Snow Chicken 
Design Studio

Today, shoppers—not retailers—have become the critical influencers over what their peers buy. The advantage consumers have over the businesses they buy from is incredibly important. This concept is known as 'consumer power.' Consumer power is similar to 'purchasing power' but additionally considers the demand and social influence generated from every purchase. In other words, it supports the idea that every purchase is significant and every dollar spent is a vote cast to enable or condemn industry practices and standards. While some argue that this concept is flawed, assuming that all consumers have equal power and agency. We acknowledge that not all consumers have the same ability to make ethical purchasing choices due to various constraints, because of this It is even more important for those with the privilege of choice to make an informed one.

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The most challenging part of solving any issue is bridging the gap between knowledge and action. ​ Across the world, businesses spend billions of dollars annually on management consulting and advice. But oddly enough, the recommendations the firms paid for are seldom implemented. A 2000 Harvard business study by Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton, Professors of organizational behaviour, sought to find the answer to, what they titled, the 'Knowledge-Doing Gap.' The team discovered that organizations spend over $60 billion yearly on management training. However, much of the basis for this training is on knowledge and principles fundamentally timeless-unchanged or unchanging. Nevertheless, often the exercise repeats regardless of the content, delivery, or repetition frequency. (The Knowledge-Doing Gap, Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton) ​ There is no easy answer in explaining why this occurs or proper suggestions for fixing it. Often, experts attribute it to individual circumstances. Still, it's agreed upon that it's less important to understand the reasoning behind each case and much more beneficial to identify the gaps in the first place. One of Pfeffer and Sutton's main recommendations is to engage more frequently in thoughtful action. Spend less time contemplating and talking about problems. Even if you fail, taking action will generate experience from which you can learn and grow. ​

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Regardless of where the ultimate environmental responsibility falls, through the power of our purchases, regarding the demand it generates and the inherent persuasion it holds. Consumers can combat exploitive and destructive industry standards by bridging the knowledge-doing gap and making a conscious shift in everyday decision-making. Decisions that seem unspecial and momentary ultimately contribute to something much more significant. Snow Chicken's mission is to combat environmental nihilism, factually empower consumers and teach people how to harness their innate power, inevitably making the world a little bit better.