Ethical Problems

10 tips for ethical living

Let's get this clear right away. I have no problem at all with being, eating, flying (snuck that in, eh?) , sleeping.... or doing, buying , etc pretty much anything that may be deemed more 'ethical'.

Why would I? Why would anyone? It's pretty much in the (well, the MS Word dictionary) definition: 'consistent with agreed principles of correct moral conduct'. Though of course one might argue (no, really, one might) over who is 'agreeing' what is 'correct'.

And there does to me seem to be some blurring of what it does mean, should mean, could mean and has come to be used, interpreted, etc.

(Is it just me, or is every sentence a mass of commas to infinity with all the possible, and often competing, options?).

Anyway, every so often , for those who need such things as a guide, along comes a list from 'someone' to give 'you' a 'how to'.

So here, via the Indy, and thanks to the organisers of the One Life Live event at Olympia (which I might have heard of, but obviously missed. Darn not living in that great city) who have found nearly 73 per cent of us (that's more than 72% I'm guessing. But then I always find such precise figures fun) believe that a more sustainable lifestyle is essential to the future of the planet. Not sure if sustainable (exploiting natural resources without destroying the ecological balance of a particular area) is quite the same as ethical, but that debate has been, is and will be raging on for ever.

And I don't know if they are in order, but the first is a no-brainer:

1. The appliance of science - though, oddly, to date I have so far seen no guidance on the various consequences of dumping a working, but less efficient model now vs. allowing it to die of natural causes. Beyond the money, it must surely matter, enviROI-wise.

2. Fuelling change - no argument. Mind you, looking at the M4 from London end when you have 3hrs drive ahead, at 2am, and when you have 200bhp on tap...

3. Sounds fishy - OK... fish.

6. Be cool! - Yup. Mind you, unless you are paying the bills (like me), with two kids in t-shirts and a wife in a puffer jacket, local conditions can make this tricky.

4. Fashion conscious - don't get me started.

5. Growth industry - of course, there's lots we could do without. And as I recall, the total carbon footprint of flowers from Africa may be less than those grown locally. As I have a brown thumb, we have no flowers, cut or in pots. The garden however is blooming. With weeds.

7. Shower power - logically, yes. I notice no mention of having fewer showers. Wife, daily. Me, every 3 days. The boys? What month is it?

8. Running flush - well, me and the boys operate a 'let it mellow' policy until the missus gets wind of it... literally. As to buying a piece of plastic to do the job of what several pieces of plastic you lob out weekly, well....

9. A sparkling success - see fashion. Grrrrr.

10. Off to a tea - tea. Well, yes. That will do it, I guess.

All.... well, most fairly good stuff. But year on year, this is what is served up? Sheesh. And while some may live in a world of ethically deciding on one's jewellery purchases, it's not a planet I'm sure I'm on (or would get saved that quick anyway).