Ethical Consumer Magazine

Read mag 221 today: bit.ly/3BBPMRW

With a huge surge in use of AI chatbots and generative AI large language models (LLMs), we ask the important question of if there are any ethical AI tools available.

This guide rates 12 AI chatbots and LLMs, including ChatGPT, Claude, Deepseek and Copilot.

We look at the ethical issues behind generative AI chatbots and LLMs including:

▫️digital privacy concerns
▫️excessive water and land demands of data centres
▫️carbon emissions of mega data centres
▫️connections between AI tech companies and military
▫️impact on workers in different industries
▫️workers' rights within the AI tech supply chain
▫️potential social and personal harm from using AI
▫️positive benefits of using AI tech

If you've wondered whether it's worth asking AI about a topic, we help you understand the implications of using AI and how you can be more intentional and deliberate if you do wish to use it.

Win a year's supply of loo roll from Best Buy Naked Paper , to celebrate their number 1 spot on the Ethical Consumer toilet paper guide!

On Friday 12th June, we will send a link in our weekly newsletter that will give you the chance to sign up and enter.

If you’re not already part of our weekly newsletter community, don’t worry; there’s still time to sign up before Friday’s mail goes out - bit.ly/43KGPiv

Those who enter will be in with the chance to win a full year's supply of loo roll with Naked Paper, one of our most ethical loo roll providers.

No bleach, no harsh chemicals, no need. Naked Paper is proudly unbleached, so it stays its beautiful, natural brown colour. They were recently ranked number one in Ethical Consumer’s toilet paper guide, with their recycled rolls awarded the coveted Best Buy badge!

Made from recycled cardboard or bamboo, the super-soft, double-length rolls are completely free from bleach, plastic, PFAS, fragrances, dyes and all other harsh chemicals.

Every single aspect of their paper is carefully considered to minimise impact – from the vegan adhesive that binds each roll, to the electric trains used to transport their rolls, and the factory, which runs entirely on renewable energy, including a biofuel boiler and over 8,000 on-site solar panels. The result? A climate footprint less than a quarter the size of other typical eco rolls.

Winners of the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development, Naked Paper is committed to full transparency, publishing evidence on their website for every green claim they make.

They also stand by their products with a full money-back guarantee. And, as an Ethical Consumer magazine subscriber, you can enjoy an exclusive 10% off your first order —simply log in to your account online to retrieve your exclusive discount code.

Want to try them out and get a year’s supply? Sign up for our newsletter to enter now!

*New sign-ups must join by Wednesday 10th June

In this article, we provide a step-by-step guide on how to invest ethically, and answer some of the most common questions on the topic.

Check out our article to learn more: https://bit.ly/4u14JTj

Between 2014 and 2023, the average energy bill more than doubled in the UK, fuelled by rising gas prices and our over dependence on fossil fuels.

While the energy crisis is no longer at its peak, recent spikes due to the Iran war have again raised prices, and many of its impacts are being felt by households across the UK.

Read our full article here: https://bit.ly/499qBUO

A third of the brands in our recent Fast Food guide scored 0/100 in our Israel-Palestine rating because they were named as campaign targets by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) National Committee.

All of them are “grassroots organic” boycotts, which weren’t initially called by the BDS National Committee but which it supports.

Calls for boycotts of all these companies emerged after their Israeli franchises appeared to give out free food to the Israeli military, except for:

Coca-Cola is one of the boycott targets of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign's 'Don't Buy Apartheid', the other being Israeli produce.

It has significant operations in Israel, with the Coca-Cola Israel website stating: "Coca-Cola Israel produces and markets brands of ‘The Coca-Cola Company’ and leads the carbonated beverages and iced tea category in Israel. The company produces an average of over 1 million beverage packages per day."

Coca-Cola Israel also operates a "regional distribution center and cooling houses" in an illegal Israeli settlement on Palestinian land, while another company within the Coca-Cola group, Tabor Winery, sourced grapes from vineyards located in illegal settlements.

McDonald’s was initially targeted because its Israeli franchisee had allegedly given free meals to IDF soldiers. It later terminated its franchise agreement and brought its Israeli restaurants under direct control.

In June 2024, Pret a Manger pulled out of its planned investment in Israel which would have seen it open 40 stores there. Pret a Manger said that “travel restrictions” and difficulties caused by war were the reason for the move. Palestine Solidarity Campaign claims that the threat of a boycott campaign was behind Pret’s decision.

Read more via https://bit.ly/4sZviHC

Take a look at our full shopping guide to see our Best Buy and Recommended brands, the highest scoring of which had an overall Ethiscore of 97/100 👉 https://bit.ly/3NO0tre

Check out our latest guide 👉https://bit.ly/3NO0tre

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Take a look at our full shopping guide to see our Best Buy and Recommended brands, the highest scoring of which had an overall Ethiscore of 97/100 👉 https://bit.ly/4vp4pzB