UMC20200202 Vote with your wallet

UMC20200202 - Vote with your wallet¶

For many years I have been exposed, through my wife, to a vegetarian diet. I have eaten no meat at home, but normally have eaten meat when going to a restaurant or a braai. Throughout my life and even during this time, I havent given two thoughts to what I eat and where it has come from. But as I have investigated vegetarianism and veganism over the years, I have come to learn of what it means to eat consciously. I have learnt that I am not only unaware of what I eat and how often I eat, but I am also unaware of where my food is coming from. This has had a large impact on my thinking when it comes to food. Do I know what I am eating? Do I know how it is being farmed?

This connects well with a conversation that I had with a friend the other day about being a conscious consumer. Do I know where the things I am purchasing are coming from? Would I buy an epic pair of shoes for R200 vs a similar pair for R600? What if I learnt that the R200 pair is sourced from a company that uses child labour? Now, expensive doesnt mean safe, there have been many big-brand companies that have failed at fair and sustainable sourcing.

The idea that I have taken away is to “vote with your wallet”. If upon analysis of your bank slip you find that you spend a lot of money on books, one can assume that you like to read. If you spend more money on healthy food vs take out, one can assume that you are careful about your health.

How are you spending this finite resource called money? Consciously or unconsciously. For your growth or only for pleasure. Let there be balance.