Tuesday, 04 March 2008

Is Leather Ecologically and Ethically Sound?

Leather is a really interesting case and illustrates the tight bind that you can get into with these types of decisions.

Ecology versus Ethics

Are all ecologically sound products necessarily ethically sound?  Are all ethically sound products necessarily ecologically sound?  There is not a balance in this equation.  It's also vital to know more about a product than simply the component materials.  Leather can be made in more ecologically sound ways and being naturally derived will tend to have a lower embodied energy.  Vegans, however, would certainly dispute its ethical credentials!

Animal Products

Is it unethical to consume animal products?  As a non-vegan, I would answer no.  On the other hand, meat consumption is alarmingly high and meat has a significantly higher footprint than the equivalent calories of vegetables.  With leather, perhaps the ideal is the use of leather which is a bi-product of the meat-industry, reducing waste.

We simply don't know!

The endless challenge is actually finding out the information.  Sure, I can theorise that some leather products may fit my values but the reality is that so few products are provided with sufficient information to clearly choose.

The real dilemma...

The final choice is always, "Do I give this product the benefit of the doubt?  Or do I err on the side of caution?".  Help! 

View and Add Comments

Comment

Comment

Henry Says:

15 Mar 2008

Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment. Here is my comment.

Comment

Henry Says:

15 Mar 2008

Here is my comment

All bold fields are required. Name and email are limited to 100 characters

  • Name (displayed):
  • Email (not displayed):
  • URL (displayed):
  • Comment:
  • Captcha Image - if this image hasn't loaded, please contact usAnti-Spam: Please write the number in the image:

Related Posts

  • Eco-cide vs Eco-hedonism

    Mon, 07 Apr 2008

    From Henry

    The question on my mind today is if the world is over-populated, under-resourced and bursting at the seams, is the most ethical way to live not to live at all?  As with the best dilemmas, I present to you an argument between me and, ... me!To View Full...

  • The Standards War

    Wed, 06 Feb 2008

    From Henry

    Here's a traditional dilemma for the conscious shopper:What's better for the environment? Organic strawberries from Greece, locally-grown out-of-season strawberries, locally-grown in-season strawberries or fair trade strawberries from Morocco?And View Full...

Enter your username and password to login:

  • Email:
  • Password:
Ad Policy
  • Register For Extra FeaturesRegistering gives you access to extra features, offers and promotions, newsletters and interactive elements of the site!
  • Free LightbulbWe are giving away energy saving lightbulbs when you register! We even pay for the postage!
  • Subscribe to The Green GingerThe Green Ginger blog gives you a regular taste of unreserved opinion and different ideas on all things green and environmental!
  • Become a Fan on FacebookIf you're a member of Facebook, you can get to know us better and find out the latest about us on Facebook!

© Compare Green Products Ltd 2008