521: Buycotting for Change

521: Buycotting for Change

Update: 2025-08-07
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Description

In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Melina Palmer sits down with Diane Osgood, an environmental economist and author of Your Shopping Superpower, to explore the intersection of sustainability and consumer behavior. Their conversation dives into the power of values-based shopping and how individual choices can create significant impact in the world.

Diane shares her insights on how even small shifts in consumer behavior—like choosing one product a week—can lead to transformative changes across industries. She discusses the importance of aligning shopping habits with personal values, and why striving for progress over perfection is crucial in making ethical purchasing decisions. With compelling anecdotes from her experiences, Diane illustrates how consumer demand drives the supply chain and the critical role shoppers play in advocating for sustainability.

In this episode:

  • Discover the concept of "buycotting" and how it differs from traditional boycotting.
  • Learn about the four categories to consider when shopping by your values: people, planet, community, and health.
  • Explore practical strategies for making impactful changes in your purchasing decisions.
  • Understand the importance of transparency from companies and how it can foster consumer trust.
  • Gain insights into how small consumer actions can lead to significant industry-wide shifts.

Get important links, top recommended books and episodes, and a full transcript at thebrainybusiness.com/521.

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521: Buycotting for Change

521: Buycotting for Change

The Brainy Business