2855
Stevens Creek Blvd
Santa
Clara, California
Dear
Shoppers,
When it comes to shopping in the United States, it is seen as one of the
fundamental aspects of our culture. Our economy is based off of consumerism.
Shopping is a part of the American lifestyle, but what most Americans don’t
know is that while we splurge on new clothes, fancy foods, new cars, etc., we
are contributing to many problems we are unaware of. We are supporting
outsourcing, which contributes to environmental problems, poverty, and further
separates the truth from reality of what is occurring in this world. The world
doesn’t have to be like this. The truth is that first world countries and major
corporate companies should change their ways before we end up like people in
the Disney movie Wall-e. We can choose to make a difference by buying fair
trade and local products. This would not only help our own communities, but
others around the world. Instead of contributing to the wealthy wallets of
major companies we can contribute to every individual. As shoppers and
consumers we hold the power in changing the ways we shop, and to further create
a better sustainable planet. Not only will Fair Trade and shopping locally
improve our environment, but could better the lives of us and every other
person around the world. To have this happen we first need to know how
consumerism works and how we can change this problem. We must not only be aware
of what we buy, but bring awareness to this very important situation.
People
who grow up in the United States and other first world countries have embedded
morals of how “new” is always better and how some objects we own add to our own
status. Why is it so important for us to stay in trend, update ourselves, and
be fixated on everything new? The reason why, is that our country is all for
consumerism. These large companies grab our attention by tons of
advertisements, celebrity endorsements, and especially big sales. They have
tricked us into needing things we don’t actually need. A good example of this
trick is the cell phone update craze, as I would like to call it. New
phones are always constantly being updated. For example, say the newest IPhone
just came out and people who just bought the latest one six months ago have the
greatest desire to update again to newer phone. Even though their phone works
perfectly fine. Our society gives us this unrealistic perspective of how we are
supposed to live and gives the illusion to people of what they think they need.
According to Edwin Zaccaï the author of Sustainable Consumption, Ecology and Fair
Trade, “ …one’s consumption does not match one’s authentic needs, wants,
intentions, well-being, and so on” (23). Even I am guilty if buying things I
don’t necessarily need, but the reason why people do it is based on what they
only know. What most people don’t know is how companies not only trick us into
to wanting their products, but also don’t even tell us how it’s made, who made
it, and the negative conditions that come out of it. By knowing what goes into
the products we buy, people will gain a new perspective of what we should and
shouldn’t buy.
What we consume and purchase comes from these large major corporate companies,
correct? True, and they outsource most of all of their products. Outsourcing is
when companies have their products made in other countries for a much cheaper
price. Most of these countries are developing countries and have a very high
poverty level such as: India, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines and many
others. The reason why big companies outsource is so they can profit more from
their products, which they benefit from tremendously. As consumers we also
benefit from outsourcing as well. For example they offer extremely low prices
that we find in stores such as Wal-Mart because they barely pay anything when
they are made in other parts of the world. As companies and consumers get the
large end of the stick, the laborers that work in those factories, poverty
stricken communities, and the environment get the short end. As shoppers
continue to buy products from major retailers they continue to add the problems
of third world countries that keeps going unnoticed. They do not realize how
their small choices can impact a whole community.
Many people
are unaware of the negative and detrimental effects that come from these
outsourced factories. The factory workers are not only paid minimal wages, but
work in poor conditions and sometimes very dangerous. Just recently on
April 24, 2013, an eight-story Plaza collapsed on thousands of people
working in garment factories. The garment factories consisted of a several
different companies that made clothes for sale in the U.K, Untied states and
other countries in Europe. The death toll is still rising everyday as they try
to find many missing people (bbcnews.com). Most of these factories are
sweatshops and even have children working in them. Many scandals have occurred
over the years in similar stories such as Nike, Wal-Mart, Gap and other large
companies. Remember how the United States was during the industrial
period? There were no labor laws, deadly conditions, the beginning to
environmental problems and even child labor. According to T. Chase Meacham the
author of the article “The Bangladesh Factory Collapse..” states that, “…we
haven’t really solved labor abuses, we have just outsourced them.” Only some of
these major companies are now just realizing how important is it to stop these
harsh conditions, which is sad that thousands of people had to die for them to
realize that. According to Stephanie Clifford from the New York Times, “…a
group of major retailers and apparel companies, including some- like Nike and
Wal-Mart- with a history of controversial manufacturing practices overseas,
says it is developing an index that will include labor, social, and
environmental measures.” I am surprised that these companies are willing to
make a difference. Most likely to meet the consumers satisfaction of showing
heart towards the tragic incident, but also probably meet the new needs of the
demand for fair trade goods. The demand is increasing as more and more people
become aware of these sickening facts.
Fair Trade is one of the best solutions to stopping outsourcing and all the
negative affects that come along with it. Fair trade is a positive outlook for
those living in poverty in other countries all over the world. Emma Watson a
supporter of Fair Trade explains, “[that] charity as wonderful as it is money
runs out”. Fair trade can give a
community so much more then just money. Workers and farmers can rebuild their
communities and give them a positive outlook on life. When these countries are
building better communities they are creating a better way for there children
to be educated, better health care programs, and a cleaner environment, which
overall creates a better world for everyone. It will give them hope and
strength to rebuild their town and their lives. When Emma Watson visited the
Swallows of India she saw how fair trade jobs significantly helped those
people. Through this clear example of how fair trade improves the lives
significantly of people in poverty stricken areas, it saddens me how fair trade
is just beginning to become more known. When we buy fair trade not only will
the products be better made, but also we will know in your heart that you are
helping the world become more stainable world we can be proud to live in.
By raising our voices against the way our clothes and most of our goods are
produced we can stop and reform our consumer ways. The first step that we
can take is to bring awareness to this on going problem and realize what we
should buy and what we shouldn’t. Shopper Lauri Langton from Seattle states in
the New York Times, “ you should be able to tell right away, where the product
is produced, so that you can walk away from the product and not buy it if you
do not believe it was processed in a humane way”(Clifford). Not only should we
be able to know where the products are coming from, but also we should take a
step back and realize if we actually need what are looking at to buy. We
as the consumers hold the power to buy what we want and from that we hold the
power to change the world into a better place.
Sincerely,
Amanda
Gamban
Works Cited
Clifford, Stephanie. "Pressed by Consumers, Retailers Are Revealing
More." The New
York
Times.
The New York Times, 09 May 2013. Web. 13 May 2013.
Meacham, Chase T. "PolicyMic." PolicyMic. N.p., 10
May 2013. Web. 13 May 2013.
Mustafa, Sabir. "Bangladesh Building Collapse: How Many Still
Missing?" BBC News.
BBC,
05 Oct. 2013. Web. 12 May 2013.
Zaccaï, Edwin. Sustainable Consumption, Ecology And Fair Trade.
London: Routledge,
2007. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 29 Apr. 2013
