Friday, November 20, 2015

Love in the Face of Violence

I wrote this recently for JustUs, a joint project between the Wellspring Foundation and the Elevation Project.  Find the original post here: http://www.thereisjustus.com/blog/love-in-the-face-of-violence/

This past week or so has been a dark one for humanity.  Everyone has heard about the devastation that rocked Paris this weekend, and everyone has mourned for France.  The response and compassion for those injured in the terrorist attacks have been overwhelming.  Social Media is flooded with the hashtag #prayforparis, with pictures of national monuments lit up with the colours of the French flag, with cries of outrage for those affected by the attacks.

Yet there were many other devastations around the world that didn’t make it to the World stage.  The bombing in Beirut, an attack in Kenya, the continued war in Syria, and the escalation of violence in Burundi.  No one changed their Facebook status to #prayforbeirut, or wrote about how they stood in solidarity with Burundians. The people who suffered loss and injuries in these tragedies weren’t deemed by the western world as important as those in France.

This week we held the International Day for Tolerance.  But as I sifted through Facebook posts and news articles, I couldn’t help but realize that, though the attacks in Paris led to a lot of compassion for the French, the responses that really stood out to me were of fear, hate, and intolerance.  

The reason only a few voices were heard crying about the plights in these other countries is because, the sad truth is, the vast majority of people aren’t tolerant.  We’re not tolerant of those who look different from us, have different cultural values, or practise different religions.

Generally speaking, we live in a tolerant world.  Most people have no problem with how you live your life, as long as it doesn’t affect theirs.  But I think many people’s response to the terrorism in Paris was fear, which led to intolerance, and in many cases, hate.  I was shocked to see people calling for our new Prime Minister to close our borders to Syrian refugees, because people were frightened it would let in terrorists.  I read status updates about how Canadian safety is more important than Syrians seeking refuge, as if geographical proximity to you makes someone’s life worth more than another’s.  

I saw these responses and I mourned.

When did the world forget that we’re all human?  We all have hearts pumping blood through our veins.  We all experience fear, anger, and joy.  We’re all the same.  At what point did we forget this, and learn to think of those who have the same skin, hair and eye colour as us as somehow more deserving of our love and compassion?

So today, I ask you, no, I beg you: In the face of fear, remain tolerant.  In fact, take it a step further and love.  Don’t just tolerate those who are different from you, but love them deeply.  In Matthew 5:43-45, Jesus gives us a new commandment: “You have heard it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.  For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

God has created each of us in His image.  His Son, Jesus Christ, shed his blood for each of us on the cross.  Who are we to decide that some are more important than others?  

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” 1 John 4:18.  Rather than react to what’s going on in the world with fear, which leads to hate, let’s choose to love as Jesus did.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

The Scary Truth About Halloween Candy

Halloween is fast approaching.   Each year you can expect certain things to accompany Halloween: Fireworks, children dressed up as this year's most popular Disney character, sugar highs, lots of noise, and chocolate and candy sales reaching ridiculous levels.  While it can be a fun event, with lots of excitement for small children, I want to talk a little about this ridiculous amount of candy.  When I say ridiculous, I do mean ridiculous.  In the United States alone, almost 600 million pounds of candy is purchased each year at this time.1  600 MILLION POUNDS!

Not only is that worrying for health reasons, but also for economic reasons. When you go to purchase your 200 or so candy bars for the imminent trick-or-treaters, what's the first question you ask?  I'd be willing to bet it's something along the lines of "Where can I buy the most Halloween candy for the least amount of money?"

As a thrifty shopper myself, I applaud you for making smart decisions with your finances.  The problem is, you are one of millions of people who ask this question each year.  And if millions of people are looking for cheap chocolate, thousands of companies are looking for ways to sell it at the cheapest price possible, and forcing producers to make it at the cheapest price possible.  And where do they cut expenses?  Labour.

The majority of the world's cocoa production takes place in West Africa.  And the scary truth is, here it is often children who are responsible for making our chocolate.  Kids, just like the ones who will dress up as Elsa or a Stormtrooper and come knocking on your door on Halloween night, are forced to work long hours doing dangerous work, for little or no pay, just so that we can save a few bucks on our chocolate.2

But we can change this system.  I know it sounds like a lofty goal, but it's true.  You and I together have the power to change how this works.  And it's pretty simple.  All we have to do is show the big candy corporations that it's not what we want.  And how do we do that?  By purchasing candy and chocolate that is produced in an ethical way, by fully grown adults who get paid a fair wage and work in a safe environment.

Now you may be thinking: "this sounds expensive."  And I'll be honest, yes, it will be more expensive than you're used to.  But the truth is, even if you don't think so, you are rich.  In fact, there's a good chance that if you're reading this you are richer than the majority of the people in the world.  In reality, you may end up paying about $10 more for fairly traded or ethically made candy than you would for Nestle or Hershey's.  $10.  That's two less coffees this week.  One less t-shirt for your seven year-old (which was also probably made by children if it's only $10 - but we'll save that for another time.) One movie ticket. One-quarter of your family's next meal out.  Doesn't sound like a lot now, does it?

Next you may be thinking that it sounds inconvenient.  Where do we find this candy?  Well, that's why I'm here!  Here's a list of ideas to replace the chocolate you usually purchase, so that you can hand out a less scary treat this Halloween:

1. Bug Bite Squares from Endangered Species.
 These pre-wrapped mini chocolate squares are made with ethically traded and sustainably grown cocoa, and as a plus for those kids out there with allergies and dietary restrictions, are certified gluten free, kosher, and free of GMOs.  They can be found on Amazon.ca as well.

2. Equal Exchange also does Halloween kits, with mini chocolate bars all wrapped up and ready to go.  You can find them on their website at http://shop.equalexchange.coop/organic-chocolate-minis-halloween.html

3. Buy something other than chocolate. Lollipops, skittles, etc.  Chocolate is by far the worst offender when if comes to slave and child labour in the candy department, so find another sugary snack to hand out to the local trick-or-treaters.

4. Go for something other than candy!  These days kids have so many allergies, and get so much sugar already, why not give them something unique?  Hand out bouncy balls, colouring pages, pencils, stickers, etc.  I'm sure their parents will thank you!



Monday, September 7, 2015

Less is More.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I like clothes... quite a lot.  In fact, I would almost be willing to say an unhealthy amount.  When I have money to spend, my first reaction is to go buy new clothes.  I'm sure some of your are judging me for this, or maybe psycho analyzing me, or thinking very stereotypical thoughts about women right now.  In whichever case, I write this only to say that one of the reasons I began looking into clothing companies and their supply chains is because I give a lot of my money to clothing companies.  The problem, though, with analyzing mainstream, fast fashion clothing brands and their production lines is, while many of them have policies which sound fantastic, in practice, they are often doing much less than they say they are.  It's really difficult to be 100% sure that no one is being harmed in the making of your clothes unless you're buying fair trade.

I've been struggling with this idea for a few months now, and between it,  the conviction that maybe I'm storing up treasure on earth and valuing temporary things rather than storing up treasure in Heaven, and inspiration from another young woman I follow on Instagram who is living out justice by purchasing fair trade and thrifted items, has led me to believe it's time to make a change in my wardrobe, in my spending habits, and in my life.

When I considered the appeal of clothes shopping the other day, I realized that it is actually a very selfish act.  I can say that I'm helping people make an honest living by supporting companies that are treating their employees well (and I do believe I am), but really I go shopping to find things I want and I like so I can look a certain way.  Then three months later I clean out my closet and think, maybe having 16 dresses, 35 t-shirts, 7 jackets and 12 sweaters is a little excessive.  

This week, I am learning that less is more.  Having more clothing doesn't make me any happier or make me buy less.  So I emptied my closet, made a pile of timeless, neutral pieces that I can wear throughout the year and in many different circumstances, and a pile of everything else.  I am choosing to base my closet, and hopefully soon after every other area of my life, off of needs rather than wants.  I need to wear clothes,  I don't need a different outfit for every day of the month.  I need some clothes for warm days and some for cold days, I don't need 7 jackets, 12 sweaters and 6 pairs of shorts. From now on when I shop, I will ask myself, do I need this more than what I already have?  

Our culture promotes the mantra that more is more.  The more we have, the better we are.  And I've bought into it.  It's difficult not to, when the media, society and sometimes even your friends are telling you that you need more stuff.  But I can't help but wonder if we're just trying to placate a need that can't be met with material things, and as we accumulate more, we drown out and push aside the One that will actually meet that need.  Not to mention mass accumulation is terrible for the environment and just serves to make exploitation of the vulnerable easier and more necessary.   

In my own experience, having more tends to lead to apathy.  It's almost like we sacrifice the part of our soul that cries out for something greater than this world when we settle for having the things of this world.  So I'm getting rid of the excess.  I'm sacrificing the things of the world, because I want that part of my soul back.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Consume Good.

It’s been more than two years since a garment factory in Bangladesh collapsed, killing over 1,000 textile workers. It’s been more than two years since the world responded to this tragedy with outrage, unable to believe that companies could risk the lives of their workers as if they were worth nothing. It’s been more than two years, and very little has changed, either for the workers in Bangladesh, or for the consumers.


I became interested in how the people who made my consumer products were treated a few years ago, but it’s really been in the last year or so that I’ve let this information really affect my actions. I’ve tried hard to find information about where products were coming from, who made them and in what conditions, and I’ve done what I could to avoid supporting companies that don’t seem to care about the people who work long hours making their products.  


But I think it’s time to get positive.  While many companies have done very little to improve conditions for their workers, many others have developed business models that improve the lives of their employees.  Hundreds of companies have become disillusioned with fast fashion and have found new and innovative ways to make consumer products, while simultaneously empowering the workers.  So rather than talk about the injustices being done, today I’m going to celebrate 5 companies that are working hard for justice in their supply chains.


The activewear retailer, which can be found in most outdoor stores, developed a Fair Trade certified fashion line in May 2014.  As of spring 2015, this Fair Trade line of clothing offers activewear for both men and women, men’s underwear, women’s apparel, as well as baby clothing.  Most of this line is made in a Fair Trade Certified sewing facility, meaning the men and women making these pieces are working reasonable hours, in safe conditions, with reasonable pay.  Other pieces in the collection are made with Fair Trade Certified cotton.  Cotton is infamous for the use of children and slave labour in the picking process, so this is a huge step in the right direction.


This National Geographic associated line of apparel and accessories gives artisans from around the world, who otherwise wouldn’t have a chance, the opportunity to sell their goods on the international market. NOVICA has regional support teams that help these artisans with everything from product development, to business development to make their business successful.  They also offer microcredit loans, allowing many of these artisans to create a sustainable business, and in turn benefit their local economy. To date, NOVICA has supplied artisans with over $62 million.  


Stone + Cloth.  (http://www.stoneandcloth.com/)
Being part of JustUs, a team made up of people who believe a quality education has the ability to empower children and give them opportunities they could otherwise only dream of, and having climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro myself, this social enterprise really excited me.  Stone + cloth was created by Matthew Clough, who while connecting with his porter, Benson, on his trek up Mt. Kilimanjaro, learned that Benson doesn’t earn enough money to put his child through school. Matthew Clough decided to use his talent for design and create “the Benson Bag.” Proceeds from all stone + cloth bags help to provide scholarships for children in Tanzania through partnership with a non-profit organization called The Knock Foundation (http://www.knockfoundation.org/).


Most well-known for their fair trade “kantha quilts”, which are hand-stitched, and made from reclaimed sari cloth, dignify offers women living in poverty a second chance. All the women employed in creating their quilts were previously living on the street or engaged in the sex trade.  These women are now able to make a fair, sustainable income in a safe environment.


This clothing company is using technology to create a unique system, which connects the consumer directly to the people involved in making their goods.  Rather than have clothing mass produced in an environmentally unfriendly way, by machines that take jobs away from people, IOU’s products are individually hand-made.  When you order a piece of clothing through IOU’s website, you’re sent a tracking number, which gives you the ability to follow your article of clothing from the weaving stage, through the production stage, all the way to your doorstep.  As a consumer, you get to know the name and story of the craftsman and the designer behind your purchase, and since there are no other manufacturing costs involved, such as machine maintenance and factory rent, more revenue goes to the people who made your product.


While many companies have stubbornly refused to change the system which benefits them and harms their workers, others have innovatively found way to make our consumer goods benefit those who make them.  These companies have created a way to  provide a sustainable living wage for those who are daily threatened by poverty, and give them opportunities that are not readily available to most of today’s textile workers.  The companies featured here are just five of hundreds that are working to provide ethically made consumer goods, so that we can stop contributing to the systematic enslavement of textile workers, and feel good about the products we buy.  


Everything we buy was made by someone, working hard to provide for themselves and their families.  I believe that these people deserve to be treated fairly, and have a job that will enhance their living standards, not make them worse.  These five companies, and many others, share this belief, and are working to make it a reality.  They’re doing justice and creating good through their supply chains, empowering their workers rather than enslaving them.  Let’s join them, and choose to consume good.


*Most of the information in this blog has been found on the website of the individual brands, and on www.thegoodtrade.com.  Check out their website for more really awesome brands that are doing great things!

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

"The Risky, Revolutionary Path of JustUs Thinking" By Louise Reilly

A good friend of mine recently wrote a great piece on "other" thinking, and the beautiful reaction of the families of those killed in the Charleston shooting.  It was too good not to have it more widely circulated, so I am proud to feature my dear friend and colleague, Louise Reilly, as a guest blogger:

I have a confession to make – and I’m not proud of it.  Something troubling goes on in my subconscious when I hear (it seems on a daily basis) of the latest tragedy or atrocity that has taken place in our broken world.  My first reaction is, as for all of us, shock or sadness or disbelief or anger or confusion.  The events that take place in our world today are heart-breakingly mind-blowingly difficult to get our heads around, and my head can often do little more than breathe out a sigh of weary lament.

My second reaction – which seeps in often unnoticed, as a reflex reaction to any sign of threat or danger – is what troubles me. In an attempt to reassure myself that the news I have just heard is something that could never happen to me or those I love, I find myself subconsciously trying to work out the differences in our stories; the factors and circumstances that mean I need not worry.   The trouble with this is that instead of focusing on our common humanity – on the truth that there is no other, there is just us – I am focusing on difference, on turning people to “them”, simply for the sake of feeling more secure.  With every fibre of my being, I do not believe that we are in any way different. But for a fleeting moment, when a breaking news story feels a little too close to home, I often allow my mind to wander into this territory.

 Each member of the JustUs team, myself included, believes strongly that a “them and us” mentality is one of the biggest hindrances to each of us truly becoming justice bearers. Only when we truly understand and live into the truth that every single human being is made in the image of God, and has equal value, worth, and dignity, will we be able to humbly and effectively address the injustices in our world today.  This paradigm shift may not seem risky, and yet if we allow it to become part of who we are, there will be significant implications. Tragic news stories and events will break our hearts more deeply, and we won’t be able to so easily sweep away our fears, as we recognise that the people impacted are just like you and I – that we share this common humanity, and that each one of us is treasured by God.  But it also allows us, instead of defaulting to self-preservation mode, to catch a glimpse of God’s heart for the injustice or tragedy that has taken place, God’s heart for those who are impacted, and God’s call to respond with love, rather than fear.

 In the midst of this paradigm, I am increasingly convinced that if there has to be a dichotomy at all, or a moment in which the designations of “them” and “us” are to be rightly used, it has to relate to our response to injustice, and to the matter of love. There are those who choose hate, revenge, violence – and there are those who, in the face of hate, choose the painstaking, revolutionary, glorious way of love.  There is a dichotomy here, and a choice that presents itself to us all in different circumstances of life, both in small ways and in large and significant ways.

But what if even this dichotomy was framed in the context of the “just us” paradigm? What if we allowed our understanding of shared humanity, our shared position as God’s image-bearers, to impact how we respond when the choice between love and hate presents itself?

I think this is what we saw in action as relatives of nine shooting victims stepped up one by one in a Charleston courtroom last month. As I listened to these family members speak directly to the young man who had killed their loved ones only days before, choosing to forgive him, choosing love over hate because of the belief that responding with hate would accomplish nothing – I saw this reality in action. In that courtroom, there was a killer (“them”) and there were grieving victims (“us”); two groups of people separated by the horror of racially-motivated violence. And yet in the midst of the overwhelming grief, those family members stood before another broken human, and showed the watching world that compassion, forgiveness, love, towards someone who in that world’s eyes could not be more “other”, was possible.  I don’t know about you, but this filled me with so much hope. 


Whether the difficult circumstances we seek to address present themselves to us in the news or in our own lives, are we willing to step out of our comfort zone and embody this “just us” thinking? Will we choose love over hate and fear?  Compassion and mercy over self-preservation and security?  We are fragile, vulnerable, sojourners in a broken world.  But we are loved, held, and empowered by the One who brings light and love into the darkest of places.  Let’s follow Him where He leads us – together.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

What's love got to do with it?

Yesterday was a day for the history books.  For those of you who don't go on any social media websites, watch TV, or talk to other people, yesterday the US Supreme Court ruled for the legalization of LGBT Marriage.  Now, this is not a topic I would normally weigh in on, but everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, seems to have taken this opportunity to declare to the internet world what their opinion on the matter is.  And I have to admit, it has left me feeling very confused.

In the last day, I have seen Christian leaders, ones whom I greatly respect, post provocative statements, which, while true, have made me question whether they wrote in love or to stir the pot.  I have seen Christian leaders post very opposite statements, both of which have been vehemently attacked, as well as resoundingly agreed with.  I have read articles about how this is a great opportunity for Christ followers to display God's love, and other ones about how the Supreme Court made a "huge mistake."  I've seen predictions of how society is going to crumble, and I've read celebratory accounts of people who finally get to marry the person they love.

It's all downright confusing.

Now, if you're scouring this post hoping to find out whether or not I agree with the ruling, quit now.  You're not going to find it.  I refuse to be another voice in this heated political debate.  What you will find, should you keep reading, is my opinion on how, as followers of Christ, we should be responding to what happened yesterday.

Let me start with a few statements.  To those in the Church who are in a huff about the ruling:  How does this affect you so deeply that you should be angry?  Churches legally have the right to refuse to marry a couple if it is against their religion.  You will not be forced to go against your beliefs in any way.  You are not being persecuted for your beliefs - you're free to continue with your worship and your lifestyle.  This really has very little affect on you.  Not to mention, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:12, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?  Are you not to judge those inside?"  As followers of Christ, we hold ourselves up to a certain standard, judging by the Bible what is right and what is wrong.  How can you judge someone by those standards if they themselves don't believe those standards are even valid?  Your job is to judge those who identify themselves with the name of Jesus, and even then, to begin by gently correcting with love.

Secondly, to those in the LGBT community:  I apologize on behalf of the people who have called themselves followers of Christ, but have acted in angry and unloving ways towards you.  I'm sorry for the hurt they've caused, and I hope you believe me when I say that you've had a poor sampling.  We're not all angry and hateful, I promise.  And while that holds true, I'd like to remind you that disagreeing with your views is not synonymous with hating you.  Christians have the right to believe the Bible says that homosexuality is a sin just as much as you have a right to believe that it is not.  They have a right to express that belief, just the same way you have the right to express that you think they're wrong.  I hope, whichever side my readers fall on, we will agree to engage in this conversation in love and openness, as friends, and not as enemies.

So, on to the issue at hand.  I've recently read, over and over again, accusations of the church being hateful.  I truly believe that this alone grieves God more than almost anything.  When Jesus walked on earth, he made it resoundingly clear that the two most important things in life are to love God and to love others.  Under no circumstances should we ever come off as hateful.  The standard we should worry about holding ourselves to is one of love.  In everything, we should be asking ourselves, "is this a loving response?  Am I speaking truth in love, or am I condemning those who hear me?  Am I acting in a loving way, one that leads others to the person of Jesus Christ, or am I alienating those around me?"

Let's go back to Cornell West's definition of justice: "Justice is what love looks like in public."  Are we pursuing justice by publicly loving those we disagree with?  Are we inviting people to the cross by the way we respond to big issues like this one?  Are we promoting grace and redemption in the way we discuss these issues?

If you call yourself a follower of Christ and publicly identify with his name, I hope these questions will weigh heavily on your heart as you decide how to respond in this debate.  If you can't honestly say your response is being voiced with grace and love, I hope you'll have the restraint to keep it to yourself until Jesus has had the chance to work out His grace and His love in you, and you can respond accordingly.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Renewal

It's been a while since I've written anything.  A few days ago I thought about sitting down to write, and why I hadn't done it recently.  First I brushed the idea aside, telling myself I was too busy to sit and string thoughts together into cohesive, comprehend-able sentences, but after some thought I realized part of why I haven't written is because I haven't felt like I've had much to say - which, ask anyone who knows me, is rare.

I wrote recently about how it can be easy to get overwhelmed when we think of social justice because there are so many problems, and they are just so big.  It feels impossible that I could make a difference.  When I thought about why I hadn't felt like writing lately, I realized it was because I was starting to feel that way.  I was overwhelmed by how many injustices were going on in this world and felt it was easier not to think too hard about them than to process all of it.

Social media is great for many reasons, and terrible for many others.  A few weeks ago, the terrible aspects were quite prominent.  As I've scrolled through my news feed in the last few months, I've read articles about Christians being murdered at a university in Kenya, about a devastating earthquake in Nepal, followed by many tremors and a lot of social breakdown, a report about ISIS and the terror they've systematically been spreading through the Middle East, the quickly escalating protests in Burundi,  an update from an organization about the horrible conditions in South Sudan.  After a while I began to feel hopeless.  There is so much suffering, so much hate, and so much despair in the world.  How can I feel empathy for all these people?  How can I care about all these issues without becoming a blubbering mess who can't function properly?

The only answer I could come up with is: I don't know.  The world is a mess, and there's no denying that.  We've done a really great job at screwing it up.

So I didn't want to think about it.  I didn't want to write about justice because it would make me think about all the injustice.  And I didn't think I could handle dealing with all that despair.  All that hopelessness.

Fortunately, when I feel this way, God generally doesn't let me push it all aside and be apathetic for very long.  After sometime I began feeling like I really needed to write. Which meant I had to think about all these ugly truths and enter into the despair.  But as I thought of what I could possibly say that was uplifting and helpful in any way,  I realized I don't have to.  I don't have to face the hopelessness. Because, though it's often hard to see, there is hope.  In Revelation 21, John gives us a glimpse of what the world will be like once Jesus has returned and renewed it, and there is no hopelessness in it.

"He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."


When we take a hard look at this world, things look bleak.  But, as Christians, we are called not to set our eyes on the world, but on the God who made it, who spoke it into being, and who has a plan for it.  He's waiting for as many as possible to come to Him, and then, with His return, He'll bring justice to this earth, and wipe away every tear.  There will be no more despair, but a whole lot of rejoicing.

Earlier this month, as I thought about justice, I got caught up in the injustices, in the problems.  But that's not what I'm called to.  Injustice is an ugly repercussion to our sin.  But what was originally intended was love, grace, selflessness, and justice.  As a Christ-follower, I have been invited to help usher in the Kingdom of God, the kingdom of hope - the kingdom of justice.  As we work on this earth to try to set right the things that have gone wrong, though our efforts seem tiny and inconsequential, we have hope because we know the One who will ultimately set all things right, and we have hope in His return, when all these things will pass away.

It's often difficult not to feel despair when we think of all the wars, famines, natural disasters and hate in this world, but the beautiful truth is that, though it may often seem like these things are winning, in the end they stand no chance.  These things are horrible, yes, but they're also temporary.  The world was not created to be this way, and will not remain this way.  Those who suffer will know joy, those in pain will know relief, and those who hunger will be filled.  There is hope.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Just One Step.

Since beginning this blog, and more specifically my series on the policies of stores in my local mall, I've been humbled and encouraged as people have approached me, called me, and sent me messages to say that they've been challenged by my musings, and are trying to be more intentional with their purchases.  I'm excited to hear people are choosing to consider how and where their consumer goods are made before buying them.

But I've also, in a few instances, been met with a little bit of resistance.  I've had people brush off the topic in conversation, flat out tell me they don't care, or send me messages telling me I'm being harsh. While I'm initially shocked, and more than a little frustrated by these reactions, after some considerations, I can understand their reactions.  Changing the way the economic system works is neither easy nor quick.  Maybe I sound ridiculous suggesting that if we make different consumer choices, we can affect change in the lives of people around the world.  When faced with huge, international issues like child labour, slave labour, unfair wages and unsafe working conditions, trying to make a difference can seem very daunting.  The size of the problems can choke us, make us feel useless, and lead us to believe we'll never succeed in changing the systems that disadvantage so many.  And we'd rather ignore it, pretend we don't care, and go on living our lives like everything is just fine, than feel like we failed.  And it's easy to do.  We don't see those who suffer so that we can have our choice of $8 t-shirts.  We don't know their names or their stories, so it's easy to ignore.

The problems are huge.  They are overwhelming.  And there's no way that one person can fix them on their own, or in a short period of time.  This is a long-term project, one that requires everyone jump on board.  A year from now, we'll still be discussing the same issues, because they will still be issues.  But maybe they won't be in 2045 if we choose to make some small changes.  All it takes to be part of the movement is one small step.  Rather than look at the vastness of the problems, or your limitations, think of one thing you can do to move in the right direction, commit to doing it for a period of time, and when it becomes habit, just another way of life, think of another.  But that's getting ahead of ourselves.

Here are some small steps you can take to join the movement, without the complete upheaval of your entire being:

1.  Commit to purchasing only fair trade coffee, tea, or chocolate for a year.  Pick the one you consume the most, and move towards buying only those made in fair environments and from sustainable sources.

2. Commit to buying less of something you usually purchase, that may be made in harmful conditions.  Clothing, sugar, coffee, etc.  Pick one that you could probably cut back on and start using the money you usually spend on those on something life-giving, that benefits others.  Be specific with this.  If you just commit to "buying less clothes," you're not really going to know whether or not you were successful.  Make yourself a budget for the year, or determine how many shirts you usually buy in a year and decide to buy half that amount this year.

3. Commit to supporting, and partnering with, a charity that is doing good work and helping those who our systems have disadvantaged work toward a better future.  Support them financially.  If you haven't written giving into your budget, maybe consider what consumer goods you spend most of your money on, reduce how much you purchase, and donate what's left.

4. Commit to purchasing clothes and other items second-hand. It's inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and socially conscious.

5. Find a few stores that you like that are doing their part to ensure people aren't harmed in the making of their products.  Commit to purchasing only from these stores for a year.  If you can't find what you need at them, see if you can find it second hand, or get it made locally.

These are just a few ideas. I'm sure there are a million more small steps we can take to move in the direction of socially conscious consumerism.  All it takes to start is one small step.  Choose one thing that you can do, one change you can make.  If you're feeling overwhelmed by the problem, focus rather on the one small thing that you can do to be a part of the solution.

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Confessions of a Justice Blogger

This blog is going to be a little different from my last few.  I'm writing today not to inspire you to make different consumer choices, or to talk about injustice facts, but to confess.  I've come to the conclusion lately, that I need to re-assess how I treat people and engage in conversations with them.  Two things led me to this conclusion.  First, I'm currently reading Donald Miller's new book "scary Close", which is a great book about intimacy and how we can only gain true intimacy by living with integrity.  It talks a lot about healthy people and unhealthy people, and how unhealthy people manipulate others to get what they want, and it keeps them from intimacy.  Secondly, over the Easter weekend I got into a debate with my dad about something I felt very passionately about, and in the heat of the argument I made a statement, with no explanation, which automatically put walls up.  There was a lot of anger and tears and the debate stopped immediately.

These two things got me thinking - I talk a lot about justice and treating people with dignity, and I find it easy to do when it comes to the marginalized, but my actions towards the people in my life, the ones I know the best, often do not mirror these values.  When my husband and I argue, I often play the victim, manipulating the situation so that he'll do whatever it is I want out of guilt.  It sounds horrible when I write it out, and I don't do it consciously, but I definitely do it.  But that is not treating my husband with dignity and respect, nor is it conducive to a deep, right relationship.

"Justice is what love looks like in public." (Cornell West)  I agree with this quote completely, but sometimes I think it's harder doing justice in private.  It's easy for me to avoid certain brands I know aren't respectful of their workers, it's easy for me to volunteer for a good cause, or give to a charity who is doing great things.  What I find difficult is respecting and loving those closest to me when I don't agree with what they're saying or doing, or when they've hurt me.  Suddenly my definition of justice gets distorted and becomes about being right and getting the respect I deserve, rather than being in right relationships, and giving the respect and love others deserve.

This realization saddens me a little because, like I said, it's easy to change  a consumer habit - inconvenient, maybe, but really not very hard.  Changing how you react when you're hurt or frustrated, that's a little more challenging.  Deciding to treat others with dignity when they're doing or saying something you think is wrong takes a lot of work, self-reflection, and a lot of intervention on God's part.

I don't know how to change my tendency to re-define justice when I get emotional, but I know it needs to change.  And that's the first step - right?

I've always been an emotional person, and I don't think emotions are bad, but I do need to learn how to control them, so that they don't control me.  It'll be hard work, and not something I can change easily or quickly.  "But thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:57)  I am a new creation in Him, and He will continue the good work He started in me until He returns.

There is hope for my hardened heart yet.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

A Note for the Easter Bunny

Somehow in our culture, the Son of God submitting himself to death on the cross for our sake, and the miracle of his resurrection, causes us all to eat, and purchase, a whole lot of chocolate.  In fact, according to statisticbrain.com, approximately 120 million pounds of candy is purchased annually this time of year.  That's a whole lot.  I'm still not sure how Jesus' death and resurrection got turned into a giant bunny that lays chocolate eggs, but let's save that for another time.

As you all know, I've recently been on a bit of an ethical consumerism kick.  So, I just wanted to drop a short note to those of you who are last minute people and still haven't purchased your Easter chocolate yet.  The craziest thing about Easter is the amount of chocolate we purchase for the occasion.  Because of this, it's really easy for people to make the excuse that they can't afford to purchase Fair Trade or ethically sourced chocolate - it'll cost so much!  But I'd like to take a moment to suggest the opposite.  We can't afford NOT to.

I'm by no means an economic expert, but I do know this much: supply and demand help determine the prices of consumer goods.  There is a massive supply of labour in this world, and not enough demand, which means in many cases, you can get it for really cheap.  Like, cents. Much of our chocolate can be purchased cheaply because the people picking the cocoa beans are paid next to nothing. Let's turn the tables for a second.  If you're a parent purchasing chocolate for your children, I'd like you to consider for just a moment the parents of the children producing your non-Fair Trade chocolate.  If you were this parent, I have a feeling that you would be less than pleased that your child was working in dangerous conditions, for little, or often no pay, so that people on the other side of the ocean could pay a couple dollars less for their child's chocolate bunny.  So before you make the excuse that it's too expensive to buy Fair Trade chocolate this Easter, I'd like you to ask yourself one question: What's more important, the amount of chocolate in your child's Easter basket, or the freedom, health and safety of someone else's child?

I sincerely hope the answer to this question is obvious.

I really am not trying to sound judgemental here.  But I think in our Western, consumer society, we often forget the price at which we purchase our consumer goods, and I don't mean in dollars.  I hope only to open your eyes to the cost of filling your child's Easter basket with the least expensive chocolate you can find.  Yes, it can be expensive to purchase Fair Trade, which is why I like to live by the saying "everything in moderation."  Do we really want our children to have that much chocolate anyway?   It's not good for them, and when they crash from the sugar high and start throwing temper tantrums, it'll just mean a bigger headache for you!  So let's save our children from the unhealthy amounts of chocolate, ourselves from migraines, and the producers of our chocolate from unfair labour standards, all at the same time, and just purchase less, ethically sourced chocolate this Easter.

So now, while you rush to the store tomorrow or Saturday to pick up chocolate to fill those Easter baskets with, here's a list of chocolates you can find at your local grocery store, that are Fair Trade or ethically sourced:

http://nochildforsale.ca/ethical_chocolate/

For more information on chocolate, and why it's a good idea to purchase Fair Trade or ethically sourced chocolate, take a look at this article:

http://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/the-dark-side-of-easter-chocolate-1.2293971


Happy Easter everyone!  He is Risen!

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Today's Slave Trade

In the last year I've had the immense privilege of being part of this awesome project called "JustUs", which is essentially it's own pseudo-organization at this point.  It began as a group creating a curriculum for young people on God's heart for the poor and how to engage with social justice accordingly, but it has grown beyond that.

Part of this project has been an ongoing blog about different social justice issues, and why it is important that we care about and engage with them.  I had the opportunity today to contribute to our blog for the International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, tomorrow.  As this is an important topic, I decided to commemorate the day by sharing that post here, on my own blog:

In the 400 years of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, more than 15 million men, women and children were uprooted and shipped across the Atlantic. This week, on March 25,  we remember those who were denied their humanity, and made to suffer for another's gain.  We remember the horrors and dehumanization that racism and ignorance led to all those years ago.  We mourn for those who were ripped from their homes, transported thousands of miles, publicly humiliated, sold as chattel and forced to do back-breaking work, day in and day out.  We remember the people who lost their lives either aboard a ship, or due to harsh treatment and over-work, and we reflect on the after-effects of that horrible system which still pervades our culture today.  We remember, and we cry “never again.”  We hang our heads in shame and say, if only they had known what we know today, they wouldn’t have stood for that.

But unfortunately, that’s not true.

 Those who were victims of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade deserve to be remembered and mourned, but more than that, they need to be remembered, and we need to be disgusted by the fact that it happened, so that we can respond properly to this fact:

There are more people in slavery today than there were in all 400 years of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade combined.  

I don’t in any way want to belittle the horrors those 15 million people experienced, but I do want to emphasize that those horrors are not a thing of the past.  Slavery is not an historic problem, but a current one.

 Despite the fact that slavery is not legal anywhere in the world today, it is happening everywhere.  In Uzbekistan, children are forced to pick cotton for the clothing we wear; in India, men, women and children are forced to work in kilns, reaching up to 130 degrees for up to 17 hours a day; in Ghana, children who don’t know how to swim are forced to work long hours on tiny, rickety fishing boats; and in North America, young women are trafficked and forced into prostitution.  

So as we reflect on the Slave Trade this week, with the knowledge that, though the Trans-Atlantic trade is over, humans all over the world are still being bought and sold, what can we do?  The problem of slavery can seem too big for us, too overwhelming.  Maybe as you read this, you’re despairing, feeling like your hands are tied and that no matter how much you want to, there’s nothing you can do to stop it.  If so, I have some good news for you.  There is something you can do.

First, you can tell people.  Part of the reason slavery is still so common today is because it’s kept quiet.  You don’t see it often, and if you do, you probably aren’t aware the person you’re seeing is enslaved.  Spread awareness, and educate people about the problem.  Help bring this darkness into the light, so that many more will be forced to look upon this great tragedy, and be moved to compassion.

Secondly, you can change some of your consumer habits.  Check out www.slaveryfootprint.org to find out how many slaves are used by the companies you purchase from, and to send them notes, letting them know that, as one of their customers, you want this to change.  And until you’ve heard they’ve made changes, begin purchasing from companies you know are against slavery.

Thirdly, partner with one of the great organizations that are already working hard in the fight against slavery.  Check out International Justice Mission, Free the Slaves, or Made in a Free World.  Take a look at their websites to find out what they’re already doing and how you can be a part of their work.

Slavery is not just a bad memory, but also a horrible reality, so as you reflect this week on the 15 million victims of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, remember also the 30 million people living in slavery today, and decide on one step to take today to be a part of the solution.


 The JustUs blog is full of really great content, so if you'd like to read through the previous blogs, you can do so here.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Toolbox for Ethical Shopping Pt.7

This morning, I read an interesting article about hashtag activism.  It outlined what the issue was with it, but the part that stood out to me was a reference to something Malcom Gladwell said:

"We are swimming in knowledge, but lacking in understanding behind it."


I wonder how much my blog is contributing to this phenomenon.  My hope is to give people the knowledge to make informed decisions when purchasing their consumer goods, but the truth is, the issue of ethical supply chains is immensely complex.  I've wrestled with a lot recently as people have brought articles to my attention that contradicted what retailers websites said.  Most people's initial reaction is to say that the business is just putting on a good front, but then the question is, why?  If they can't and aren't trying to live up to the policies they put in place, why have many of them made them so robust?  The companies who make no claim be ethical don't deal with the same criticism, so if you're not going to follow through, why make yourself a target?  So it becomes much more complex than being only about who professes to have policies in place.  When things go wrong in a factory, or many factories, how long will it realistically take before the problem is solved?  Where does the responsibility of the corporation end and the individuals who manage and work in the factories begin? 

What I'm trying to say here is that this whole issue is so complex that there's no way that a seven part blog series is going to answer all your questions and give you all the information so you know the exact conditions every piece of clothing, every shoe and every cell phone you purchase was made in.  I don't have all the answers, in fact, I have hardly any of the answers!  So I urge you to take what I've written and put it in your "ethical shopping" toolbox, but look for other tools to accompany it.  Search for news articles about your favourite brands.  Seek out fair trade alternatives to the things you usually buy.  And keep an open mind when reading articles, watching videos, listening to what other people say about different brands (including me!), and searching out policies on a corporations website. 

That being said, let's take a look at the last seven stores in my local mall, Coquitlam Centre.

Urban Barn
Urban Barn is a furniture and housing goods store. Sadly it has no information on its website about its supply chain.

Urban Vista
Urban Vista is another furniture store, and also has no information about where or how its products are made on its website.

Walk with Ronsons
Walk with Ronsons is the umbrella company which owns Ronson's Rack, which I wrote about in a previous blog.  All Walk with Ronsons shoes are Canadian designed and manufactured.

WATCHIT!
WATCHIT! is (you guessed it!) a watch retailer.  They also carry sunglasses and other accessories, but have no information on their website about where or how their products are made.

Starbucks
Starbucks has at least one Fair Trade certified coffee, but they work closely with Conservation International to ensure that all their coffee, as well as their tea and cocoa, is ethically produced.  Starbucks is all about transparency, and requires that suppliers have evidence of payments throughout the supply chain, so that Starbucks knows exactly how much money reaches the farmers.  They also publish a progress report about their coffee purchasing on their website for all consumers to read.

Waves
Waves Coffee falls somewhere between really awesome, and could potentially be better.  Their website states that all their coffee is purchased directly from small lot farmers, which is awesome.  But one of the things they're famous for is their real Belgian chocolate in their mochas and hot chocolates.  However, their website says nothing about the sourcing of the chocolate that they use, or of their tea.  

West49
West49 is a skate/surf shop that carried multiple different brands.  They have no information about their supply chain on their website, so I would proceed with caution.  However, as they carry multiple different brands, it might be worth researching the brand you're interested in before writing them off entirely.

Zumiez
Zumiez is another skate/surf shop, which has its "Code of Conduct" posted on its website.  This Code states that Zumiez will not conduct business with any factory that uses forced labour, or child labour.  The Code also prohibits partner factories to engage in harassment, abuse or discrimination.  It also outlines rules for compensation of the factory employees, as well as overtime, length of work weeks, and health and safety in the workplace.  The Code also states that both Zumiez and third party auditors engage in both announced and unannounced audits of the factories.

Well, that's the end.  I hope you will be able to use this as a resource to aid you in your own journey of empowering rather than harming others through your consumer habits, and I hope this information has served to make the murky waters of corporations supply chains a little more clear.  

To sum it all up, after all my research, here are the stores I would recommend checking out first, next time you're looking for a specific consumer good:

Clothing
American Eagle, Aritzia, Eddie Bauer, H&M, Hudson's Bay, Le Chateau, Retimans, RW&Co., Sears and Zumiez.

Shoes
ALDO Shoes, Call it Spring, Footlocker, Hudson's Bay, Le Chateau, Naturalizer Shoes, Ronson's Rack, Sears, Walk with Ronsons and Zumiez.

Underwear
Hudson's Bay, La Senza and Sears.

Coffee, tea and chocolate
DAVIDsTea, Purdy's Chocolate, Starbucks and Waves.

Sporting wear
Hudson's Bay, Lululemon and Sears.

Bath and cosmetic products
The Body Shop, Lush and Merle Norman.

Kids Clothing
The Children's Place, Gymboree, Hudson's Bay and Sears.

Houseware items
Hudson's Bay, and Sears.

If you're in the market for some new technology, this is a tricky one.  I would personally still buy Apple if I for some reason needed to buy new, as they are doing more than any other company to respect the dignity and value of the people in their supply chain.  There have obviously been problems, which they claim to be trying to fix.  We cannot expect these problems to go away over night and hopefully we will see some of them resolved as the company works to correct them. Maybe I'm delusional and they're just dotting the "i"s and crossing the "t"s for show.  If you can, I would suggest buying second hand.

May you use this knowledge to bring you to a deeper understanding of how your purchases affect people around the world.  May you use it to develop responsible consumer habits, as well as compassion for the girls, boys, women and men exploited around the world so that we can have more "stuff."  And may you use it to do your part in changing the system that disadvantages, and enslaves millions of people worldwide.

Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Toolbox for Ethical Shopping Pt. 6

This last weekend, I spent my weekend in Calgary, hanging out at a booth representing Wellspring at the Canadian Youth Workers Convention, where we were advertising our new youth curriculum, JustUs: Poverty and Justice Explored.  It's pretty awesome.  You can check it out at www.thereisjustus.com.  But that's beside the point. During this event, I spent a lot of time standing around and chatting to other exhibitors.  One of these exhibitors was from an organization called Defend Dignity, and they work in Canada to eliminate sexual exploitation through education and a lot of really cool programs.  I walked over to chat because I was interested in finding out about their work, and because they had t-shirts with quotes from Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa written on them.  As we chatted, he happened to mention they were giving away t-shirts for free, so I am happy to announce that I am now the proud owner of a new t-shirt.  I picked the Mandela quote, partially because I think Mandela is awesome, and partially because I love the quote.  My new t-shirt reads:

"To be free is.. to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."  --Nelson Mandela

It's a great quote, yes.  But spend a minute thinking about that.  If we were to define freedom the way Mandela does, how many of us can truly claim that we are free?  I hope and strive to live in this freedom, but I am aware that it is not my reality.  This is one reason I began this journey to live justly, and specifically to learn about where my clothing comes from, how it's made, and what conditions it's made in.  I hope by choosing to buy clothes that are made in a safe environment, by people who are paid fairly and are given many opportunities, I will respect and enhance the freedom of the textile workers all over the world.

This is part 6 of 7 of my review of Coquitlam Centre Mall stores.  Check out parts one through five here.

Sears
I know department stores aren't the most popular places to shop these days, but Sears Canada has a reputation for conducting their business ethically.  Their "Social Responsibility" website is easy to find (thankfully for me!), and is extremely deep and detailed.  Their Code of Vendor Conduct is printed in 26 languages, and is required to be posted in all of their factories, so that those it is meant to protect can see and read it - which is awesome!  Realistically, some of the people who work in their factories may not be able to read, but giving them access to the document that protects them from oppression is pretty amazing.  I'm a little surprised that this is the first company I've come across with this policy, as it's pretty ingenious.  This Conduct, which, in theory, all workers will be able to read and know, states that child and involuntary labour, harassment and abuse, and discrimination are prohibited.  It also states that the factory must be safe and clean, and that employees are not to work more than 60 hour weeks, with at least one day off every seven.  It also clearly states that each employee should receive wages, including overtime pay and benefits.  Can you imagine how empowering it would be for these employees to walk by this every day?  On top of that, at the bottom of the document it has contact information, saying specifically who you should get in touch with if any of the policies are violated.  On top of this, they also have a web page on Conflict Mineral Policies.  A 2012 Act adopted by the US Securities and Exchange Commission requires companies to disclose the use of conflict minerals originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or surrounding countries - this includes tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold.  The website states that Sears is "committed to ensuring that it's products are obtained in a socially responsible manner and is taking steps to ensure compliance... including conducting supply chain due diligence to identify the presence of conflict minerals in those products that it contracts to manufacture."1  Sears also conducts regular audits of it's factories, which include interviewing factory workers.  They also have a factory improvement process, as they believe that it is important to support factories that do not meet standards and help them improve rather than just terminating the relationship, as termination negatively affects the workers they were trying to protect in the first place.

Sephora 
Sephora is a huge make-up company.  They are one of the few cosmetic companies that have a "Supply Chain Transparency" page on their website.  In accordance with the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act, Sephora has adopted a statement saying that suppliers are prohibited from engaging in forced labour, human trafficking, child labour and harassment and abuse.  It states that Sephora has communicated this with it's suppliers, but does not conducts audits of it's supply chain (hence the yellow grade.)  The website says they will "consider" audits should they feel a supplier is in significant risk of breaking their Code of Conduct.

SoftMoc
SoftMoc has none of their supply chain policies on their website, so we cannot be sure of how their shoes are made.

Spencers Gifts
While the consumer goods sold in Spencer's Gifts are a little strange at times, they do have some policies in place for it's supply chain.  I'm always told not to judge a book by its cover, but I'll be honest, I judged Spencer's Gifts and was surprised they had any policies at all.  They aren't extremely thorough, and skip the issue of child labour altogether, hence the red rating.  But they do state that they require all of their suppliers to follow local laws governing human trafficking and slavery, and it requires a third party auditor to confirm suppliers' compliance with laws.

SportChek
SportChek has no policies on their website, so we can't be sure of how their gear is made.  It would be worth researching the brands they carry individually.  In a quick glance through the website of some of the larger brands, I found that Under Armour seems to have decent policies in place, but could not find much about Nike or Adidas.

STREET
STREET is a Canadian owned and operated clothing store.  It does not have its own website, but is part of the Below the Belt in Coquitlam Centre, and carries the same brands.  

Suzy Shier
Suzy Shier's website has no policies stated.

Swimco
Swimco doesn't have any policies on its website, so I checked out a few of the brands that they carry. Billabong does have some great policies in place, and, though I couldn't find a website for 24th and Ocean, Sears carries them, and considering their policies I must assume they are up to snuff.  More research needs to be done on the individual brands.

Target
All Targets in Canada are closing, so I had to go to the American website to find their policies.  While they do have some a code of conduct for their vendors, this code of conduct says absolutely nothing about how Target ensures compliance of this code.  In fact, it seems to rely on the factories to report any violations of the code.

The Source
I personally really dislike the Source.  It thoroughly bothers me that their slogan is "I want that" as if our society isn't greedy enough as it is.  But thats a rant for another place and another time.  The Source has no policies stated on its website, but like every other IT retailer, it carries many different brands of electronics, so it would be best to research those brands individually.

Tip Top Tailors
Tip Top also has no information on its supply chain listed on its website.

Town Shoes
Town Shoes has no information on its supply chain, but does provide a list of brands they carry. Once again, further research is required on the individual shoe brands.

Triple Flip
Triple Flip is a girl's athletic clothing store.  Sadly, they have no policies on their website.


This blog post makes me a little sad. Only ONE store that you could confidently walk into, pick something up off the shelf, and be certain no one was harmed in the making of it.  If you have the time to check out a few more brands carried by some of these stores, please comment below and let us know what you find!  My hope and desire is to enable myself and others to be free in Nelson Mandela's sense of the word - to "respect and enhance the freedom" of the supply chain workers who make our clothing, shoes and cosmetics, and in the process, to allow us to experience our own true freedom.

Thanks for reading!






Thursday, March 5, 2015

A Follow-up on Apple

Any of you who have read parts of my series on the companies represented at my local mall will know that I like Apple products.  I'm amazed with the policies on their website and am pretty happy that they don't use slave labour in the mining of their tantalum.

However, a friend of mine brought a pretty disturbing news article to my attention today, and I want to thank her for challenging my high opinions of the company.  I hope to keep an open mind about the companies I write about on this blog, as I know often policies don't equal reality.  There are tons of stages to a production line, and often only a few of them can be monitored closely.  Not to mention, if a company does not own it's factories, I'm sure a lot of policies slip between audits.  The question that really matters is, how is this dealt with once the slip is found?  Does the company admit to it and either end the relationship with the producer, or work to correct it?  If they choose to provide incentives and training to help correct the situation, and their employees choose not to take the incentive, what can they do next?  Many things play a part in the ethics behind a companies production line.  On the multinational corporations end, they are responsible for policies, monitoring, transparency and solutions to any problems they find.  On the factory managers end, they are responsible for following those policies in hiring, providing safe and healthy working conditions, and pay.  But the question comes down to who is to blame if a fourteen-year-old wants to help his or her family meet their needs and provides false ID saying they are of age to be working?

I hope you all realize that I am NOT trying to defend Apple, or any other corporation that finds child labour in it's supply chain.  All I am trying to do here is help you realize how complex the system is, and then provide you with evidence so that you can make your own decision on whether or not you feel comfortable shopping there.  For me, this moves Apple closer to the yellow category.  I think they have a lot of great policies and of course do not own their factories so cannot constantly be present, but have taken action to correct issues that have been found.  However, they could be doing more, specifically in their tin mines. Below I have posted the link to Apple's policies, as well as some articles that bring up some disturbing evidence against them.  Please read with an open mind, remember the complexities, weigh the evidence, and decide for yourself if Apple's doing a good enough job.  Also, please take dates into account. Some of the situations written about have been responded to.  Some still need a better response.

Apples policies: https://www.apple.com/ca/supplier-responsibility/

The Case against them:
July 2013: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/even-worse-than-foxconn-apple-rocked-by-child-labour-claims-8736504.html

March 2014: http://qz.com/183563/what-happens-when-apple-finds-a-child-making-your-iphone/

December 2014: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/12/19/371910482/apple-responds-to-bbc-on-conditions-at-asian-iphone-suppliers

I really do appreciate it if you challenge my opinions if something doesn't seem right to you!  I would rather be corrected and have a better understanding of where I am shopping than be correct, so please, comment below with any concerns you have.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Toolbox for Ethical Shopping Pt. 5

At the tender age of 9, Serkalem's family's poverty sent her into the labour force.  Since her father's weaving and her mother's pottery could not make ends meet, Serkalem began assisting both her parents with their work, before heading out to work for other local weavers as well.  For her long hours and multiple jobs, she received a wage of about $1.50 each week.  Six years later, at the age of 15, Serkalem has only been able to complete up to 5th grade in school, and her work has left her with chronic pain.*

This story is just one of an estimated 150 million child labourers.  If you read Serkalem's whole story on the No Child for Sale website, you'll be happy to hear it ends well.  With support from World Vision, Serkalem has had the opportunity to spend a lot more time on her studies.  But for millions of children all over the world, this isn't the case.

If you still need to be convinced that purchasing your consumer goods from socially responsible companies is the way to go, just type "Child labour stories" into your Google bar.  Spend fifteen minutes wading through the results.  And then ask yourself, would I want this for my child? Go ahead do that right now.  If your answer is "no," come back and keep reading.

Good.  I'm glad we agree.  It might not happen to your child, but it is happening to someone's.  And that's not right.  So, together, let's make it unnecessary by choosing to purchase products made in a fair and safe environment, by people of legal working age.

Today marks Part 5 of my 7 part series, looking at the supply chain policies of companies represented at my local mall.  To read parts 1 through 4, click here.  We'll start with the "O"s.

Old Navy
Old Navy is owned by Gap Inc., whose policies I reviewed in Part 3.  If you want to know their policies, and why I put it in the yellow category, click here.

Payless Shoe Source
Payless Shoe Source is known for being a place to buy cheap shoes.  Generally speaking, if a store is known for being cheap, it's probably not paying the manufacturers very much.  I can't confirm if this is true about Payless or not, because their website offers no information at all.

People's Jewellers
Like most jewellery stores in Coquitlam Centre, People's Jewellers sells some Canadian diamonds, and they follow the Canadian Diamond Code of Conduct. This means those diamonds cane be traced from the mine, and can be bought with the knowledge that they were fairly mined.  However, People's Jewellers website has no information on the other metals used in their jewellery.

Plenty
Plenty is a Vancouver based boutique store with international and in-house brands.  Unfortunately for us, their website has no information on the supply chain for any of these brands.

Privilege
Privilege is another small boutique store in Coquitlam Centre.  Once again, it's website has no information on the production of the clothing they carry.

Purdy's Chocolates
For those of you with a sweet tooth (like myself), you'll be happy to hear that Purdy's Chocolates is committed to sustainable cocoa farming.  They are a member of the World Cocoa Foundation, which helps cocoa farmers and their families through programs that "raise farmers incomes, encourage responsible, sustainable cocoa farming and strengthen communities."  They are also part of an organization called Winrock International, which has implemented a child labour prevention program in cocoa-growing communities in Cote d'Ivoire, whose main export is cocoa beans.  The innovative program keeps children out of the cocoa farms by providing financial support for vocational training, summer camps, scholarships and microloans.

Reitmans
Reitman's website boasts a robust Code of Conduct for all it's suppliers.  This code includes, but is not limited to, rules against the use of children younger than 15, or the age for completing compulsory educations, against the use of any type of forced labour, and against discriminatory hiring policies.  On top of this, the Code has a long and exhaustive list of safety conditions that must be met.  Their code of conduct also states that all factories must give authorized representatives unhindered access to all relevant records, whether or not they have been notified in advance. Reitman's also reserves the right to terminate its relationship with any suppliers that violate their code.

Rickis
Ricki's is owned by the same company as Bootlegger and Cleo, and none of their websites have any information on their supply chain.

Ronson's Rack
Ronson's Rack is a branch of Ronson's, which is a Canadian owned and operated show company.  All shoes are designed, manufactured, and sold in Canada.

Rose Cosmetics
Once again, it would be best to talk to someone who has more knowledge of cosmetics and how they're made.  But, I assume someone has to harvest the plants that are used in the majority of cosmetics, and Rose Cosmetic's website has no information about who does this, where it's done, or how it's done.

RW&Co.
I was relieved to find that RW&Co has pretty quality policies, as it's the only place I can find shirts that fit my husband.  RW&Co. is owned by Reitman's Canada.  If you've been reading thoroughly, you'll know why that's a good thing!


Children like Serkalem should be spending their time playing outside, learning their multiplication tables and reading fantasy books, not working 14 or more hour days in horrible conditions for little pay.  We can be a part of making the need for child labour obsolete by refusing to support companies that use kids in their production line, and by supporting companies that refuse to use child labour.



* Story from World Vision's "No Child for Sale" Campaign.  Find it here: http://nochildforsale.ca/casestudy/weaving-a-childhood-away/

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Toolbox for Ethical Shopping Pt. 4

Earlier this week, I found this graphic from Macleans.ca, which I think perfectly sums up exactly why it is so important that we are aware of where our clothing comes from.  Let's assume the average t-shirt actually does cost $14.00- even though that is probably on the low side these days- then, according to this graphic, the average labourer receives less than 1% of the cost of a pretty inexpensive t-shirt.  I'm fairly certain (and sincerely hope) I'm not the only one sitting here thinking, "that doesn't sound fair at all." Because it really isn't.

That is why I am researching company policies, so that together we can avoid companies that spend less money paying the people behind our purchases than they pay the shipping companies.  This is part 4 of my review of the policies of companies in my local mall, Coquitlam Centre.  If this is the first time you've come across this blog and are curious about the other stores check out parts 1 thru 3 below.   Today, we're starting with the "K"s.


Kebe
Kebe is a small boutique store in Coquitlam Centre and has no website, and therefore no information available to the public on their supply chain.

Koodo
Much like every other cell phone provider I've come across at Coquitlam Centre, Koodo carries many different brands on technology.  As I've said before, with all technology we have to be very aware of how the tantalum, a mineral used in cell phones, laptops, etc., is mined, as it is notorious in the industry for slave labour.  Because of this, each brand would need to be research separately.  I have done the research on Apple, and they are the only brand I know of that has released a statement that their tantalum mines are free from slave labour.  I just did a quick check on Nokia, and while they consistently mention striving to be "ethical" there was no mention of child or forced labour in their supply chain at all.  Sony has no information on their supply chain whatsoever.  Samsung, however, states that they don't permit forced or child labour in the making of their products, which is hopeful!  The one thing missing from their policies is factory audits or inspection.  Their website makes no note of how, or even if, they check for these things in their supply chain.

La Senza
I'm both surprised and happy to say that La Senza has some great policies in place.  They are a branch of a multinational corporation called "L Brands" and their website not only states that they prohibit forced, indentured, prison, bonded, or child labour, as well as any labour obtained through human trafficking.  They state that all workers must meet the minimum local age for work, or the standard of the ILO, whichever is higher.  They also have some great policies on minimum wage and maximum working hours.  On top of this, their website outlines the process a factory must go through in order to become an L Brands supplier.  They begin with an audit and risk assessment, and once those have been passed, they must agree to ongoing, unannounced audits.

La Vie en Rose
The La Vie en Rose website has no information on their supply chain available.

Laura
While Laura is locally trying to make a difference by donation to the Canadian Cancer Society, which is obviously very commendable, their website has no information on their supply chain, or the people behind the clothing they sell.

Lazy One
Lazy One is a somewhat comical pyjama store.  They are moving towards greener initiatives, such as recycled clothing hangers, but unfortunately, their website has no information on where or how their products are made.

Le Chateau
Le Chateau also has some great policies in place! They inspect their factories on a regular basis, through unannounced audits, to ensure that child or forced labour are not present.  On top of having those very necessary policies in place, along with minimum wage, maximum work hours, health and safety, and discrimination, they also restrict the use of hazardous materials in the making of their products.

Lululemon
Lululemon has a Vendor Code of Ethics with six zero-tolerance policies, which include child labour, forced labour, corruption, and minimum wage violations.  The Lululemon sustainability team and third-party auditors provide announced, semi-announced, and unannounced audits of all their factories.

Lush
I'm excited to say I have a new love for Lush!  I've never really bought anything from there before, but if you're a close friend or a family member, beware, you may be getting gifts from Lush in the future!  Lush has its own Ethical Buying team whose job it is to find ethically produced ingredients for their products.  They start locally, but in the cases that the ingredient isn't found in Canada, they travel the world, visit potential suppliers and find out as much as they can about the planting and harvesting of the ingredient.  They build relationships with the growers and producers and work to ensure that the ingredients are grown sustainably and in fair conditions. My favourite part is the end of their "Ethical Buying" section on their website, which states "Buying from small-scale producer groups affords us the opportunity to drive positive change, encourage sustainability, and form long-lasting relationships with people all over the world."  If those aren't good policies, I don't know what is!

London Drugs
London Drugs is a strange store, sort of a drug store crossed with an electronic store, crossed with a grocery store.  Because of this, they carry so many brands it is impossible to say where they lie on our spectrum. They have some fair trade chocolate. They carry Apple products.  They probably even have some ethically produced make-up.  But once again, we would have to research each brand.  And as this is not my full-time job, I think it would take to long for the sake of this blog!

MAC
MAC has very little information on their company at all on their website.  All I could find were the products they sell. I have very little knowledge on how make-up is produced, and I know recently the biggest ethical dilemma with make-up has been whether or not it has been tested on animals.  But I'm pretty sure make-up is made from (at least some) natural materials, which means someone had to plant//harvest/etc. those materials to make our make-up.  In any case, you wouldn't know people were involved at all my looking at their website.

Mappins Jewellers
Mappins has very little information about the metals used in the make of their jewellery, or the people behind the metals, on their website. The one thing they do have is a line of Canadian Diamonds, which were mined out of the Northwest Territories, and can be bought with the confidence of knowing they're not conflict diamonds.

Merle Norman
Merle Norman is another cosmetics brand that I know very little about.  However, I'm pretty satisfied with the statement on their website, which reads "To ensure optimum quality control, the company researches, develops, manufactures and packages its own products."  Generally speaking, if a company manufactures its own product directly, its pretty safe!

Mr. Big & Tall
Bad news for you extremely tall, large men out there.  Mr. Big & Tall has no information about its supply chain on its website.

Naturalizer Shoes
Naturalizer Shoes is a branch of Brown Shoe Company.  Brown Shoe Company's website outlines
their Production Code of Conduct, which states that no suppliers may be involved in human trafficking, slavery, forced labour, or child labour.  It also states that their suppliers should pay their employees in regulation with local industry standards and minimum wage.  Unfortunately, I doubt whether local industry standard is generally fair.  Brown Shoe's code also states that it reserves the right to announced, unannounced, internal, or third party audits.

For those of you who have gone through this whole blog, confused by the colours, you can check out part one of this series to see what makes a store green (great policies in place), yellow (lacking a few key aspects in their policies, or a little vague), or red (appalling policies or lack thereof).  Thanks again for reading.  As always, if you have any information to add, feel free to comment so that more people can benefit from the knowledge you have!