Make Social Change A Reality

Author Ellen Ruppel Shell, after spending years researching the cost of stuff, has recently published a thrilling book entitled Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture . Her book examines not only the impact of cost on the direct consumer — high debt, low incomes, job losses and a whole slew of other troubles — but also the price for the people that produce the goods. This is particularly interesting to me today as her book outlines specific examples in which the exploitation of both human labor and the environment is clear. One example given in a New York Times review , explains the surge in the shrimp market from the 1970s to today. The impact on the change in shrimp farming and our subsequent shrimp consuming has triggered loads of troubles. The article explains: “for a while, there were some newly affluent shrimp-farmers along the coast of Thailand as traditional operations were transformed into gigantic factories with the help of international lenders and investors. Massive onsla...

All too often when approaching environmental issues we expect the solution to revolve around preservation of national parks and cutting back carbon emissions. However, there is another equally pressing environmental matter to attend to: Environmental Justice . This term is a blanket term that covers all kinds of equal treatment for people and the environment. The EPA defines [Environmental Justice] as: “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies”. This means that all people are able to enjoy the same level of safe access to clean air, water, soil and to be subject to the sight of parks, preserves and eco-friendly buildings. This also means that all people are equally protected against the dumping of hazardous wastes, excess pollution and toxic chemicals in their communities. Environmental Justice is e...

In a recent article Washington Post’s DeNeen L. Brown examines the cost of being poor . Brown states in the first few lines: “ The poorer you are, the more things cost ”. The cost, of course, comes in the form of money, time, convenience, and energy level. Brown points out that many of America’s poor are stuck with an unfair bill when it comes to the essentials like food, transportation, and housing. Photo courtesy of This Fffire The cost differences paid by the poor at their local corner store compared to a grocery store are likely to be huge. However, for many people without the time and transportation to get to big box stores, the $2.00 savings on a loaf of bread is hardly worth the hassle. The prices in these corner markets are, according to the article, almost always higher because their cost of doing business has a high overhead cost. Tasks like grocery shopping, laundry, and getting to work become a juggle of both time and money and often leave the poor with a higher bill than m...