The Associated Press Highlights Holy Cross Sociology Professor's Research in Ethical Consumerism

Want to be a more socially responsible and ethical consumer, but not sure where to start? The Associated Press asked Ellis Jones, assistant professor of sociology at Holy Cross and author of "The Better World Shopping Guide," for his best advice.

"Trying to create a perfect world or be a perfect consumer is not at all realistic," said Jones. "We just have to try our best to practice and get better at navigating this so that collectively, our dollars start moving things in the right direction."

According to Ellis, whose most recent research focuses on understanding the role of the ethical consumer in influencing companies to evolve in more socially and environmentally sustainable directions, a good first step would be to check a product or company's certifications and ratings. But since most consumers don’t have enough information to differentiate between these certifications he recommends doing so through third-party organizations such as Cornucopia Institute.

And also, don't forget about financial institutions or products. "Some credit cards automatically donate to charitable causes like nature conservation and cancer research with every purchase, so consider applying for one that donates to causes important to you," said Ellis.

You can read the full article at APNews.com.

The article also ran in a number of publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and Chicago Tribune.