To the Graduates: Becoming Changemakers by Choosing Fair!
There are few things more exciting, rewarding and overwhelming than walking on stage to accept your diploma. You are about to enter the next chapter of your life as you graduate. Being an adult you are accountable, more than ever, to your life decisions. Whether you believe it or not, your choices as you become an adult member of society and part of the workforce can create change.
We live in a consumption driven society. This is the cycle of the modern economy. The unfortunate truth is that traditional businesses value profit over people and the environment. Would you buy a piece of jewelry or clothing if you knew that makers were exploited in the process? Would you support a brand if their business practices cause harm to Mother Earth, your home?
You can use your dollar to make other people’s dreams come true, vote for equality, support sustainability, and empower inclusivity.
How to start your journey to making ethical choices:
- Before purchasing anything, do your research! Make a list of your current favorite brands and take a look at what they are really about. It’s easy to be swayed by fads and trends but following what’s in fashion, may not be the best ethical choice.
- Find out more about the brands by researching their business practices. If there are no resources, be courageous enough to ask them about it.
- Be constantly conscious of how you spend your dollar. Use the power of your pocket to support brands that matter. Choose brands that continue to strive for ethical practices in doing their business.
- Start supporting brands that are committed to fair trade! Fair Trade is a simple and beautiful idea wherein both people and the environment are taken into consideration in the production of goods.
- Lastly, don’t beat yourself too much in the process of the shift to a more sustainable lifestyle. Take it one purchase at a time. What matters the most is that you continue to make the effort.
We invite and urge you, as a member of the future generation, to be a changemaker in your own way. Even through what may seem to be trivial daily decisions, like buying your groceries, shopping for home essentials, or for a new wardrobe, you CAN make a difference in the lives of others. Making an ethical choice, one day at a time, creates a positive ripple effect!
