I, along with almost every other university student I know, have at least once uttered the phrase “I can’t do _________, I’m too poor right now.”
It’s true, for many of us in North America with access to a university education, finding a way to pay for it can be a struggle. With student loans, rent, food, (hopefully) somewhat of a social life, and in the case of us INDEV students, the prospects of the ever-looming fourth year and its wonderful price tag – the costs sure seem to add up. However, it is in times of wallowing in self-pity, that one needs to take a step back and realize our incredible privilege. In the grand spectrum of things – we have it pretty great here.
We all want to do good in the world, at least I’m pretty sure that is why 95% of us joined this program. We all wish to nourish our bodies with organic food, buy eco-friendly products, and support products that are ethically produced – yet many (or most) of us find ourselves continuously returning to what we know as convenient and affordable whether it be in the big box stores (Walmart or Costco) or the chain grocery companies (Sobey’s, Food Basics, etc.) by simply using the excuse “I am a student, I’m too poor to afford that”.
Imagine spending hours every day walking to obtain water to drink – which in many cases is still not potable. Imagine the farmer that struggles to obtain an adequate crop yield as drought becomes an increasing occurrence in his region. Imagine the reality of “poor” that millions of other people face every day. A healthy dose of these realities may have a way of clearing your head.
While I myself wish to single handedly save the world, the challenge becomes difficult as that large sum of student debt looms over my head. So, which does one choose – to make the ethical decision, or to make the choice that will satisfy my needs without hurting my wallet? I think this is something I’ve struggled with for quite some time now… and I’m still not really sure what the right or easiest answer is, or if there even is one at all.
It is really a huge struggle, isn’t it? I mean, the way our economy works right now, living a socially/ecologically conscious lifestyle is much more expensive (and less easy to do) than living an unsustainable one. That is even more true for students. We need to turn thataround if we’re gonna make the world a better place. As a student, I shouldn’t have to bus an hour to get to a farmers market where I can buy local produce. I should be able to buy it in my grocery store, or better yet, on campus. I mean, I know we’re taking steps toward that and it’s a little hard to imagine that happening, I think it’s a good vision nonetheless. Until we make sustainable products cheaper/easier for consumers, I think students (and society) aren’t going to chose those products most of the time.
Now, another question I always wonder is do you think that these products actually cost substantially more or is it that the providers inflate the price to try and create additional value to the product (kind of like selling ethical/eco-friendly/fair trade etc. as a luxury good)?
Oh it’s definitely inflated, trying to attract people who think that being more expensive means it MUST be more valuable. The major reason that I don’t frequently buy organic, fair trade, or local foods is the fact that those simple labels don’t give enough information to tell you if it is ethical or sustainable. These tell you nothing about the farming practices used to produce them, and are often one but not the other (eg. local, but not organic). Producers meet the minimum requirements to use these terms and then raise prices to reflect the “benefits” of products.
Sidenote: I kept thinking about relative poverty throughout your post. i have some friends you have literally no money to spend on entertainment, and this means that they often don’t participate fully in a social life. Poverty is defined by social context and I think that if someone can’t participate fully then they have the right to call themselves poor.
I agree; cost is one thing, but accessibility is another. It would be so nice to have these options available on campus!
Just an FYI but local produce is actually a lot more accessible than you may know. There are tons of places in Kitchener (a 15 minute bus ride from campus) where you can buy locally grown and organic food. I like the Kitchener Farmer’s Market on King St. cause it’s close to work. The main problem that I’ve come across is finding a location to buy fair trade/ethical clothing. Harmony seems to be good but I haven’t done a lot of background research on them and they specialize mostly in jewelry so it’s hard to find whole outfits you can buy
Thanks for such an awesome post. I think we all need to be reminded of the hard truth that we really are lazy in our everyday lives when it comes to making a difference. It is somewhat terrifying to think of all the things that I’ll spend money on, and realize the other more important ways that money could be spent. It is just so hard to escape the appeal of consumerism, of wanting the deal with disregard for the harm of doing so.
Students living in North America definitely tend to forget how good they have it. However, it is still unfortunate that in a highly regarded developed country such as Canada, student loans are reaching an all time high and tuition in provinces like Ontario is rapidly increasing. I think that even though we do have it pretty good, especially compared to some examples you provided, the student situation in Canada can still be better. The fact that students are graduating with such a huge loan and most are unable to find stable employment after leaves them at a huge disadvantage, especially when discussing the costly but ethical decisions that need to be made.
As students, as much as we would like to help and buy ethical products, most of the times we opt out because we can’t afford them. Usually, we promise ourselves that once we graduate and begin making some money then we will be able to comfortably purchase these products. However, if all of us are graduating with great debts and going into unemployment then we will not be able to benefit ourselves or others. Fixing our current situation can definitely lead to a change in our behaviour and our perception of how “poor” we are and help us make ethical decisions early on.
I most assuredly struggle with this. It is so difficult to decide how to spend one’s money, and when there are restrictions placed on that (the amount you have, specific items you need to buy i.e. dietary concerns), it makes it even more difficult. However, just today I read a blog discussing the balance we all seem to have to strike in this regard, and the key point stuck with me. “None of us (except for possibly the rare superwoman or superman) lives either a perfectly frugal life or a perfectly ecologically-friendly life.” (http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2013/03/a-small-thought-and-a-winner/) What do you think of that point of view?