God's Economy is not Our Economy

I think one of the most exciting aspects of the Bible is its bizarre economic viewpoint. On many levels, it doesn't make sense. Nevertheless, if God is an active God, another world is possible.

This chart was adapted from p. 111 of Perry B. Yoder's book, Shalom: the Bible's Word for Salvation, Justice and Peace. Three copies of this book are currently available for check out at the University of Waterloo Library.

"Fair" Trade Coffee?

Lawrence Solomon: Fair-trade coffee producers often end up poorer

While I don't want to be ignorant of the way my purchases affect things, fair trade or not, this article burns my blood. It burns my blood because it gives apathetic consumers some ammunition. Having done a lot of research on fair trade coffee, I'm not sure this article is entirely true. Nevertheless, I was already aware of the problem of certification fees. (Most things at Ten Thousand Villages aren't certified because they don't want to impose certification fees on producers.)

If it IS true, what does this mean then? Should we buy regular coffee as the "lesser evil"? Continue buying fair trade coffee despite this article? Look for uncertified fair trade coffee? Boycott the coffee business altogether?

Please comment!

I know lots of people read this thing. Share your opinion!

Just Clothes Part II - "Made in China"

It seems odd to me that we boycott various artists or movies for endorsing vulgarity or sexual immorality but we support companies who do not care about human equality. What's worse?


Why?

As a consumer, your voice matters! Money talks.

Educate yourself:



How YOU can help:


Buy clothes from countries where you know workers have rights! This is surprisingly challenging. Just about everything is made in China. That includes all the clothes I have ever seen in "Canadian" stores like The Bay, Zellers and Roots.

Where to go:

I've searched high and low for clothes made in Canada or the United States. I would settle for England, Germany, France, Denmark... Regardless, finding clothes made anywhere but China or Bangladesh is next to impossible. Nevertheless, I have had some luck at a few places (but you should still check tags at Le Chateau and New Balance):

American Apparel
Uptown Waterloo

Le Chateau
Conestoga Mall

New Balance
Conestoga Mall

Conclusion

Unforunately, there isn't much justice in clothes made for middle class North Americans. However, this problem is redeemable! I have found that the easiest way to help redeem this problem is by renewing my wardrobe with second-hand clothes. Why and how to do this will be the topics of Part III, a post on Thift stores, and Part IV, a post on Clothing Swaps.

Ain't No Reason - Brett Dennen

Availability vs. Entitlement

I read the following this morning, while leafing through my copy of Simply in Season - Recipes that celebrate fresh, local foods in the spirit of More-with-Less:

In stories of earlier times, we read of rare delights: the first greens after a long winter. The miracle of an orange. We can almost taste the pleasure of such moments - the exquisite experience of luxury.

Yet those pleasures are no longer ours. Oranges are nice but hardly an occasion to feel blessed. The idea of a winter without lettuce is unthinkable, and we would probably turn up our noses at those dandelion leaves - or whatever - that our forebears were so thrilled to eat.

Are we better off? In some ways I am sure we are. Yet when abundance breeds an inability to appreciate, we are the losers.

Our family joined a CSA (Community Supported or Shared Agriculture), buying a share of the produce of a nearby farm. In July I was surprised when we stopped getting lettuce. They said it was too hot. I noticed my feeling of entitlement and how put off I felt by their inability to come up with it. What, exactly, makes me entitled to lettuce?

I think I would be happier if I did not feel entitled to lettuce.

- Pamela Haines, Philadelphia, Pa. (p. 203)

This article got me thinking: Just because I have access to something, does that mean I am entitled to it? Just because I do not see the immediate consequences of my choices as a consumer, does that make them any less guided by my ethics of loving my neighbour or taking care of my (God's) planet?

Related worship: Hosanna - Hillsong

Just Cothes Part I - Fair Trade Clothing

Me in a fair trade shirt.

Why?

Most clothes to be bought in Waterloo have been made in a sweat shop. This means they likely have been crafted somewhere by people who work long hours in terrible conditions for low pay so that we consumers get a good deal. Because of their political and economic circumstances, they don't have a choice, making their jobs virtual slavery.

Educate Yourself:

Inside China's Sweatshops

How YOU Can Help

Perhaps not every t-shirt with the "Made in China" tag has been made oppressively. To be honest, I'm not sure. I don't have time to research the business ethics behind every single company. Nevertheless, one of the ways I can be sure I am not supporting exploitation is by purchasing certified fair trade clothing to support alternative business practices.

Tips:

- Fair trade clothing mostly caters to people who like to look like hippies or partiers.

- Sometimes fair trade clothing isn't terribly well made. Check your clothes before you buy anything.

Where to go:

Ten Thousand Villages
(for scarves, hats, mittens, accessories)
Uptown Waterloo

Different Strokes for Open-Minded Adults
(This is the only store that sells fair trade clothing for men, as well as women. These clothes are hemp which tends to be more environmentally friendly too. And by the way, I only endorse the clothes at this store. Nothing else.)
Uptown Waterloo

Earthwinds
(Definitely the best selection of women's fair trade clothing.)
Uptown Waterloo

Balta
Conestoga Mall

Note: If looking like a hippie/partier isn't for you, fear not! There are lots of ways to avoid supporting exploitation, regardless of your personal style. These will be explored in later posts.

Just Bananas

Bananas are delicious. The banana industry hurts people.

Why?

Educate yourself:

The overall picture:
The Science Creative Quarterly: GLOBAL ISSUES FOR BREAKFAST: THE BANANA INDUSTRY AND ITS PROBLEMS FAQ (COHEN MIX)

News Articles:

Chiquita I

Chiquita II

Dole

How YOU Can Help:

Scan the articles meticulously or just glance at them. Either way, why you should avoid regular bananas isn't rocket science.

You can make a difference by either:
- Avoiding bananas altogether
- Buying Fair Trade bananas! Just look for "Fair Trade" labelling.

Some tips:

- Just because the sticker says its organic does not mean it was harvested on a plantation where workers have rights. Look for the words "Fair Trade" on the sticker.

- Don't buy green organic bananas and expect to eat them tomorrow. All of the fair trade bananas I have come across have been organic. I once made the mistake of buying green ones. Because they are organic, it takes them significantly longer to ripen. Weeks, in fact. Its better to buy them yellow.

*

Where:

Fair trade bananas can be purchased at:

Eating Well Organically
in Uptown Waterloo

Zehrs
(sometimes)

If anyone knows of other locations, please let me and everyone else know about it in the comments!

*Image taken from: http://www.fairtraderesource.org/downloads/fair_trade_break%20guide.pdf

Why this blog?

"It is time to awaken to the fact that conformity to a sick society is to be sick." - Richard J. Foster

I think sometimes people don't realize how easy it is to make certain switches. You don't have to support sweat shops to get by. In fact, if you know what to do and where to go, you don't have to support a lot of the systematic exploitation that goes on in this world. You CAN bring about justice now and your choices DO matter! The bigger the movement towards just purchasing gets, the more businesses will cater to it.

To People who are not Christians:

For those of you who are reading this and are interested in ethical consumption but are not Christians yourselves, GOOD FOR YOU! You people are wonderful and a lot of people professing to follow Jesus could learn a thing or two from you. I admire your hearts and your desire to not conform to a sick world. I acknowledge the discust you may feel towards a sick Church and I understand your aversion to it. I would love it if you made your presence known on this blog and helped me out in trying to convey what it means to consume ethically.

To People who are Christians:

A large part of my spiritual journey has been the question, What difference does being a Christian make? One of the conclusions that this question has lead me to is that Christians have a responsibility to promote justice and peace for everyone in the way they conduct their lives. As city-dwelling North Americans whose role in the world is largely defined by the term "consumers," this responsibility directly effects the products Christians in Waterloo consume. Sometimes that means getting a little bit creative in your consumption practices. That is where this blog comes in.

Without getting into it too much, some excellent resources on why Christians should pursue bringing about a more peaceful and just world include:

1) The Bible (particularly the Law, the warnings of pre-Exilic prophets, Ruth, the Gospels and the book of James... but its all good.)

2) The Politics of Jesus - John Howard Yoder

3) Shalom: The Bible's Word for Salvation, Justice and Peace - Perry B. Yoder

4) Celebration of Discipline - Richard J. Foster (particularly the chapter on Simplicity)

To everyone:

Thanks for reading this! I would love your feedback in the comments section.