Don’t Call Me.

So my mobile phone died last week, and I’ve been feeling a combination of things. Unconnected. And, liberated. Weird!

The conclusion is that I’ll have to buy a new phone, which seems like a silly idea knowing how little I’ve really used it recently. It really has become more of an ‘emergency-use-only’ type appendage anyway.

Having said all that; in the mean time on a Fair-Trade bent, have you ever thought about the ethics of your mobile phone?

Someone alerted me to the fact today, that there have been some recent issues in the news of child-labour-exploitation in regards to production of a certain chemical that is used in mobile phone production.

Now, ever since I’ve had my eyes open to Ethical Trade (clothes, coffee, chocolate etc.) I’ve known that at nearly every level of every manufacturing process of every product I buy, or use, people are affected. It may be oppressively, it may be positively – but my actions have an effect. (See also, The Story of Stuff)

Until now, it hasn’t even been in my mind that my phone is part of this chain.

So, now I’m thinking that it might not be such a bad thing that my phone is dead… even though Nokia seems to come out OK in the comparisons (as you’ll see below, OK is relative). Maybe I’ll see how long I can go before it becomes ridiculous to not have one.

(Anyway.. for anyone in the Training College community who is reading this.. call my extension or come and find me – I love visitors! SMS’s flying through the building have always seemed a little silly to me!)

Some facts:

My Nokia Phone comes with this unethical baggage (and more..);

• Lead poisoning in Thailand
• Unsustainable mining of Coltan
• Operations in 11 oppressive regimes
• Workers’ Rights abuse criticisms
• Workers’ Rights abuses at Chinese supplier factories
• Worst ECRA (Ethical Consumer Research Association) rating for supply chain policy
• Operations in 4 tax havens
• Operations in questionable Social Economic Zones, India.

Don’t even get me started on the other brands. I’ll let you see for yourself. Ethiscore.org – Mobile Phones

Some Challenges

To the “Ambassadors of Holiness”, and other people thinking about their calling and vocation in Christ.

“Make no mistake, the adventure you now commence will demand the best of you. The world will not always be kind to you. It will not always welcome you. It will not always treat you with respect. You may not always have a soft pillow, or a full stomach, or a healthy body and mind. No, the mission before you will not be easy. But that’s not what you signed up for with you signed on with Jesus Christ, is it? An easy life is not worthy of your gifts. An easy life is not worthy of your energy, your intellect, you life, your death.” – “Countdown to Sunday – A Daily Guide for Those Who Dare To Preach” – Chris Erdman (p.182)

To anyone who has not yet been challenged to think about trade justice, and/or anyone who hasn’t heard Danielle Strickland be Fair-Trade’s greatest advocate.

Fair Trade Rant - “Go on, Liberate Your Latte!”

And while you’re liberating you’re latte, buy some buttons!! Get in touch with me if you want some!

Seductive Sweet

Chocolate leaves a bitter taste
September 18, 2008

It is enjoyed by millions of connoisseurs around the world, but in recent years chocolate has started to leave an unpleasant aftertaste.

Canadian author Carol Off, whose book alerted readers to the ethical quagmire of chocolate consumption when it was released two years ago, is currently in Australia to talk up the topic.

Her book, Bitter Chocolate, lifted the lid on the use of child slavery in the cocoa plantations of West Africa.

The link between slavery and chocolate is as old as history, Off said.

“There has always been a case where cocoa has been produced by people who didn’t have a lot for people who do,” she said.

“The Aztecs and the Mayans produced cocoa for the King of Montezuma and in Europe they produced slaves to harvest cocoa beans for the chocolate fanatics of Europe.”

Things haven’t changed, she says.

“We have chocolate bars today that seem to be cheap and affordable even to a child … but the truth of the matter is we can only afford this chocolate because people who are picking the beans and cultivating it are children in West Africa,” she said.

“A lot of children voluntarily go (to the plantations) because there’s nothing for them in countries like Mali.

“Their crops are failing and nothing is growing in that part of the world, So a lot of the kids are sent off by their parents to get some money.

“But child traffickers see the vulnerability of these kids, there’s nobody watching over them and they round them up and take them over the border into the Ivory Coast and make money from them.”

It is difficult to help these children, Off says, because much of the Ivory Coast, which produces most of the world’s cocoa supply, is torn by civil war.

The government uses profits from the cocoa trade to fund the war, Off says.

“The complicity here is with them and the big chocolate companies.”

“There are only a handful of multinationals that control the industry and basically they are able to operate with impunity in Africa and Ivory Coast because everybody that has power over the situation is getting what they want.”

Fair trade systems were having a small impact, Off said, but would never provide a full solution.

“They pay a premium to the farmer, the chocolates are more expensive and the profits go back to the farmers.

“Where I went in those situations, the kids are going to school, there was health care, clean water and all these things were paid for by fair trade premiums – but there’s so few of them.

“It represents not even one per cent of all the cocoa being produced, so the vast majority is under this other system.”

The CEO of The Confectionery Manufacturers of Australasia (CMA), Trish Hyde, said the CMA was a part of a global initiative to eliminate child slavery and forced labour in the industry.

She said the CMA and other chocolate companies from around the world were working with the governments of the Ivory Coast and Ghana to help eliminate child slavery and forced labour.

“The important thing is from our perspective is the collaboration with government and NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) on the ground, with industry programs … that are actually making changes in the communities.”

The CMA says that in July this year it also helped implement a reporting system that would certify all labour on West African cocoa farms.
AAP

This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/09/17/1221330918327.html

Church Marketing Sucks

How does this quote make you feel?

“Drinking fair trade coffee is a great starting point. But our commitment to justice must extend beyond sipping the right coffee. Sometimes in the west we tend to find ways to do what we’re already doing (i.e., drinking coffee or shopping) in a slightly more equitable way and call it charity when it can simply be a way to assuage our conscience without inconvenience.” - Drew Dyck, 04/18/2008 on Make That Coffee Fair Trade

If it sparks ideas/thoughts in your mind, comment about them, or read further:

Check out the four-part JUST Ideas Series. Starting with; http://www.churchmarketingsucks.com/archives/2008/04/just_ideas_buyi.html

Freedom Day!

Wow! What a weekend!

Saturday 19th April was Freedom Day in the city of Perth!
The Salvos and other freedom fighters (world vision, ywam, and a myriad of others..) were out in full strength to walk for freedom in the city.

We blew up balloons, we banged drums, we raised banners and we walked in strength in an effort to allow people to see and hear the call to freedom, justice, mercy, love and the stopping of traffik.

And, we made Stop The Traffik / Salvation Army T-Shirts and looked fantastic while we were wearing them! The logo to the right on the front and a MASSIVE Red Shield on the back!!

During the walk, and the afternoon session in the City we gave out nearly 800 flyers with information about Trafficking, and an invite to a free* screening of The Jammed in Northbridge.

Many conversations were had, many children were excited by the FREE magazine! (KidZone’s galore!) and MANY of the people we gave flyers to during the day, came to watch the movie – and not just because we were offering food** (although that did seem to draw the crowd!)

An estimation of more than 80 people flooded an auxiliary room at the Perth Fortress Corps to watch The Jammed. More than half of those in attendance came through the flyers we gave out, or because of the young enthusiasts just outside the Corps bringing people in!

The movie is incredibly graphic and confronting, but there was opportunity for prayer, support and comfort after the movie, and there is much hope that people did not feel helpless, but through the info from the talk prior to the movie, and the resources available, feel strong to move forward in the fight for freedom.

In the lead up to the event and on the day, we made important connections with organisations and individuals in Perth who are already working for a traffik free world. In particular, a young enthusiastic representative from YWAM walked with us, stayed all afternoon in the city making incredible connections with passers-by and invited 5 of her friends to the movie.

There are some links here, to show you what these groups are up to;
Lost in Traffik (YWAM Perth)
Don’t Trade Lives (World Vision – STIR, Perth)

Thanks for listening to my recap. There will be more news soon about JUSTSalvosWA’s ideas/events and more.

Grace.

*The screening was technically free, but we encouraged a Gold Coin donation on entry, and raised a total of $275.80 for The Salvation Army’s Counter-Traffiking project in India.

**The free food on offer was Fair Trade, and Organic – and for some even gluten and dairy free!! Thanks Fair-Go Trading!

Fair Trade Guide

Not that I want you to stop looking at the poster for Freedom Day, but, I found this today.