Why are bananas 29¢ a pound?
Do you ever question your contribution to exploitation and environmental degradation? Do you ever think about all the people that were exploited and the environmental damage that was done in order to supply your cheap food and consumer goods?
For most, the answer to these questions is no. Most people do not bother to think about where their food, clothing and all other necessities of life come from. When asked, they will tell you “from the store.” However, the store did not manufacture these products, nor did they produce the resources needed to manufacture them. Still, all we see is the store, as if it is a magical land of plenty in which an infinite number of products magically appear for our convenience.
The disconnect between the producer and the consumer is greater than ever. For the most part, we do not know what our products are made of, who makes our products or the true cost of producing such things. Do you ever wonder why you can buy bananas that have been imported from Latin America at 29 cents a pound? Does it ever strike you as odd that you can buy t-shirts imported from China for a dollar? Would you still buy these things if you knew what you were funding?
Ask yourself more questions. When was the last time you made something and bartered it for another item you needed? Do you make things, or do you buy things? If all you do is buy things, what gives you such privilege, and do you deserve it? We must realize that everything we buy comes from somewhere, and is made by someone. If you could not make such a product for such a small price, why can you still buy it at that price? The answer to this question is that somebody is being forced to make it for you at that price, because you demand it at that price, and are unwilling to pay the true cost of the products you consume. Are you willing to sacrifice another human being's dignity in order to consume more things?
When you eat meat, think about the factory farm it was produced in, think about the hormone injections, and think about the amount of grain it takes to produce meat. Think about the animal, and think about the amount of our natural environment that is wiped out for farms to feed these animals. When you wash yourself with soap, think about the rainforest that was destroyed to make way for large palm plantations to make the palm oil in that soap. When you buy paper, think about the forests that have been turned into tree farms to supply it. When you use a cell phone, think about the coltan mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which are essential for the production of our cell-phones. These coltan mines are directly responsible for war, extreme violations of human rights, devastation of the rainforest, and threatening the mountain gorilla with extinction.
All I ask is that you think. Think about your individual contribution to the global system of exploitation. Think about where your food and consumer products come from. Think about what is in the products you consume. It is easy to denounce sweatshops; it is harder to boycott clothing that isn't sweatshop-free. It is easy to say Fair Trade; it is harder to consciously pay more for Fair Trade products. If you do not have enough money to buy fairly traded products, try making things and trading them. Learn to fix things so that less is wasted. Find new uses for old things. If you consume less it is easy to afford local organic foods, support fair trade, and buy from locally owned small-businesses.
The economy revolves around supply and demand. As long as we consumers are demanding ridiculously low prices, we will be supplied with poor quality products, exploitation, and environmental damage. If we demand fair trade, we will be supplied with a fairer world.
For fair trade products such as clothing, soap, chocolate, coffee, olive oil, etc. please contact fairtradefanshawe@gmail.com
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
For most, the answer to these questions is no. Most people do not bother to think about where their food, clothing and all other necessities of life come from. When asked, they will tell you “from the store.” However, the store did not manufacture these products, nor did they produce the resources needed to manufacture them. Still, all we see is the store, as if it is a magical land of plenty in which an infinite number of products magically appear for our convenience.
The disconnect between the producer and the consumer is greater than ever. For the most part, we do not know what our products are made of, who makes our products or the true cost of producing such things. Do you ever wonder why you can buy bananas that have been imported from Latin America at 29 cents a pound? Does it ever strike you as odd that you can buy t-shirts imported from China for a dollar? Would you still buy these things if you knew what you were funding?
Ask yourself more questions. When was the last time you made something and bartered it for another item you needed? Do you make things, or do you buy things? If all you do is buy things, what gives you such privilege, and do you deserve it? We must realize that everything we buy comes from somewhere, and is made by someone. If you could not make such a product for such a small price, why can you still buy it at that price? The answer to this question is that somebody is being forced to make it for you at that price, because you demand it at that price, and are unwilling to pay the true cost of the products you consume. Are you willing to sacrifice another human being's dignity in order to consume more things?
When you eat meat, think about the factory farm it was produced in, think about the hormone injections, and think about the amount of grain it takes to produce meat. Think about the animal, and think about the amount of our natural environment that is wiped out for farms to feed these animals. When you wash yourself with soap, think about the rainforest that was destroyed to make way for large palm plantations to make the palm oil in that soap. When you buy paper, think about the forests that have been turned into tree farms to supply it. When you use a cell phone, think about the coltan mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which are essential for the production of our cell-phones. These coltan mines are directly responsible for war, extreme violations of human rights, devastation of the rainforest, and threatening the mountain gorilla with extinction.
All I ask is that you think. Think about your individual contribution to the global system of exploitation. Think about where your food and consumer products come from. Think about what is in the products you consume. It is easy to denounce sweatshops; it is harder to boycott clothing that isn't sweatshop-free. It is easy to say Fair Trade; it is harder to consciously pay more for Fair Trade products. If you do not have enough money to buy fairly traded products, try making things and trading them. Learn to fix things so that less is wasted. Find new uses for old things. If you consume less it is easy to afford local organic foods, support fair trade, and buy from locally owned small-businesses.
The economy revolves around supply and demand. As long as we consumers are demanding ridiculously low prices, we will be supplied with poor quality products, exploitation, and environmental damage. If we demand fair trade, we will be supplied with a fairer world.
For fair trade products such as clothing, soap, chocolate, coffee, olive oil, etc. please contact fairtradefanshawe@gmail.com
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
