- Maybe it was a sleek, reusable water bottle. Whatever it was, most of us probably bought or received a gift last month that was marketed as eco-friendly, ethically-sourced, or giving back to the community. I believe in the wisdom of giving gifts that have multiple beneficiaries. But if there’s one area where bringing ethics and intentionality into a consumer decision can have the biggest impact, I'd focus on K-12 education. Education is a choice -- such as what car or groceries to buy, but with higher stakes. America’s 56 million students, and their parents, are the consumers. The more that parents can select schools based on values and needs -- without income or zip code restrictions -- the more we’ll see the power of parent consumers in action.