“You vote with your dollar.”

You do.

Like most of my peers, I’ve been following the candidacy, eager to vote in the general election for the first time, watching debates, researching policy, and having lively discussions with those I agree and disagree with.

What I didn’t realize was that I had voted already. I have been voting. With every swipe of my credit card and quarter dropped into a vending machine.

No, I wasn’t submitting a ballot by buying Famous Amos cookies (too frequently). But, I was making a decision to support something with a purchase.

Whether or not I think junky, probably genetically modified food is a good idea; the fact is, my purchase of the product spoke for me. I support the industry that brings me happy, bite-sized portions of chocolate, carb heaven.

Ok, so my cookie addiction is more or less benign. Am I making a mountain out of a mole hill? Are my cookie purchases single handedly maintaining an industry? No, of course not. I’m just one of the many voices that supports the industry.

Genetically Modified Food: Not too exciting.

How about sweat shops? How about we talk about long days, little pay, and no workmen’s compensation.

Retail therapy. I love it, or at least I used to.

A few weeks ago, I visited the American-Mexican border. When I crossed into Mexico I met with a women’s cooperative that made bright scarves, bags, hats, hot plates, and an assortment of other things. They make a livable wage. They are lucky. Other than authorities raiding and destroying all their sewing machines, chairs, and materials, the conditions aren’t too bad. It’s a much better gig than working in the maquiladoras. The working conditions are horrible, but it’s some of the only employment that is available to many women. My $5 tank top voted on that. My $5 tank top agreed that those women aren’t worth earning less than a dollar an hour. Cheap clothes almost always mean cheap labor.

Don’t think I’m currently buying $25 tank tops. I’m not. That’s the point. I don’t need more tank tops. I no longer buy clothing because it makes me feel good or happy, because it can’t. The women I met in the cooperative were some of the lucky ones that found better opportunities and they struggled to maintain them. I didn’t even get a chance to meet women that are worked to the bone to still have a hungry family. I do know that my joy shouldn’t come at their expense.

So instead of dealing with my sadness by acquiring more material goods that degrade others, I find other, healthier ways to cope. I color, I read, I talk to friends. It’s more fulfilling, and it helps others. I’m not sending petitions to the maquiladoras, but I am protesting, voting ‘no’ to them whenever I refrain from spending money on them.

What do I do when I need clothes? There are websites that sell items that support industry that is good for workers. It’s very expensive. It’s quality though. Built to last. But, being realistic, I can’t afford that. I’m a college student. I ask for things like that for Christmas presents, but in the meantime, I shop at thrift stores. Items that need to be recycled, that are in decent conditions and cheap. Plus, it’s usually unique.

There are days that I am dying to shop. For a variety of reasons, I try to avoid shopping when I really don’t need something. Days that I break, thrift stores are my go-to.

There was a day that I was going to lobby congress, and as I walked into Union Station to meet my colleagues, my heel broke. I walked into H&M and bought myself a $12 pair of flats. It wasn’t ideal, but it happened.

There are some elections that we hate all the candidates and have to vote a way we’d rather not. Those situations come up. But it feels much better to vote for a candidate we completely support.

I stopped voting for low wages, poor benefits, and fast fashion recently. So maybe I’m campaigning, but I think it’s the best option we have.

Click to learn more about how

• fast fashion hurts workers
• fast fashion hurts the environment
• American policy encourages underpaid workers