• otp@sh.itjust.works
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    7 months ago

    We often have no choice, but to buy these products because that’s all that’s available.

    This is the point that I’m arguing, which seems to be the foundation of your defeatist stance.

    Companies have money because we give them money. Companies are allowed to pollute because we don’t really care that they do. Otherwise, we’d be voting differently, protesting differently, and so on.

    I’m suggesting that it’s not often that we have no choice. Most of us have plenty of choices with each product we buy. But we’ll often buy the disposable one made in China because it’s 20% cheaper than one made more sustainably, for instance.

    • Cyborganism@lemmy.ca
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      7 months ago

      With the way people are strapped for cash in this economy, we don’t have a choice.

      You think I want to buy fruits and vegetables that came all the way from Chile during the winter time because they don’t grow here in Canada under the snow?

      You want me to eat less meat? Ok. But that bloc of tofu was produced in China and came all the way here on a big container boat.

      Yes I want to buy that local handmade sweater, but it’s 200$. Walmart has sweaters made in Bangladesh for 1/10th of that price and I need to pay my increasingly high rent.

      We’re being strangled financially and forced to make these choices.

      • otp@sh.itjust.works
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        7 months ago

        You think I want to buy fruits and vegetables that came all the way from Chile during the winter time because they don’t grow here in Canada under the snow?

        Guess Canada was unpopulated before it could trade with Chile…or maybe what was grown and eaten in Canada centuries ago might still be grown there?

        Yes, things are expensive. I’m not saying the choices are always easy to make. But I am saying that a defeatist attitude is generally just a way of saying “It’s too hard and I don’t wanna”. And if someone doesn’t wanna, that’s fine. There are options, and it’s not all black and white.

        Why do you need a new handmade sweater? First of all, how often do you buy sweaters? They usually last years. Second of all, buying one used is more environmentally friendly than buying a brand new one.

        Why are you buying the Tofu from China? This is a product of Canada. And even if it’s coming from elsewhere, reducing meat consumption likely outweighs the impacts of shipping. And hey, Canada can likely grown and produce its own legumes!

        Again, I’m not saying the choices are easy, clear, obvious, or intuitive. I’m saying they’re probably there for most people.