Consume less. Shop locally. Buy used.

It's not enough to just vote with your dollars... There are other ways of being an ethical consumer.

Consume less. Most of the things we buy will ultimately be thrown away. If not by us, then by whoever it was handed down to. Do you really need it?

Shop locally. Spending dollars in your own economy means the money goes to your friends and neighbors. There have been several studies done that show where your money goes when you shop at a local, independent store vs. a national chain. Local businesses keep anywhere between 32-45% of money in their own community, while chains only kept 13-16% in the community where they were located. (sources here here and here.) Local sources are also often willing to barter.

Buy used. Most items you find at the Goodwill, on craigslist and through hand-me-downs has only been gently used. It's still good! You get to save money and save those materials from going into a landfill. And you prevent materials being used to make a new product. It's a win-win.