supermarket products such as biscuits, sweets, confectionaries, margarines, breads, crisps and bars of soap often comes from rainforest areas that have been cleared for palm oil plantations. Cheap labour and sweatshops in third world countries are used to produce bargain clothes. Landfill sites, streets and the countryside are littered with plastic bags given away free. These are just a few examples of the long list of ecologically damaging and unfair practices that the supermarkets pursue.

The problem, however, is that in the real world profit-driven monopolies seldom change their policies in the face of a largely apathetic or uninformed general public who are seeking to reduce their outgoings in response to the economic downturn. That is why it is important to expose unsustainable and unfair practices amongst the largest supermarkets and publicise them widely, so that consumers can make more informed choices and see exactly what they are buying.

So, which are the greenest supermarkets? And how do you measure green? There is no single measure that can be used to establish green credentials but typically a range of measures would include its stated ethical policy, commitment to protecting the environment, its policies and procedure for reducing carbon emissions and pollution, labelling of products, treatment of employees including those in other countries, the way it deals with its suppliers, packaging and use of plastic bags, and its contributions towards charities and local causes. In combination, these provide an indication of how green a supermarket is.

Ethical Consumer conducted one such exercise in 2011, measuring 19 supermarkets against a range of environmental and social indicators. It found that the Co-operative was the greenest supermarket followed by Marks and Spencer. From their fishing policies to palm oil use to renewable energy, both companies scored well with a genuine commitment to protecting the environment.

Languishing at the bottom of the table was Britains biggest supermarket Tesco. Its policies and lack of concern for the environment were illustrated in a Guardian article about the Tesco 'flights for lights' promotion, offering air miles in exchange for low-energy light bulbs, which it said was like giving away a pack of Benson and Hedges with every Nicorette patch.

Tesco, every little hurts.

Celebrity environmental quotes. How celebrities influence public opinion on environmental issues.

All too often, people concerned about the environment and trying to make a difference are parodied by cynical celebrities as tree huggers, eco warriors and cranks. TV programmes caricature the hippy eco warrior with long pleated hair, silly looking hat and cardigan stood in front of some symbol of corporate excess and refer to them as protestors from the environmental movement.

In reality, I suspect that very few people would claim to have no concern about the environment and the world that our children will inherit. And it is not just about the now tiresome debate over whether global warming is true or not. It is also about protecting the rainforests and endangered species from extinction, working out how we will feed and support a rapidly increasing human population, where we will get our energy from as fossil fuels run out and much more. Then there are issues of fair trade. How many people are truly comfortable knowing that the cheap shirt they bought was produced by young children working in sweatshop conditions? These are very real and pressing concerns for all of us and not just the preserve of a small group of so-called eco warriors.

Whether we like it or not, opinions and perceptions about the environment are heavily influenced by the media and celebrities, what they say, what they do and how they behave. A stark contrast in environmental quotes from a range of well known celebrities and public figures is shown below.

Does anyone really imagine for a moment that my wife gives two stuffs about global warming? She certainly did not appear to be all that bothered on Thursday evening when, during the great carbon-saving switch-off, I ran round the house furiously turning on every light, hair dryer, dishwasher and toaster. Jeremy Clarkson, TV Presenter and Journalist

It is not just global warming, it is not just a loss of biodiversity, it is not just the pollution of our oceans and the clearing of our rainforests and all these complicated systems, The [11th Hour] movie talks about the world economy, it talks about politics, it talks about personal transformation and environmental consciousness that we need to have in this generation to implement a lot of these changes that need to occur. Leonardo DiCaprio, Actor

I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defence of our resources is just as important as defence abroad. Otherwise what is there to defend? Robert Redford, Actor

Cows eat grass and silage. This is melting the ice caps and killing us all. So they need a new foodstuff: something that is rich in iron, calcium and natural goodness. Plainly they cannot eat meat so here is an idea to chew on. Why not feed them vegetarians? Jeremy Clarkson, TV Presenter and Journalist

In the absence of sound oversight, responsible businesses are forced to compete against unscrupulous and underhanded businesses, who are unencumbered by any restrictions on activities that might harm the environment, or take advantage of middle-class families, or threaten to bring down the entire financial system. Barack Obama, US President

A lot of lies and misinformation has been put about by eco nuts on the back of a report by an idiot economist [Sir Nicholas Stern]. Environmental head bangers are talking nonsense when they claim that aviation is the fastest-growing source of carbon emissions. Coal-fired and oil-fired power stations are the biggest contributor of carbon but I have yet to hear any fearless eco warriors advocating nuclear power as they drive around in their SUVs to their next protest meeting. Michael OLeary, Ryanair

Our generation has inherited an incredibly beautiful world from our parents and they from their parents. It is in our hands whether our children and their children inherit the same world. Richard Branson, Tycoon

We want to annoy the ******* whenever we can. The best thing we can do with environmentalists is shoot them. Michael OLeary, Ryanair