it's a small world. . .
here's a brief overview of some of the ways that our lives intersect with the lives of those living in extreme poverty. . .
shopping
Every time we buy something, we are choosing a product that has a history. Who made this product? Were they treated fairly? Who owns the company that made this product? Has this company shown respect to its workers and the land? Does this company contribute to any social injustices for the sake of business? Or does this company deserve our business, because it has made respectful choices? The question we ask ourselves is, "Was anyone taken advantage of so that I could buy this product at this price?"
This is often tricky to figure out, and everyone has a different idea of what is fair. But the point is that we're asking the question, and that we're really open to changing our shopping behavior if the answer is, "Yes, someone was taken advantage of."
Our suggestions:
Consider buying fairly traded goods, which ensure that all along the way, from raw material to product, the workers are given a living wage for their efforts.
Check out www.betterworldshopper.com for what we think is a really useful,
comprehensive guide to choosing well when you shop.
comprehensive guide to choosing well when you shop.eating
What we choose to eat is also linked, ultimately, to people. There are people who grow and harvest the food, people who process the food, and people who live on the land near where the food is grown. The choices we make can affect these people.
If, for example, we choose food that is grown with heavy pesticides, we are asking someone to work with these pesticides. Often these are people who need the work, and don't have the luxury of turning work down.
Land, and how it is treated, is closely linked with the destinies of people in extreme poverty. It is often their only resource from which to gain a daily living, and if we, who are priviledged with choices, ask them to produce certain foods on that land, they often have no choice. If we choose foods grown without heavy pesticides, we are allowing people to work without being exposed to them, land to sustain a rich soil, and water to stay clean.
So again we ask ourselves, "Was anyone taken advantage of so that I could eat this food?"
Our suggestions:
Consider buying organic foods, which treat the workers and the land better.
Also consider buying fairly traded foods, especially the big ones: coffee, tea, sugar, rice, and chocolate.
www.betterworldshopper.com also has great suggestions on what food companies behave ethically.
travel
Every time we make a trip, whether it's down the road to the store, or across the ocean to another country, we weigh the benefits against the potential harms.
If I'm going to the store because I need a few things, maybe I can wait until I can do several errands at once, so that I'm not making unnecessary trips, which all add up to a larger carbon footprint?
If I'm travelling to another country, how can I weigh the benefits of this trip (personal enjoyment, cultural exposure, relationship building, WhoCares? work) against the potential harms of such a trip (carbon emissions, land destruction from tourism, a tourism industry which takes advantage of locals or pushes them out of their land)?
These are tricky questions, and ones which we take seriously. We know, though, that every person must weigh them in their own conscience, which will lead to each person making a unique decision. All we can do is ask ourselves the tough questions, and be willing to make changes accordingly.
Our suggestions:
Consider your carbon footprint, and think about any changes you can make to lower it. You can calculate your personal carbon footprint at these websites: www.puretrust.org.uk, or www.carbonfootprint.com.
You could also consider "offsetting" your carbon footprint by buying carbon credits or by donating money to a charity which works in the area in which you're travelling.
imagine if we all did . . .
. . . . . .
liNk
electicity. oil. heat.energy. the planet. the poor. our future. let's think through it.
