conscience consumerism

60
CONSCIOUS CONSCIENCE CONSUMERISM DANIEL F SCHOENBERG ESQ RABBI DR. ELLIOT SALO SCHOENBERG BETH SHOLOM SHABBATON TEANECK NJ JANUARY 2017

Upload: elliotschoenberg

Post on 15-Apr-2017

53 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: conscience consumerism

CONSCIOUSCONSCIENCE

CONSUMERISMDANIEL F SCHOENBERG ESQ

RABBI DR. ELLIOT SALO SCHOENBERGBETH SHOLOM SHABBATON

TEANECK NJ JANUARY 2017

Page 2: conscience consumerism

THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU BUY

Page 3: conscience consumerism

COMMERCIAL CONSUMERISM A SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ORDER, AN IDEOLOGY THAT ENCOURAGES THE ACQUISITION OF GOODS AND SERVICES IN EVER-INCREASING AMOUNTS.

Page 4: conscience consumerism

NOT ANTI CAPITALISM

• The goal of this presentation is not to get you to dislike capitalism, feel guilty or even buy less .

• We are asking you to think about things a little differently. More 21st century

Page 5: conscience consumerism

WHY ARE WE BUYING

• Do we need it? Identify what is most important to you.

• Simple Life Manifesto • Advertisements• What my friends do/

Social Pressure• Local Culture – Two

Sinks

Page 6: conscience consumerism

LIBERTARIANISM

• Economic freedom• Market Forces• Unbridled capitalism • No restraints on

corporations• Anti safety net

Page 7: conscience consumerism

THE TRUE VALUE OF OUR PURCHASES

• Actual Monetary Value

• Social Value/Prestige• Internal Personal

Value

Page 8: conscience consumerism

ECONOMIC FORCES

• Products that are supported succeed

• Ideas behind the product are also rewarded

Page 9: conscience consumerism

COMPANIES ARE NOT MONOLITHIC

• Companies may support some of your values, but not all.

Page 10: conscience consumerism

PUTTING IN A NEW KITCHEN - MATERIALS• Where are cabinets

made?• Much of the raw

material comes from China

Page 11: conscience consumerism

PUTTING IN A NEW KITCHEN - CONTRACTORS

• Contractors• Price• Reputation• Record• References• Customer Service

Page 12: conscience consumerism

IN GOD’S IMAGE

• And God created HA-ADAM in God’s own image (tzelem), in the image of God, God created him; male and female God created them.

• Genesis 1:27

Page 13: conscience consumerism

CONSCIOUS CONSUMERISM WHEN WE DO NEED TO BUY SOMETHING, WE CAN TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE IMPACT.

Page 14: conscience consumerism

INFLUNCE THEORY

• Companies follow the market

• Companies change their behavior to fit the market

• Companies react to Social Media

Page 15: conscience consumerism

DATA: MORE RAW MATERIAL AVAILABLE TODAY THAN EVER BEFORE

Page 16: conscience consumerism

HOW MUCH THOUGHT DO YOU ACTUALLY PUT INTO A

PURCHASE• Where are they

from?• Who do they

support?• What tools do you

have?/ app for cheapest cost.

• How much time are you willing to take?

Page 17: conscience consumerism

“I DON’T KNOW” NO LONGER APPLIES

• Transparency and outside organizations

• Easy to discover • Bar Codes/ Labels/

QR codes• Internet searches

Page 18: conscience consumerism

KITCHEN- DECISIONS TO MAKE

• Island or Peninsula • Sustainable

Hardwoods• Conscious decision

not buy any product made in China.

Page 19: conscience consumerism

SUSTAINABILITY

• "The human being was placed in the Garden of Eden to till it and to tend it

• Genesis 2:15

Page 20: conscience consumerism

CONSCIENCE CONSUMERISM

Page 21: conscience consumerism

SOME VALUES TO CONSIDER

• Environment• People• Gender equality • Animals• Politics• Product

sustainability

Page 22: conscience consumerism

WHAT VALUES SHOULD YOUR MONEY REPRESENT?• Personal Values • Jewish Values• Local economy• Local community• Global economy• Global community

Page 23: conscience consumerism

JEWISH VALUES – SUPPORTING ISRAEL

• BDS - Boycott Divest Sanction

• Olive oil made in Canaan but Fair Trade

Page 24: conscience consumerism

POLITICAL AFFILIATION

• What issues or politicians do the companies behind the products support?

• Kraft foods opposes the legalization of marijuana

Page 25: conscience consumerism

LGBTQ

• Does the corporation fire people for being gay?

• Allow same sex benefits?

Page 26: conscience consumerism

THE HIDDEN COSTS OF PRODUCTION

• Child labor• Environmental

impact• Gender inequality

Page 27: conscience consumerism

JEWISH TEXT

• "And you shall love your neighbor as yourself." -- Rabbi Akiva Said, "This is the great principle of the Torah.  

• NEDARIM 30B JERUSALEM TALMUD

Page 28: conscience consumerism

CORPORATE GREED

Page 29: conscience consumerism

COMPANIES HAVE KILLED TO KEEP PRICES LOW

Page 30: conscience consumerism

COMPANIES WILL DESTROY THE ENVIRONMENT

Page 31: conscience consumerism

CHILD LABOR

• Once they have been taken to the cocoa farms, the children may not see their families for years, if ever.

• Most of the children laboring on cocoa farms are between the ages of 12 and 16, but reporters have found children as young as 5.

Page 32: conscience consumerism

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Bangladesh factory collapse

Page 33: conscience consumerism

UNSAFE WORKING CONDITIONS

• Big branch West Virginia Mine – 29 Miners

• Chile – Atacama Desert – 33 rescued

• India – Lalmatia 17 died (January 1, 2017)

Page 34: conscience consumerism

WAGES

• Living Wage• Minimum

Wage• No floor

Page 35: conscience consumerism

EXTERNALITIES

•What goes into goods?•Supply train

Page 36: conscience consumerism

MODERN SLAVERY

Page 37: conscience consumerism

WATER AND AIR POLUTION

• Retail manufacturing pollution is only surpassed by oil and gas

Page 38: conscience consumerism

KITCHEN – MADE IN AMERICA

Page 39: conscience consumerism

JEWISH TEXT

 A widow may only collect [the debt owed from her Ketubah] from the property of orphans if she swears an oath [Shavua]. They stopped swearing, so Rabban Gamliel the Elder instituted that she may promise whatever they desire, and she can then collect her Ketubah. Witnesses sign on a Get, because of Tikkun Olam. Hillel instituted the Pruzbol because of Tikkun Olam Mishnah Gitin 4:3

Page 40: conscience consumerism

CHOICE

Page 41: conscience consumerism

FINITE PLANET, FINITE RESOURCES

• From oil to precious metals, most of our natural resources are limited and non-renewable.

• The broad availability of cheap consumer goods can hide this fact.

• Energy trumps safety?• Biodiversity is for sale

Page 42: conscience consumerism

CAN YOU GET THE GOODS YOU WANT REPRESENT YOUR VALUES AT THE SAME

TIME?

• All about choice• Always?• Sometimes?• Never?

Page 43: conscience consumerism

DOLLAR VOTING

• “Every time you spend a dollar you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want. “ – Anna Lappe

• Companies follow the dollar

• Every dollar every day

Page 44: conscience consumerism

DOLLAR VOTING

• Every time we spend our cash we are making an active choice about the companies we support and the products they produce

• Positive buying• Moral boycott

Page 45: conscience consumerism

DOLLAR VOTING

Page 46: conscience consumerism

DOLLAR VOTING

• Demonstrates alignment with your Values

Page 47: conscience consumerism

INFLUENCE THEORY

Page 48: conscience consumerism

NOT TZEDAKAH - THIS IS EMPOWERMENT

• Inclusive of others living in difficult circumstances

• Dignity of work - A.D Gordon

• Ladder of Charity - Maimonides

Page 49: conscience consumerism

KITCHEN - CHOICES

• Every day a decision• Big decision push out or

keep within the footprint• Small: What size cabinet

door handles?• Anxious each time• Others even hire someone

to make these decisions for them to lower anxiety

Page 50: conscience consumerism

HIGHEST LEVEL OF CHARITY

Page 51: conscience consumerism

CHANGE

Page 52: conscience consumerism

CONSUMER AS HERO

Page 53: conscience consumerism

TOOLS TO HELP YOU BE A CONSCIOUS CONSUMER

Page 54: conscience consumerism

JUST THINK

• Shades of Grey• Pay Attention

Page 55: conscience consumerism

MINDFULNESS

Page 56: conscience consumerism

THINK COFFEE

• End child labor• Fight human

trafficking every day • Preserve the bird

migration routes

Page 57: conscience consumerism

THINK CHOCOLATE

• Fight human trafficking

• Fight child labor • Gender equality

Page 58: conscience consumerism

THINK FASHION

• Protect the environment from poisoning

• Protect the worker from poisoning

Page 59: conscience consumerism

RABBI YISRAEL SALANTER

• When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world

Page 60: conscience consumerism

THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU BUY