h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I always buy organic and fair trade when possible. Quite often if tere is not an oganic or fair trade option then I go without. I used to spend a lot on retail therapy, now I actually think about whether I need the item or not.

All the chocolate and coffee I buy are fairtrade, if you eat chocolate that is not fairtrade then someone has really suffered to bring it to your mouth. Often that same person will never be able to afford chocolate throughout their entire lives. Often children and adults are bonded illegally, and beaten or used as prostitutes. They are sprayed by the pesticides and insecticides and are very unwell. They try to escape and are beaten and sometimes killed. How can you eat chocolate, knowing the person who made it was beaten and possibly is now dead, is it really worth it that much?

I also try to buy my clothes ethically, ie not Nike or Gap etc. This isn't as easy as its easier to lie about these things. But it is getting easier.

For kitchen appliances I always buy the most economically friendly, this is easy as they are all labelled these days.

And at the end I re-cycle everything I can. I do not have transport, so these means lugging everything by hand, but I feel easier with myself for making the effort.

As someone trying to follow the Buddhist and pagan path all these things are essential for me. Paganism is about respect and caring for your environment. Buddhism has one real tenet 'live skillfully', it doesn't say live good or well, but skillful. These means whenever you make a purchase you can think, is this skillful or not, its a great ethical guide.

I go through phases when I am more into it than others, its easy to go down the consumerist route and forget to think, but eventually I always remember and start thinking about the world again.

i guess it is a question of choice and availability

There is that, afterall when it comes down to it, we don't need chocolate. Although some people tell me it is an essential food group!!