Tonight With Trevor McDonald -Downshift

[Super.Niki]

I'm having a moral dilemma.

I'm watching this show with interest, last time I saw it the bloke cut the woman's weekly (or monthly? Can't remember) by something like 40% by buying a "brand below"

Obviously this sounds like a good idea...but can anyone shed some light on whether this "down-shift-challenge" that they are promoting is still ethical?

For example, I know Fairy Liquid is cheaper than Ecover in the shops... but I'd prefer to buy Ecover... is this something that this guy is promoting... or not, and if it's not, does anyone else not thing it's aa bit irresponsible of ITV to be showing this?

Just wondering...


[Edit: spelling!]

[Annpan]

But if you buy ecover in bulk, then it is cheaper than other brands.

And, alot of the 'reduce, reuse, recycle' stuff is a kind of 'downshifting'

Being more ethical often means being less of a consumer, so buying less altogether, rather than replacing with cheaper varieties.

I guess thats why alot of us are trying to be more self-sufficient.

[Super.Niki]

That's what I couldn't understand, the show seems to be about going round supermarkets and uying a "shelf below" but... there was never a mention of a more ethical way of doing things like which eggs they buy (free range vs caged) or even looking at what they're buying I was REALLY confused!
There's also no mention of alternative ways of doing things... freecycle for example or e-cards instead of Christmas cards...

I know for some people it's incredibly difficult to be anywhere near self sufficient, but for everyone there's still a chance to be a bit more ethical about what/how you buy, why is this guy/this show not promoting this??

It's got em really annoyed now...

[Chickenlady]

I suppose it depends on how you define downshifting. Many people do downshift as an antidote to our consumer society and its consequent negative impact on the environment. So therefore it doesn't make sense to start buying cheap massed produced stuff instead of expensive mass produced stuff. You assess what you really need, and buy the best you can with ethics as an important consideration.

However, some people downshift so that they can work less and spend less money, so therefore, whilst they are likely to buy less stuff, they are viewing their changing lifestyle from a financial rather than ethical standpoint in a bid to improve the quality of thier lives.

I prefer version one. I just wish my daughters would get a hold of the idea!

Jane

[red]

That's what I couldn't understand, the show seems to be about going round supermarkets and uying a "shelf below" but... there was never a mention of a more ethical way of doing things like which eggs they buy (free range vs caged) or even looking at what they're buying I was REALLY confused!..

yeh I thought that - yes you can save money by buying the cheaper brand.. but.. say you only buy free range pork...well you are not going to get your meat cheaper! - and as free range chicken and pork are more expensive we eat vegetarian more often, so we can afford the meat when we do have it... really not taken into account at all.
but moneysavingwassit.com is not about ethics.. its about saving money.. not the same thing.

[contadina]

I'm with chickenlady on his one. I'm not really keen on the labels downshift and downsize though. By selling our London apartment and leaving office jobs we've managed to rid ourselves of the mortgage millstone and traded up to a mortgage-free house in the country with one and half hectares of land.

The fact that we can get by on 200 euros a month rather than a weekend just represents a change in priorities. By getting rid of the mortgage we no longer need to work ourselves silly, earning the necessary cash and tax to pay for it all. We also no longer feel the need to treat ourselves with unnecessary consumerables to make up for the long hours etc.