Breaking the Chains - Buy Local, Organic and Fair Made
Apr 13th, 2005 by bornfamous
The quality and range of America�s daily essentials is being dictated and degraded by a powerful network of Brand Name Bullies and Big Box chains. By �outsourcing� from sweatshops in the factories and fields, by cutting corners on public health and the environment, and by sucking up billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies, business behemoths such as Wal-Mart, Monsanto, Starbucks and others have constructed a vast global shopping mall of cheap goods and conveniences, reinforced by a non-stop, 24/7 glut of multi-media distractions.
Fortunately, health-minded and ethically responsible consumers are rattling the chains of global corporate commerce. By patronizing local, independently owned stores, coops, restaurants, and coffee shops, and by shunning chain stores and socially irresponsible companies and brands, more and more consumers are rewarding producers and businesses that �do the right thing.� A good example of this international marketplace insurgency is the $30 billion global organic food market. At current rates of growth, most grocery store items in the industrialized world will be organic within 20 years, providing a solid livelihood for millions of small farmers around the world. Certified Fair Trade products are another important growth sector, with $500 million in annual sales.
