As 21st century consumers, we know better than ever how our purchasing decisions can impact the world in a good way.

Yet many of the world’s pressing problems—climate change, loss of biodiversity, industrial pollution, animal cruelty, labor rights violations, health concerns—remain driven, in part, by consumption.

The issue isn’t how much information we have, but how we choose to act on it.

Why so cynical?
I come across a lot of articles saying that, in a time of economic uncertainty, most people aren’t going to risk their money on unproven ‘eco-friendly’ products, or pay more for coffee just because it’s Fair Trade. These articles also claim ethical shopping is ‘niche’—little more than a passing trend with the longevity of bellbottoms, bangs or shoulder pads.

Ethical Ocean’s proving all this wrong. Not only has our business grown steadily since we launched, but we’re hearing more and more from customers thanking us for meeting a need they’ve had for a while. These aren’t fad-followers—they’re women and men who’ve tried to shop ethically for years now. There’s thousands and thousands of them in the United States alone.

It would be great if this story was told more often. That’s why I was so excited to come across Dara O’Rourke’s article, “Citizen Consumer,” in the November/December 2011 issue of Boston Review.

O’Rourke points to staggering growth in ethical consumption in the last five years, a time when most consumer industries stagnated or contracted:

• U.S. sales in organic food and beverages increased by more than 10 percent per year between 2005 and 2009.
• U.S. farmland planted with organics increased five-fold, from 935,450 acres in 1992 to 4,815,959 in 2008.
• European sales of Fair Trade-certified products grew from €220 million in 2000 to €3.4 billion in 2010.

O’Rourke predicted sales of ethical products would reach $57 billion by the end of 2011, with sustainable apparel accounting for $11 billion, and green cleaners another $600 million.

If you ask me, the overall growth in sales of ethical products is good evidence that ethical shopping is neither a shrinking violet, nor a short-term trend.

More to do
Still, the ethical shopping industry is no goliath. Even organic milk and Fair Trade coffee represent only 1 to 5 percent of the milk and coffee markets, respectively. Part of the problem is that more consumers are willing to buy ethically than actually do.

When the Hartman Group, a survey research firm, asked U.S. consumers how often they base purchasing decisions on “concerns for issues such as the environment and social well-being,” 76 percent indicated that they consider these issues at least “sometimes.” In a survey by market researchers

Mintel, 73 percent of respondents asserted they were willing to pay a premium for green products. Ethical products would dominate their markets if everyone willing to shop ethically actually did it.

So why don’t we? Many think we simply lie on surveys, to impress the surveyor or feel better about ourselves. That’s probably part of it.

But according to O’Rourke, the biggest barriers are our own habits and preconceptions. Buying certain brands, shopping certain places in certain ways—these are entrenched behaviors we barely think about, and they can blind us to better options.

The success of Ethical Ocean proves this needn’t be the case. We do more than just inform you about products that are bad for the planet. We offer solutions—helping you break your purchasing habits by selling ethical products that perform as well or better than the ones you’re used to buying. We give you the information and a means to act on it.

So how do we—society, that is—get to the next level?

First, we must be patient. A small percentage of consumers, already voting with their dollars, have shifted a portion of the market toward more sustainable practices. This trend will continue, albeit too slowly, on its own.

Second, companies need to keep making it easier to shop ethically. And not just by selling more ethical products! They must encourage millions more people to see ethical shopping as a social activity, driven by networks of like-minded people, in person and online. Movements only truly become dominant when people realize they’re not alone. It’s time for us all to step up!