A few months ago, it came to my attention that some items are made with utter disregard for the workers. Child labor, unpaid wages, abusive treatment, unsturdy labor laws. This made a huge impact on my consumerism. Food, clothing, gadgets, items for the home... my buying decisions have changed majorly. I now search for fair trade items or made in the usa items. I am new to the whole fair trade thing. It has probably been but half a year, if that, since i've realized this is something I need to do. It makes things more perplexing, but the item bought is much more rewarding. Fair trade items often mention charity projects the money is going for with the workers. It is nice to do my part in the world, while also buying things I need. What's really difficult is the lack of information for buying decisions. I am very unsure of electronics. An elaborate list of questions about earphones... where did the elements for components come from? Who mined for it all? What country are they from? What is the minimum wage? What are labor laws there? I've bought Sony recently, but i've also had to buy RCA. There is little info on Sony and it's workers' rights in other countries. From the little info I could scrounge up, they sound more reputable, at least. I very much don't like buying items that i'm so unsure about, but I need them for health reasons. Otherwise, i'd likely pass them up, like I have many products. I have bought some Gypsy Rose fairtrade shirts. I plan to rearrange my wardrobe when funds allow. I have a pair of J. Crew jeans that are made in the USA. It took a while to find these. I have a couple of pairs of GAP pants. Since crackdown on their sweatshops, they were supposedly made to improve. If they have really, I don't know. These are just the only other pants I have that sounded more fairly made. I still have to wonder about these clothes. Was child labor involved? Is the company one who pays workers? Nevermind the unnatural clothing dyes and fibers- something else I have to change in my buying decisions. It has been an adventure in shopping, and it needs to be made easier for everyone. Food is somewhat easier with finding what's fair and what isn't. This should not be a problem, and people need to fix this. It takes enjoyment out of material goods to wonder if they're suitable to own or not. It needs to be made more clear. I have given away a lot of my belongings already, and clothes to thrift shops.
It is unimaginable how much more stuff the U.S. has than some other countries. The people who make some of it, for instance. How much work really went into this computer? The mining for elements. The factory exhaustion? As I look around at nearby objects, I must think of some of the people who don't have such things. People who've never known things like this library building. In America, many grow accustomed to what is had n even become ungrateful. The others involved in making products should be thought of. So often people just peruse hundreds of items at the stores, carefree. Some countries that make their items do not have all these items and stores. Many places cannot afford the items they make. It seems so surreal and unbelievable that someone in the U.S. could be so priveleged, with a brand new pair of kicks, enjoying life, while unbeknownst behind-the-scenes, a starving child in India has made the shoes. Changes have to be made. People have become more aware of this happening and are more able to educate themselves on the matter, but literature is still scarce about the working conditions for many products. This must improve.
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