Conscious consumerism costs more. The question is: Is it worth it? Is it worth it to spend a little more money and a little more time on a fair trade t-shirt so that our children don't have to grow up in a world that has 20 to 40 million slaves in it?
The fast fashion cycle is the reason we have most of our sweatshops around the world. At some point, we have to ask ourselves: why? Why do we feel it is so crucial to be constantly changing our wardrobes, keeping up with the latest trends?
I must admit: I haven’t always cared that much about the environment. My venture into conscious consumerism was more fueled by the people affected by our lifestyles: victims of human trafficking, modern day slavery, and slavery-like conditions in supply chains. The impact our products and lifestyles have on the environment was a lesser priority for me, much like it might be for many of you. But... It didn’t take me long to realize how extremely interconnected everything truly is.
Whether you’re marching, volunteering, working, staying at home, wearing red, using your voice, giving your dollars, or something else… today is a day to celebrate women and the work we have done to make the world a better place and encourage women to keep up the good fight toward equality and respect for all human beings. Here are ten organizations you can support today in celebration of women everywhere.
Valentine's Day is coming up soon! Show the ones you love how much you care by giving them a gift that also makes the world a better place! Here are our picks for gifts for him, her, your besties, and your kids:
Throwing a 100% socially conscious wedding is quite the challenge. I knew that I wanted to do things as ethically as possible, and here again, we had to prioritize. Not everything about our wedding was done completely consciously when it came to sourcing everything we needed. At times, we sacrificed sustainability for budget. But we did what we could, and that’s what living a conscious lifestyle is all about: taking baby steps, doing what you can until you can do more.
Right now, we are at a pivotal point in our country’s story. We are experiencing division on a level we may not have experienced in a long time. We all are feeling a great amount of fear of the future, and fear of our neighbor. And with news headlines and social media updates constantly at our fingertips and before our eyes, the injustices of the world can be overwhelming to say the least.
Human trafficking has many different faces. It is not exclusive to certain people groups and no country is without its victims. Men, women, and children of all socioeconomic groups have been known to suffer at the hands of modern day slavery, and it often begins as a consensual contract.
Beginning the endeavor toward a more conscious lifestyle can be intimidating, to say the least. Where do you start?! Do you throw all your clothes away and buy new ones? Do you go vegan overnight? Do you boycott anything and everything that isn’t 100% transparent in its supply chain? It’s overwhelming, and can cause paralysis; you end up doing nothing because you don’t know where to start or how to practically go about it.
The first thing to know and accept is that ethical living is a marathon, not a sprint. And it’s definitely not always easy. But it IS possible! Here's how to get started.