Ethical food and drink consumption might sound like some hippie idea when you first hear about it, but it could actually be something for you to consider. It doesn’t have to be hard work, and it can do a lot for the environment and the people who produce the food and drink you consume each day of the week. There are some things you should know before you get started, as well as some myths that need to be dispelled, so read on to find out more.
You Don’t Need to Grow a Thing…
Many people think about ethical consumption and they imagine people living on a communal farm producing their own food. However, that’s confusing ethical consumption with self-sufficiency. Those two things are not the same, and you don’t actually have to grow anything yourself if you want to consume more ethically going forward. Of course, you can if you want to but don’t be put off by this idea.
Know How the Animals Were Kept During Production…
Knowing how the animals were raised and how they were kept should be in your mind when you’re buying food. For example, egg-producing hens living on free range farms are treated far more ethically than those kept in battery cages. No one really wants to be complicit in the abuse of animals, but it’s so easy to be unless you make ethical decisions when shopping.
Use Brands That Are Open and Honest…
Some brands are very upfront about their ethical methods and procedures, and if they’ve got nothing to hide, why wouldn’t they be? Places like TwoChimpsCoffee.com are very open about their policies, so this is a trait you should look for in all the companies you buy from. There’s nothing wrong with expecting and demanding the best
Source Local Ingredients When You Can…
If you want to be 100% sure that you’re consuming ethically, you should try to source ingredients from the local area. If there’s a farm nearby that produces and sells its own meat and dairy products, buy from there and cut out all of those middlemen. This is great for the environment because the food you’re buying won’t need to be transported halfway across the world before it gets to you.
Search for a Fair Trade Seal of Approval…
The Fair Trade Organisation is known for approving products that have been sourced by ethical means. This primarily means that the people who grew and created the product in countries around the world, generally the more deprived ones, are properly compensated for their work. That’s important because larger global companies can often exploit people in developing countries in order to turn a profit. By looking for their seal of approval, you’ll find it easy to buy ethically.
As you can see, there are plenty of things you can do to make more ethical and positive decisions when it comes to the food you eat and the liquids you drink each day. It’s all about paying a tiny bit more attention to what you’re buying.
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