Between another possible recession, a credit downgrade, continued violence in the Middle East, an ever-changing climate and a government that is about as useful as a poop-flavored lollipop, it is pretty easy to think the world is on fire. The worst part about all of this is it seems as though you can't do a thing about it.
Although you may not be able to personally reverse the country's credit score or convince the world to solve the climate crisis, there are ways to make a difference.
Every time you act as a consumer and purchase a product or service, you send a message to the providing company. Essentially, you're voting. You're casting a small ballot telling the producer you approve of the product economically and ethically.
For example, you could go to Wal-Mart and choose to buy regular Clorox disinfecting wipes priced at $2.48 or you could choose to buy Clorox GreenWorks disinfecting wipes priced at $2.47.
The difference? Beyond just the penny in price, the Clorox GreenWorks wipes use a mild acid to disinfect instead of industrial grade chemicals, and they're 100 percent compostable.
By choosing to buy the Clorox GreenWorks wipes, you send a message to Clorox saying you prefer this product over all others. That's powerful.
For people living in the Midwest, this gives you the ability to make a difference in markets normally out of your immediate control.
Another example is the choice to protect the ocean. Currently, the ocean faces increasing threats such as habitat-destruction, pollution and extensive overfishing. The last problem is one that, through the power of consumer choice, you can help solve.
Despite common misconceptions, all fish are not created equal. The fish filet sitting in front of you is more than just "fish." It is a certain species, it was caught (or probably farmed) in a certain way, and it originates from a certain type of ecosystem.
Some fish populations are healthier than others and the methods used for their capture or farming are not destructive to ocean habitats or other marine organisms.
These are considered sustainable seafood choices. Therefore, by consuming sustainably-caught seafood, you are not just choosing fish. You are sending a message to major seafood providers that sustainability is important.
There are many great resources for making sound seafood choices. My favorite is the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guide. This guide divides most seafood into three categories: best choice, good alternative and avoid. The easy-to-use guide can be found on their website or is available, along with a sushi guide, as a free application for download on the iPhone or Android.
By choosing sustainable seafood, you can have an effect on the effort to stop overfishing and many of the devastating practices, including habitat destruction, that accompany this issue.
Your power of consumer choice allows you to raise awareness about certain issues, while also allowing you to impact change.
— Hesterberg is a junior biology major and Science Research Fellow from Cincinnati. opinion@thedepauw.com