Our team has decided to focus on the issue of ethical consumerism for our project, striving to connect consumers looking to shop ethically and sustainably with businesses that operate ethically and sustainably. Since these terms can be subjective, we have developed definitions for each to define our criteria in working on this project. We define a sustainable business as one that is working to minimize their negative impact on the environment or maximize their positive impact. They are actively pursuing a solution that helps curb the effects of climate change. We define an ethical business as one that is concerned with corporate social responsibility, paying livable wages, and moral governance and financial management. Our focus is on brands that fit both of these criteria, hoping to connect them to the consumer segments that value those missions.

Purpose of the Report

Overconsumption is a serious issue within the broader problem of climate change, especially with the growing popularity of ecommerce during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our group chose to tackle this issue by empowering consumers to shop according to their needs and values of sustainability. We found through our research that there are many consumers with the desire to shop sustainably and minimize their impact on the environment, they just don’t know where to start or find it to be too high-effort or time-consuming to research. There is also a lack of trust in brands that market themselves as sustainable. Our goal was to find the main dividing factor and help bridge the gap between willing, sustainably conscious customers and truly ethical brands, and we chose to do so through EcoCart. EcoCart is a browser extension that uses meaningful data to connect ethical shoppers with ethical businesses and increase trust between these two groups.

The purpose of this report is to:

• Increase understanding of ethical consumerism
• Discuss the methods used for reaching a solution
• Summarize EcoCart’s mission and general business plan

Methods

Once we established that the disconnect between ethical consumers and sustainable companies was contributing to the problem of overconsumption, our team decided to conduct various forms of research to gain a better understanding of this issue and potential solutions for it.

The three main forms of research used were as follows:

• Online Research: Various articles were used to gain a broader understanding of the underlying issues of climate change and global warming. Once we had this understanding, we turned to articles and case studies about overconsumption, ethical consumerism, and the role they both play regarding the changing climate. 
• Survey: Our team conducted a survey of 24 people, aged 21 to 30+ concerning their views on what it means for a business to be ethical or sustainable, shopping patterns, and rankings of the most important factors in making a purchase.
• Stakeholder Interviews: Multiple stakeholder interviews were conducted to gain better insights on our problem and get feedback on our prototyped solutions. The interviewees included people from multiple different generations and occupations, and they were a key component towards the success of our project.

Solution:

EcoCart is a fast, convenient, and transparent approach to product analysis. EcoCart is a browser extension that allows for customizable goals that reflect individual definitions of “ethical” or “sustainable”, letting users determine what criteria they are looking for in products. This could range from businesses paying employees livable wages to using compostable/recyclable materials in packaging to shipping within a predetermined number of miles. It is convenient and low-effort for the consumer as they are able to shop on all of their favorite websites and simply click the extension at checkout to see how their cart scores. Not to mention, it will be accessible on all major internet browsers. EcoCart will even have the ability to recommend alternative products when a product scores low. This will save the user time that would normally be required to research individual products and companies. We have found that there is a lack of trust in businesses that market themselves as “green”, so EcoCart can be a transparent resource of information for consumers. 

EcoCart is financially feasible because it generates revenue from a small percentage commission made on purchases and from short advertisements that run while the cart is being scanned/scores are being calculated. 

Our goal is that as EcoCart gains users and consumers are able to shop based on their sustainability preferences, businesses will begin shaping their practices to reflect these needs. We hope to impact the individual by giving them the resources necessary to feel good about their purchases, and we hope to impact the planet through the increased popularity of consuming ethically and sustainably.