NF-5

• Conscious (medveten) = Aware of something; knowing something = I

• Consumerism (konsumtion) =  The act of buying goods and services. = A

• Labour (arbete) =  Work; effort = P

• Footprint (fotavtryck) = The effect people has on the environment = R

• Landfill (nedgrävda sopor) =  A place where waste is buried = M

• Reject (avvisa) =  Refuse to accept something. = A

• Mindless (tanklös) =  Stupid; not thinking = U

• Promote (främja) =  Encouraging or supporting something = K

• Habit (vana) =  Thing that people do regularly = Q

• Reshape (omforma) =  Changing the form or structure of something = W

• Collective (kollektiv) =  Done by a group of people = G

• Exploit (utnyttja) =  To take advantage of something = O

• Bargain (fynd) =  Something bought cheaply = D

• Ethical (etisk) =  Morally good = S

• Barrier (hinder) = Thing that stops people or things = J

• Greenwashing (tvätta bort) =  Make products seem more environmentally friendly than they really are = X

• Overhaul (stor förändring) =  A complete change or reorganization = T

• Sustainability (hållbarhet) = The ability to continue for a long time = E

• Default (standard) = A standard setting or option = N

• Valuee (värdering) =  The beliefs that guide a person's behavior = C

• Durable (hållbar) = Strong and long-lasting =  H

• Vulnerable (sårbar) =  Easily hurt or damaged = V

• Impulse (impuls) =  Sudden strong feelings or desires = L

• Overwhelming (överväldigande) = Very great in number or degree = F

• The new product is durable and will last for many years

• The company is offering a bargain price on its products.

• Many people are vulnerable to marketing scams. 

• The overwhelming amount of plastic in landfills is a serious problem. 

• I resist the impulse to buy unnecessary things.

• We need to work together. We need to work as a collective.

• The company is accused of greenwashing its products.

All right, so we're diving into conscious consumerism today. You guys sent in some seriously interesting articles. 

Yeah, it looks like we'll be focusing on how, like, what we buy at the store can actually-

Make a difference? Bigger than we might think, right? We've got those pieces from Utopia and the Corey Ames blog. Kind of looking at it from different angles.

It is fascinating how those articles, like, make you rethink. 

Shopping.

Like, we usually think of it as just, like, personal, right? Grabbing what you need, moving on. But it's, like, tied into all this bigger stuff. Whole system. Like, environment, labour, even communities.

So, okay, before we go too deep. Let's start with basic Utopia. They define conscious consumerism as really thinking about what you buy, like, the whole footprint of it. Where'd the stuff come from? How's it made? All the way to, like, will it end up in a landfill? 

And then Corey Ames, they take it further, right? It's like, oh, yeah. It's a statement with your wallet. You're rejecting all that mindless buying we see everywhere.

Oh, that reminds me of something I read. It was about voting with your dollar. It's like, every time you buy something... 

You're picking what kind of world you want. Powerful way to put it. Utopia actually quotes these economists - Milton and Rose Friedman - They said, when you vote daily in the supermarket, you get precisely what you voted for, and so does everyone else. Like, really drives home that point. (1:29) 

Consumers have a huge influence. But then, if everyone has this power, why doesn't it feel like things are changing faster? Like, are we really making a difference?Just me buying, you know.

That's the million dollar question.And that's where it gets interesting. Let's look at Utopia's examples, like real world stuff.They talk about Hawaii. The locals there. They're pushing back against tourism downsides, supporting their own businesses, promoting mindful visiting. 

So, it's not just me changing my habits.

No. It's like reshaping the market itself.And it's in other places, too. The article talks about Brooklyn's food scene. This whole community movement pushing for organic, local... 

Using their money to make it happen.

Literally.They're supporting a different food system. 

It's like, we think we're making small choices, but... 

It's part of a bigger movement. 

Like, collective action, almost.

And it's not just food. Tourism…  Utopia also talks about not a sweatshirt in fashion. I saw that one. They use clothes to talk about exploited labour, get people thinking about those bargain prices, what's behind them.

Makes you realise, even a t-shirt can be like... 

 A challenge to how things are.

But let's be real. Conscious consumerism. It's not perfect, is it? Utopia even says so, there are big challenges.

You're right. It's no quick fix access, for one. Not everyone can afford green or ethical stuff.

It's a barrier for so many people. Huge one.

And even if you can afford it, there's greenwashing companies making stuff sound way more eco than it is.

So sneaky.Makes it tough to choose, right? Even when you're trying.

So, with all that, how much impact can we have? Is it even worth it?

That's where Aja Barber comes in, from the Corey Ames article. She says, individual action does matter, but we need system change, too. It can't just be one or the other.

It's like that washing machine filter example she gives. 

Exactly. Instead of buying a separate filter to stop microplastics.

Why not just make them standard on all machines? 

Boom. System change makes it easier for everyone to be sustainable.

No matter how much money you got, or if you even know about it.

Exactly! 

So even if you can't do a total life overhaul, you can push for change, advocate for those policies, make sustainability like the normal thing.

The default, not the extra.

Yeah. Which brings us to, what can you actually do to be a more conscious consumer? Both articles have tips, but... 

We have to figure out what works for your life, your values. It all starts with what matters to you. Is it the environment? Fair labour? Local businesses? 

Your values, yeah. Those are like your compass for this whole thing.

It's getting real with yourself.Where do you want to make that impact? Right. 

And then, once you know that... You make a plan. Yeah. Where can you find those products, those services that actually match what you believe? 

Well, it's got to be realistic, right? No one's perfectly conscious all the time. 

Absolutely. It's about what works for you, your budget, your life, you know? 

And speaking of budget, Utopia had that good point about research. It's easy to fall for the hype, the marketing. But you've got to dig deeper, certifications, what the company actually does. 

Walk the walk, not just talk. You know, one of the simplest things. But it really works. Support local buy from businesses near you.  It's better for the planet, helps your community, and you often get better stuff. 

Quality.

Yeah. Utopia had that whole section on reducing waste, too. Oh, yeah.

We can all do that, no matter how much money you got. 

So true food waste, reusable stuff, repairing things instead of tossing them.

It all adds up.

It does. And I loved how they emphasise quality over quantity.

Buying stuff that lasts. Yeah.

Good, made, durable.

Forget that buy, use, trash cycle we're so used to. 

Oh, in the Corey Ames article, Audra Barber talks about unpicking that desire for more. It really stuck with me, asking, what do we actually need for a good life? Not what we're told we need. 

That's huge, when we start questioning that. 

The wants, the needs. 

Yeah. We're less vulnerable to all that marketing, you know? Always pushing us to buy, buy, buy. Do you see through it? You make choices? You make choices.

That's your values, not just your impulses. Pay and go, that's the power, I think. 

It's not just swapping products.

It's changing how we think about consuming. So bringing it back to you, the listener, what does this mean for your everyday life? Small steps. How do you put this into action? 

It could be tiny, like now you research a company before you buy.

Or you look for the local option at the store. 

Right. Or maybe you finally try that zero waste swap you've been thinking of.

Like the reusable coffee filter. Yeah. Or bring your own bags.

It's not about being perfect. It's about- 

Making those choices step by step.

One at a time.

Here's a question for you. Think about your week, your routine, your shopping. What's one area where you could try this? Conscious consumerism, in action.

Your coffee, your clothes, how you grocery shop. 

Pick that one thing. Where could you make a difference? 

It can feel overwhelming at first. So that's why I like that.

Just pick one area. It makes it less scary, right? 

It gives you that place to start. You experiment and see what works.

And you might find once you change that one thing, it ripples out to other parts of your life. 

Like you're building a new habit, a conscious consumer muscle. 

That's a good way to put it.

The more you do it- The easier it gets. 

Yeah. And it just becomes how you live.

Don't forget about community, too. Talking to people, friends, family.

Share the ideas. Stay motivated. You can learn from each other.

Totally. Even have a little competition. You know? Friendly, of course.

I love that. Like, we're all figuring this out together.

We are. How to be better consumers. How to make that sustainable future.

Which is the whole point. Right? 

Conscious consumerism. It's not just you and me. 

It's using our power, all of us- 

To actually shape a better world. 

So to wrap it all up-  Sounds like this is a journey, not a destination. It's always learning, changing, matching how we spend to what we believe.

And remembering, even the small stuff matters. 

We don't gotta be perfect.

Just- Trying.

Being intentional about it.

Well said. Thanks for joining us on this deep dive, everyone.(7:45) We hope you got something out of it. 

It was great talking about this with you. 

And until next time, keep asking those questions, keep learning, and keep making those choices (7:53) that make the world a little better.

Couldn't have said it better myself.