The Conscious Consumer

Ever wondered where your money spent on your favorite brands end up? Have you ever asked yourself if the money you spent helped support those who made whatever item you’re consuming possible? Whether you are completely oblivious to it or not, what you purchase and consume affects the social, environmental, and even political aspect of everything around you. What you buy and support financially is what dictates what happens in our society—after all, you are what you practice, not what you preach.

We are constantly calling attention to iniquitous companies influencing our governments and harming our environments, yet we line up for miles to purchase the newest thing we know that’s damaging our environment. We cry out for the injustices in our societies one moment, then ready our credit cards and apps to buy more products the next; products made by people who are forced to work in unsuitable conditions, for an unsustainable wage. We’re all guilty of supporting this consumer culture at some point in our lives, and we at GOMORRAH are not individually exempt from this accusation either—and god are we guilty! This consumer culture is what we’re all born into and what we’ve known for most our lives, however that does not make it right.

In seeking to change this cycle, you’ll have to ask yourself the next time you exercise your purchasing power: where does the money go when you shop? Are the workers who made your product paid and treated fairly? Is the product you are buying harming the environment? Who does the brand you’re supporting benefit? Would you willingly give your money to an organization that treats people unethically? If not, then why would you give money to companies that don’t support its employees in certain parts of the world? Why would you chime in to companies who have no regard for the environment?

Attempting to conduct business while keeping these ideals and questions in mind, certainly makes things a lot more challenging, more expensive, and frankly less profitable for us here at GOMORRAH. However, we are willing to curtail our own profits if it means a cleaner environment, a fair wage, and better treatment to all parties involved in making and purchasing our products.

We have no right to tell you what to purchase or what to consume—although we supplicate you that, wherever you decide to spend your money, you do so purposefully, and with thought.

—WITH LOVE

GOMORRAH

Solomon Aryee