Lake Superior University recently published a list of some of the most overused words of 2007. Ethical and Organic came up at the top of the list, and numerous follow up articles have singled out companies such as American Apparel and lululemon as being a large part of the reason why these words showed up so high on the list. Both companies have been credited with pushing the idea of ethical consumerism. While theses follow up articles haven’t been glowing reviews of this movement, they have brought up some very valid points about the overuse of such words to the point of irrelevancy.
Ultimately, words are part of the problem. Simple labels, like “organic” or “ethical,” are notably imprecise. They don’t account for gradations. They don’t supply details. It’s time to start defying short, easy labels by asking questions. Consumers need to demand access to the specifications that words like “ethical,” “organic” and “fair trade” fail to supply. I’m willing to accept the possibility that ethical consumerism is, indeed, a step in the right direction. But whether it becomes anything more than that depends on us.
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