Eat Ice Cream, Save the World

I love ice cream. I love fair trade. And now, by 2013, these two loves will be seamlessly melded in one indulgent and socially responsible pint thanks to....Ben & Jerry's! Today, Ben & Jerry's announced that every ingredient it uses that can be sourced fair trade will be by 2013. That's a life changing announcement for the 24,000 farmers in the co-ops around the world that B & J's plans to work with. And those fair trade flavors will not only be available in the US, but globally. What a statement to businesses every where. Fair trade is here to stay!

Jerry Greenfield, company co-founder, said, "Fair Trade is about making sure people get their fair share of the pie. The whole concept of Fair Trade goes to the heart of our values and sense of right and wrong. Nobody wants to buy something that was made by exploiting somebody else.” I agree! That's just one more reason to enjoy an already terrific product.

To read more about fair trade and Ben & Jerry's plans, check out their partners website, TransFair USA.

Shoes That Make You Smile

Because of my various recent illnesses, I've been watching a lot of TV. Probably more then is healthy. A lot of TV means a lot of commercials, and one I've been seeing got my attention. It's an AT&T commercial that features a company called TOMS shoes. The commercial points out that for every pair of shoes you buy from TOMS, they give a pair to a child in need. This is SO ME! Of course, I had to check it out. I easily found their website and decided to buy myself (and a kid in need!) a pair.



The first thing that struck me was how colorful and fun the fabrics of the shoes are. I decided on the pink big dots for myself. So cute!

TOMS shoes are based on a traditional Argentinian design. They have a relaxed, comfy fit. They're very light. I would compare them with flip-flops in terms of comfort and support. There is some very slight arch support built in, but not nearly enough for me to wear all day. Most of the styles have a leather inner sole which helps make them a little more durable. The outer sole is made of rubber. These are the perfect shoes for summer when you get tired of your flip-flops! They're also great to throw on to run errands, or just do a little running around. Just DON'T wear them in the rain. Your feet will be soaked. The major downside I've found so far is that these get dirty! The fabric extends over the entire toe box and almost down to the ground so it's nearly impossible to keep them clean. I haven't tried to get the dirt out, but because of the leather, you can't really put them in the wash. I'll let you know how it goes! Also, because they're canvas, expect some stretching with wear. But I have to say I've gotten tons of compliments on them. And there's something to be said for shoes you can feel good about wearing. They come in mens, womens, and babies sizes with youth sizes in the works. And they come in vegan styles too!

Why can you feel good about giving shoes to a kid in need? Children in developing countries often go barefoot. Because they don't have access to other forms of transportation, these kids can walk miles a day. Having shoes offers protection, and the ability to walk distances that couldn't be covered barefoot. It also protects them from all sorts of preventable diseases. One of the most common ways for many diseases in developing countries to be spread is through the soil and into cuts and sores on bare feet. The simple prevention? Shoes! So get yourself a pair, and make a difference to one child today.

Redeeming Diamonds

Hope is restored. Just when I had written diamonds off as something I could ever own, Facebook shows me the light. A few days ago in my Ad bar, I was an ad for a jewelry company called Brillant Earth. Their motto? Luxury with a conscience. Now this is something I could be for. Brillant Earth is a company run by a husband and wife duo committed to providing an alternative to the current diamond industry practices. "Brillant Earth believes that high quality, fine jewelry need not come at a great human or environmental cost."

Basically, all their jewelry is made with certified conflict-free Canadian diamonds, ethical origin sapphires, and renewed metals. This means that humanitarian and environmental issues of mining are largely removed. By supporting this company, you're demanding an ethical alternative to the current jewlery practices. And their stuff is really great looking too. Check out their website to see the selection and take your own stand. It's also a great place to start for information on dirty mining and conflict diamonds. If anyone is considering a gift to thank me for all my insightful blogging, I would mind receiving this!

Flow

I recently finally got Netflix and have really been enjoying it. Recently, it recommended a documentary to me called Flow. Flow is, in short, about water. As we know from previous posts (here and here) and my attendance at World Water Day a few years back, this is kind of an important issue to me. So I immediately added Flow to my queue. I just finished it this morning and whoa do I have a lot to say.

In short, the movie is about the world water perspective. It's a documentary made up of 16 or so different issues and perspectives from around the world. There's no central narrator. Each segment is made up of interviews. The segments take place in four main countries: South Africa, Bolivia, the US, and India. The segments first cover many different water related topics including contaminated water (like the 20 million people in 25 states in the US who drink water contaminated with rocket fuel), the bottled water industry, the privatization of water, and the effect of damns. It of course gets political and talks about companies involved and the World Bank's influence on the issue. The documentary also shows various grassroots efforts around the world where people have taken on these issues and the adversity they have faced in doing so.

One of the central themes of the documentary is can anyone ever really own water? Historically, water as a transient resource has been the property of no one and everyone at the same time. No one has any more right to streams, rivers, and lakes then anyone else. One particular segment about the bottled water industry in Michigan horrified me. Basically, Nestle came in, set up a bottled water factory and started pumping millions of gallons of water a day out of the local aquifers. At absolutely no cost to them, with a ten year tax abatement, and a 99 year land lease for something like $160,000. They continued to pump at this rate despite a draught and effectively dried up local streams and wells. And they sold the product in the very community they were pumping in. The community saw no benefit from Nestle being there with the exception, I suppose, of the jobs created. Even worse perhaps is a story from India where contracts were signed to privatize stipulating that existing wells and water pumps built by the community had to either privatize (so they could charge people to use them) or be shut down. We're talking about common pumps that provide water to whole villages of the poorest of the poor. Does anyone else feel a little outraged by this?

Perhaps the most shocking news to me is that water is the world's third largest industry. Behind only electricity and oil. If you think water is unimportant, think again. In a way, water is the great equalizer. Every single one of us needs it. In the US, scarcity may not be our largest issue, but there are plenty of other big scary ones out there (like herbicides that cause male frogs to grow ovaries and are banned in Europe, including the country they're manufactured in). If you want more info, check out the Flow website. And please go watch this documentary!

Cool as Kiva: Another Way to Save the World

Now that I have a steady income (whoot!) I've finally started using Kiva. I loaned money to two different people, both women in Africa. The first is Zainabu Malunda, a women from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She owns a clothing store and wants to expand her business. And I was privileged enough to get to help her! The second is the Kamuli A2 group in Kireka, Uganda. This is a group of 6 women who invest the money in their respective businesses and guarantee each other's loan. I thought that was a pretty cool concept so I decided to support them as well.

I was really impressed with Kiva's site. It was very easy to use and offered search criteria if you were interested in loaning to a specific type of person (I chose women in Africa for instance.) It also gives you a picture and description of the person the loan is going to, what they will do with it, and how it will help them (for example, sending their children to school, hiring other women in the village, etc.). It also gives you information on the agency the loan is going through. My favorite feature, by far, was the ability to see all the other Kiva users who have also loaned to that person. Again, for example, my Kamuli A2 group needed $2400. All together, 44 people loaned them that money, including me. I thought that was a very exciting thing to be involved in. Each user can make a profile which is amusing I guess, but doesn't seem to have any real point. The best thing of all is you can loan as a little, or as much as you want. And you can use PayPal to make your loan directly from your bank account if you choose. And Kiva develops a portfolio of all your loans so you can keep update on the progress. Overall, it was a very user-friendly, well designed site with a great purpose. Try it yourself today with as little as a $25 donation to change a life.

How to Save the World: The Fourth

Here's yet another easy way I'm currently trying to save the world. This time, it's cleaning supplies!

I decided to explore this topic after reading about the toilet flush spray in the bathroom. I wanted to scrub my bathroom down, but I hate cleaning supplies! You have to change into old clothes so you don't bleach or stain them, you have to wear gloves so you don't destroy your skin, you have to rinse thoroughly so you're not touching chemicals all the time, and you have to deal with that awful perfumed chemical smell. Not to mention the fact that they're expensive. So I decided to try natural. I figured there was really no harm in it. Instead of just buying some green cleaner from the store, I decided to save money and make my own. Plus that way if I didn't like the results, it was no big deal and I didn't have a whole bottle of expensive crappy cleaner sitting around.

After doing a little research, I mixed up my own blend of vinegar, water, lemon juice, and baking soda. Pretty easy. I put it in a spray bottle, grabbed a scrub brush and headed off to the bathroom. I found myself pleasantly surprised. I didn't have to change my clothes because no risk of bleaching and the smell was actually kind of pleasant. Not to mention the fact that these three ingredients can basically clean everything in your house. No more buckets of bottles and oh no, I don't have enough of toilet bowl cleaner now what? I was more then happy with the results and my roommate even commented on how clean and shiny my bathroom was.

Here's two sites that have various formulas for just about everything and suggestions for making your own cleaning products. I don't remember exactly how I mixed mine, but I don't think it tremendously matters. Enjoy your new non-toxic, nature-friendly house!

http://www.eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm
http://www.at-home-with-mama.com/bathroom-cleaning-tips.html

Bottled Water Revisited

I never thought I'd get so wrapped up in something so silly as bottled water. But I'm coming to realize that maybe it's not so silly after all. Apartment Therapy has mentioned bottled water twice recently. I followed the link back to fastcompany.com's article, Message in a Bottle. For some reason, it made me rather emotional. I urge you to read it. Here are some excerpts I found especially interesting.

"Thirty years ago, bottled water barely existed as a business in the United States. Last year, we spent more on Poland Spring, Fiji Water, Evian, Aquafina, and Dasani than we spent on iPods or movie tickets--$15 billion. It will be $16 billion this year. Bottled water is the food phenomenon of our times. We--a generation raised on tap water and water fountains--drink a billion bottles of water a week, and we're raising a generation that views tap water with disdain and water fountains with suspicion. We've come to pay good money--two or three or four times the cost of gasoline--for a product we have always gotten, and can still get, for free, from taps in our homes."

"Bottled water is often simply an indulgence, and despite the stories we tell ourselves, it is not a benign indulgence. . . Meanwhile, one out of six people in the world has no dependable, safe drinking water. The global economy has contrived to deny the most fundamental element of life to 1 billion people, while delivering to us an array of water "varieties" from around the globe, not one of which we actually need. That tension is only complicated by the fact that if we suddenly decided not to purchase the lake of Poland Spring water in Hollis, Maine, none of that water would find its way to people who really are thirsty."

"In San Francisco, the municipal water comes from inside Yosemite National Park. It's so good the EPA doesn't require San Francisco to filter it. If you bought and drank a bottle of Evian, you could refill that bottle once a day for 10 years, 5 months, and 21 days with San Francisco tap water before that water would cost $1.35. Put another way, if the water we use at home cost what even cheap bottled water costs, our monthly water bills would run $9,000."

"Where the drinking water is safe, bottled water is simply a superfluous luxury that we should do without. . . We're completely thoughtless about handing out $1 for this bottle of water, when there are virtually identical alternatives for free. It's a level of affluence that we just take for granted. What could you do? Put that dollar in a jar on the counter instead, carry a water bottle, and at the end of the month, send all the money to Oxfam or CARE and help someone who has real needs. And you're no worse off."

"Bottled water is not a sin. But it is a choice. . .Once you understand the resources mustered to deliver the bottle of water, it's reasonable to ask as you reach for the next bottle, not just 'Does the value to me equal the 99 cents I'm about to spend?' but 'Does the value equal the impact I'm about to leave behind?' Simply asking the question takes the carelessness out of the transaction. And once you understand where the water comes from, and how it got here, it's hard to look at that bottle in the same way again."

Feeling inspired? You really, really should read the full article. And check out Sigg for great, reusable bottles that are super fun and eco-friendly. We've been using Sigg bottles for about 6 years and we still have the same original four. I highly recommend them!

How to Save the World: Part III

After a brief hiatus, How to Save the World has returned! Up this week is something I've been working on for the past few months: stop eating beef.

This one is kind of hard for me because I really enjoy beef in all of its forms, my family eats a lot of beef, and when someone else is picking up the tab, I almost always get beef. But I've been trying not to. I figure reducing my beef intake has to be beneficial. I think you'll think so to.

Why should you stop eating beef? Mad cow disease? Well, that could be one reason, but it's actually not the best one. Too much cholesterol? True, but I don't care if you want to go on statins. The biggest beef concern? Its detrimental effects on the environment and the economy.

Let's start with the environment. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization released a report with some shocking realities. According to the report:

+ Livestock use 30% of the earth's entire land surface, including 33% of global arable land used in producing feed for livestock
+ Livestock generate 18% more greenhouse gasses then transportation
+ Livestock account for 9% of CO2 derived from human-related activities but much larger
portions of the more potent greenhouse gasses: 65% of human-related nitrous oxide and 37% of human-related methane
+ In Latin America, 70% of former rain forests in the Amazon have been turned over to grazing. In fact, beef production is the major cause of the destruction of the world's rain forests. The high price of beef encourages ranchers to burn the forest to create new range lands. The fragile, thin rain forest soil cover is quickly destroyed by grazing in 1-2 years, and the ranchers move on to burn another area, in a never-ending cycle of destruction. Thousands of species of plants and animals have already been destroyed forever, as well as straining the earth's ability to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. At current rates, the rain forests will be totally destroyed in 30-50 years.

So basically one-third of our planet and one-fifth of the planet's animals are being used to feed your tummy. Surprising, huh? And we haven't even looked at the economy yet. We already know that livestock take up a third of the earth's land. That's not too bad sounding until you consider who that beef is feeding: the US, Europe, and Japan. Here's another third for you. One third of the world's grain harvest is used to feed cows instead of feeding people. In the US, that number is more then 70%. It takes 16 pounds of grain to produce a single pound of beef. All this in a world where nearly one billion people do not have enough food. And it's not just children in Africa. According to the USDA 35.1 million people in the US live in food insecure households. 16.9% of ALL US children live in food insecure households. And these numbers are only rising. As beef consumption and prices continue to rise, we are only perpetuating this cycle. Economies based on local cash crops are quickly being converted to beef exports with the profits going to the wealthy few.

So what can you go? It's pretty simple. Stop eating beef. If you can't stop, limit your consumption to special occasions or for cravings. Not only are you helping to save the world, but you'll lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of exposure to the deadly E. coli bacteria. And mad cow. And weird icky hormones. Really, it's a win win situation. The Chick-fil-a cows are right. Eat more chicken!

Failing to Save the World

I've been realizing more and more lately that I really need a new pair of sneakers (or tennis shoes if you live in the part of the country that doesn't count). I've always hated my current sneakers. They're Nike walking shoes and in addition to their tendency to rip the skin off the back of my heels, they make me feel really bad since they were produced by some exploited child sweatshop worker. I decided that instead of just getting another pair of whatever is cheap, that I wanted to get some sweatshop free sneakers. Little did I know what a task that would be. Basically every brand you could possibly think of makes at least some of their shoes in China. Including New Balance which everyone thinks is an American company. Granted, New Balance is probably more responsible then some of their competitors, but it's still not the ideal solution I was looking for. Everything I've read seems to suggest that Saucony's are ok, but I can't really get any information either way. Timberlands also come recommended but their only sneaker-like shoe is really more a low hiker. I just want a pair of sneakers with decent arch support and some degree of shock absorption for walking and going to the gym. Aside from those options, the next best thing seems to be the european made spider sneaker from vegetarian shoes. You can check it out here. The problem is I would like to see them before I buy them and MooShoes only has a location in New York. So maybe I'll be going up there one day. I do kind of feel like a bit of an extremist to be buying from a company called MooShoes though. I guess I'm just put out that someone who is trying to be socially responisble can have such a hard time doing it. It's kind of frustrating to do hours of research just to be left with the choice of lesser evils. It's sad that no company wants to stand up, be a little transparent, and say hey we try to treat our workers fairly. None of this "it meets the local regulations and standards" crap. I have to make a decision soon though because I can't stand ripping up my heels anymore!

How to Save the World, Part II

Next up: bottled water.

To put it simply, just stop drinking it. What is the point? Bottled water is simply an advertising hype, trying to make you think of safety purity. The truth is bottled water is not cleaner or safer then tap water. In fact, in a recent study by the National Resources Defense Council, one-third of bottled water tested contained a contaminant. The bottled water industry is poorly regulated with a significant share of the market completely unregulated. When it is regulated, bottled water is subjected to less rigorous and less frequent testing then city tap water. And as if that's not all bad enough, bottled water is allowed to contain small amount of E. coli or fecal coliform (which indicate potential fecal contamination) while positive results are prohibited in tap water.

In addition to this frankly disgusting information, we are spending 240 to 10,000 times more per gallon for bottled water then for tap water. And, just in case you aren't yet dumbfounded, a quarter (on a conservative estimate) of bottled waters are actually just bottled tap water. And according to FDA regulations, they are allowed to call this spring water. Obviously the bottled water industry is quite lucrative. In fact, one researcher said, "At as much as $2.50 per liter (or $10 per gallon), bottled water costs more then gasoline." I don't think we can blame Venezuela for that.

As if it isn't bad enough that you're possibly drinking poop and paying a 10,000 times markup on it, bottled water is hurting the environment. Bottled water produces unnecessary garbage and consumes excessive energy. Worldwide, 2.7 million tons of plastic are used to bottle water each year. In fact, making bottles to meet America's demand for bottled water requires 1.5 million barrels of crude oil a year, enough to fuel 100,000 US cars for a year. About 86% of these bottles become garbage or litter and take...oh..anywhere from 400 to 1,000 years to degrade.

The simple solution? Buy a reusable bottle and fill it up...from your tap! Or better yet, reuse your old water bottles. After all, they should last you another 399 years minimum. If you just can't bear the thought of drinking straight from the tap, invest in a Brita pitcher or Pur filter that attaches right to your faucet. There is absolutely no excuse for the pure excess and waste of drinking bottled water. Are we really that lazy as a society that we can't fill up a bottle before we leave the house for work or the gym?

That being said, bottled water certainly has a place. But for people whose tap water is unsafe to drink. Here's my challenge to you. For one year, stop buying bottled water. Heck, stop buying bottled beverages all together, and use the money you save (which could be quite substantial depending on your habits) and donate it to an organization that helps provide access to clean water to the millions of people around the world that actually need it.

How to Save the World, Part I

In honor of...well nothing I can really think of except maybe my own personal motivation, I thought I'd give you all some of my favorite ideas for making a difference in the world. Most of these are things that I do or am trying to do in my own life. I think it's important to be aware of what's going on in our world (in case you hadn't guessed that by now) but it's not enough to just have that knowledge. We have to act on it. So, here's some suggestions from someone who is trying to blunder through it.

Up first: Fair Trade products

I'm a big proponent of fair trade products. Generally, fair trade products are produced by people who are living in extreme poverty (often women). These people can be a) employed by sweatshops or b) employed by groups or organizations that attempt to sell their handcrafts at a fair market price. Hmm. Tough choice. Not only does fair trade put money in the hands of those who need it, it also gives us a great opportunity to have access to beautiful hand crafted items from around the world without ever leaving the comfort of our desk or couch.

Here's a selection of some great resources to get Fair Trade/World Craft products. I've ordered from most of them, for both myself and as gifts and everyone has been more then delighted with their items.

The Hunger Site- Not only does this site have great fair trade items, many of them give you a profile on the organization or person that makes them. They also tell you how many cups of food they are able to donate to those in need from your purchase. While you're there, click the button to donate more food on the main page. I've ordered three things from this site and all arrived promptly and were absolutely beautiful.

thegroovymind- This site has a little of everything, and most importantly, fair trade coffee. I love coffee. I don't drink fair trade very often. I get very mad at myself for this. Make a small change in your life and make a big difference in the abusive coffee industry.

Ten Thousand Villages- This is my newest find and perhaps my favorite. It's part of the Mennonite Central Committee., which makes me somehow trust them more. They also have excellent information about fair trade, the artisans they work with, etc. They also have stores! and there just might be one in your area. And, perhaps the most fabulous of all, a gift registry. Whoa. Expect to see more of this.

A Greater Gift- This website is probably the most user-friendly and appealing and probably has the widest selection. This organization has been around a long time and does great work and they're a great choice to make sure that your dollars are being used well. They also have a handy gifts feature that helps you pick the perfect item for any occasion and person.

Worldstock- Part of overstock.com, I'm most suspect of this site. However, they do claim to be creating jobs and buying environmentally and economically sound products. I bought some great coasters made of African bottle caps from them and I had a few problems with the shipping and after a couple grumpy conversations, everything worked out just fine. They have some items you won't find anywhere else and some higher end furniture items. It's definitely worth checking out and if you see something you love, get it! A little help is better then no help at all!

Fair Trade Federation- If all else fails, this website has a list of fair trade merchants broken down by state.

World Vision Gift Catalog- This isn't exactly fair trade, but it's certainly a unique gift. Don't know what to give? Make a donation in someone's honor. World Vision lets you choose. Give a goat, fishing supplies, food, hope for sexually exploited girls, or a well. What a great way to honor someone or give a gift to the person who has everything. Instead of giving them something to dust every month, give them something that keeps on giving everytime they think about it: the knowledge that somewhere a child is thriving instead of starving because of a gift made in their name.

This is just a glimpse into the world of fair trade products. If you're looking for more info, just type fair trade into your search engine and see where it takes you. All of us buy countless gifts each year. Getting fair trade products for just a few of those gifts can make a huge difference in the lives of those who need it most. Next time you get invited to a shower, give a fair trade frame, serving piece, or candle holder. Your gift will certainly stand out in the midst of the typical wedding items. If you do decide to give fair trade, enclose a little note about fair trade items and where you got it so that they can fall in love with fair trade too. Not only will they love the gift, but you'll feel great about giving it.