"When you buy something stop and think about why you're buying it? Choose intentionally what you trade your labor (money) for."
What we buy demonstrates our values in life. When we buy cheap items made with child labor or through defiling our environment we're saying that we are willing to work for those things.
I thought this morning about our 'need' for summer clothing. I thought to myself that I would simply go to Old Navy and grab enough for both of us, likely for less than $100. Then I stopped myself.
I KNOW that many of their items are made in poor countries using child labor. Is that the sort of thing I want to support? Some will say that without factory jobs for kids many of those families would starve. Perhaps, but it is still something to think about before I use my labor (money) to support the exploitation of children.
Does the overall good outweigh the bad? The answer may be different for each of us (as our personal circumstances vary) but we can all stop, think & make conscious consumer decisions.
Namaste,
Ani
