Slavery Footprint: How Many Forced Laborers Work For You?

[Lost-in-FL]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/22/the-slavery-footprint-how_n_975516.html



If you're a 20-something renter who owns a laptop, a bike and a fair amount of shoes, you probably have close to 100 slaves working for you .

Slavery Footprint launched a lifestyle survey Thursday to show consumers how many forced laborers--of the 27 million worldwide--have contributed to making anything you might find in a medicine cabinet to a gym bag. The nonprofit crafted the questionnaire, which asks about your food, clothes and hobbies, after investigating what goes into producing about 400 everyday items.

The results aim to inform customers and put pressure on companies to disclose their labor practices.

"Slavery is in everything," Justin Dillon, chief executive of Slavery Footprint, told the Huffington Post. "It's in every product. It's not just tracing one element on the periodic table."

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Wouldn't it be a good idea that instead of putting on the bottom of a product "Made in _________ ", those countries currently employing minors should instead put "Product of Child Labor in ________".

[kayakjohnny]

1. I wish you all the best with this post. I really do.

It was well-intended, but will probably end up in a nasty shit storm.

Good for you in posting it though.

Awareness is awareness, whether it is convenient to hear or not.

[Lost-in-FL]

2. Really?

How so? :shrug:


Thanks for the warning! :hi:

My intention is to create awareness of poor labor practices around the world, which unfortunately, we facilitate without even realizing it. It is not centered around child labor but also working conditions overall here and throughout the world.

[kayakjohnny]

3. I know. I am just considering those who may come along and be defensive of our consumer culture, and

who may take issue with being called out for our (collective) degradation of natural and human resources in the name of healthy economies or whatever the excuse of the day happens to be.

I think your post was great.

And I might be wrong, but I was expecting for someone to come along try to validate the way things are, because "that's just the way it's done these days".

Hopefully, I'm off base here.

Thanks for your post.

[Lost-in-FL]

5. You are very welcome.

:pals:

[Capitalocracy]

4. Lots of sweatshop apologists around.

Don't you understand? We're HELPING those people with those jobs! If they didn't want them, they'd just leave!

Which, of course, if extrapolated to its logical conclusion would mean that no minimum wage or work condition standards would be necessary. This argument is not valid in the real world, but a lot of people haven't figured that out yet.

Hopefully your post and the article therein will help people figure it out. But it's true, you'll get flamed. But that's life here on the intertubes.

[Lost-in-FL]

6. Damn… sorry to hear about that.

It is sad to hear that specially here. :(

[AsahinaKimi]

13. Funny I just came across this painting

Chinese immigrant laborers building the Railroads in the American West

The Image made me want to search for more..

[Marengo]

19. Something rather interesting about this subject...

is how few mainland Chinese know the extent of the enormous contribution their ancestors made to our rail system. I say from experience having lived in China. My students were usually amazed when I discussed this.

[greytdemocrat]

8. Thanks!!!

I forgot to whip my slaves tonight. Can't let em forget who's boss. :eyes:

Christ...

[girl gone mad]

9. To sum up the typical path of deflection:

"Aren't you posting this from a computer? OMG, how dare you even mention slave labor! If you don't live off of the grid in a log cabin where you spend your days growing your own food, making your own clothes and writing out your screeds on handmade hemp paper then you are a TOTAL HYPOCRITE!"

also..

"Just shut up about working conditions in the third world because everybody wants an iphone."

[Lost-in-FL]

10. Lol!!!

I can feel the tension already. Lol!!

[Bryn]

7. K&R

for awareness

[hobbit709]

11. so where was the computer you are using made?

[Lost-in-FL]

12. In "China"...

your point? Oh… that's it!! You are just being an asshole about it!


I also have an iphone, iPad; my husband has one of each also… and a computer.

We own 2 cars; Honda and Acura done in America by non-union people.

Oh… did I said I go to Whole Foods?

And I do own a 5000W Solar Panel at home, made in Florida from parts made somewhere else.


However, I do acknowledge that in the past I have been facilitating child/oppressive labor practices which actually forced me to rethink what I do in the future.

[hobbit709]

14. Good luck finding anything.

That's what happened when everything was offshored.
Even something assembled in the US is made from parts that are made elsewhere.
If I'm an asshole for pointing out the obvious what does that make you for having a poutrage while using all the above things you say you own.

[Lost-in-FL]

16. Do you even read? Or just playing gotcha!!

Can you now feel that sense of accomplishment from trying to ridicule me? You are definitely a better person tonight! Congratulations!!!!

:party: :party:


What part of "rethinking my buying behavior" did you miss?

[hobbit709]

18. What part of "Good luck in finding something" did you not get?

:rofl:

[Lost-in-FL]

20. I have what I need, that is why I ignored your sophomoric suggestion.

What to do if I need something? Easy

1) RECYCLE

2) Buy used electronics from Ebay or someone you know.

3) Repair your own

4) Donate, if you have something at home that you don't use and it is in working conditions.

It has been 2 yrs since I purchased a brand new computer/phone, etc. I am sure that is not enough time for you but it is a start. My goal is not buying something if I don't need it and if I do, donate what I have and consider used before I buy new. Currently I have what I need so thanks for your concern.


Here's a link, you might learn something.

http://www.greenerchoices.org/electronicsrecycling/el_home.cfm

[kayakjohnny]

15. See my earlier point?

But thanks again for this post.

Kicking also for the awareness.

Good job.

[Lost-in-FL]

17. Wow! You ain't kidding!! nt

[DaveJ]

21. Ugh, I never understood people like that

The most disgusting thing a person can do is belittle another person with mocking laughter, I will never get used to those folks. I'm sure they think it is all well and good though... totally bizarre reaction.

Anyway, Yeah there should definitely be a way to indicate child labor practices on products, assuming it is possible. I'm sure it is possible to create a site or app that can compare products from different manufacturers.

[Lost-in-FL]

22. They do that because they are behind a screen, that is all.

They would not dare doing that in person.

[Shagbark Hickory]

23. I am the shit storm you were warned about!!!

No, not really.

+! K&R

I do feel it's hopeless with these big companies they just use an outside firm that uses an outside firm that has deplorable working conditions and uses child labor.

[Lost-in-FL]

24. It did not happen overnight.

It will take years to develop a stronger workforce here in the US.

[LongTomH]

25. K&R

People need to be made aware of this!:kick:

[bayareamike]

26. I don't understand

why some people always come along and mock the suggestion that capitalism is an unjust system. Sure, my nice, shiny Macbook Pro probably makes me just as guilty as the next guy -- considering that so many of its parts were constructed via this very system -- but that doesn't make the system any LESS horrific.

Just because we don't know the slaves doesn't make them any less enslaved. Just because we don't know their names, their families, their interests, their hopes, their dreams, or their fears doesn't make them any less human.

Capitalism is and has always been an unjust system and just because that is inconvenient for some to hear doesn't make it any less true.




I'd say "+1" but it doesn't do you, Lost-in-FL, any justice. I'm happy to see such a website getting this issue out there; I'm happy that you, Lost-in-FL, helped to spread awareness as well. Don't let the apologists bring you down.

- Mike

[Lost-in-FL]

27. Thank you and welcome to DU!

:hi: