Fair Trade? WTO? I think I'm missing something...

To those who avidly advocate buying fair trade and local products and the like...
(those who avoid the likes of Wal*Mart and Starbucks at all costs)

Do you boycott the companies that are obviously doing the most harm, or, what? How do you decide what/where to buy? I know of many people who frequent Target because they blame Wal*Mart for everything, but isn't Target basically the same thing? (just wasn't the one that started it?)

I'd love to do all I can to NOT depend on (what amounts to) slave labor, but I don't see where to draw the line, without joining a commune and completely withdrawing from society. (though the idea is appealing but not possible at the moment)

(btw, I hope I picked the best forum for this, if not, sorry...)

 

I try to consume less. If I still need it, I try to get it locally made. If I can't, I try to find an organic/less harmful version at a chain. If I still can't get it, I guess I'm stuck going to Walmart/whatever, but it tends to be last resort.

 

For me its shopping smart.
Buying things where the money stays int he community and not shipped off like walmat does. Also I avoid major companys that do what ever they can to kill off competition any way they can (walmart is king in that field by a long shot.)
Shopping at places that treat their employees well (unlike walmart's making employees work off the clock and other shit they do.)

Many walmart boycotter's shop at target because of how they treat their employees better then walmart does. Also walmart encourages illegal immigration to keep up the flow of virtual slave laborers in to the U.S.

The key is not in not buying but in not buying stupidly. Shop smart.

 

Buy only what you need. It doesn't really matter what you spend on it, if you don't actually need it.

It's like the new light bulbs. How often do you actually turn that one particular light on, how old is the bulb in it. If it hasn't burned out and you don't use it often why throw the old lamp out and replace it? Why not wait for the bulb to burn out. Replacing functional light bulbs is wasteful in my opinion.

 

I try but yeah this is something I'm recently trying to figure out and haven't bought clothes from anywhere since I realized I just can't support something made by workers who probably aren't treated or paid well.
This is a great thread though because I'm in the same place as you. I think buying things locally or from small businesses is a good idea but not always convenient, well its easier for something you want rather than something you need.

 

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Where do you live? is my question, and you need not reply. But in some parts of this country it is hard to find fair trade or even organic for that matter! I recently moved from city life to 20 miles away from the closest city with a pop. of 6600!! What i've learned is to just do without. Always shop Mom and Pap stores and do your research about where your spending your money. The city that I live close to has all about lost ALL of it's Mom and Pap stores because of Wal-Mart!

 

As far as clothes go, buy from thrift shops (second-hand stores)! It doesn't matter what the brand is at that point, or where it was made - the manufacturer isn't getting the profit anymore, the thrift store is - and most thrift stores donate a large amount of their profits to charities.
I see so many excuses for not shopping at thrift stores, and none of them pan out for me. I've gotten great work clothes at thrift stores (and I have to look semi-professional in my job), and almost all my everyday clothes come from thrift shops too (and I'm often complemented on them :O)).

Also, buy less. I know Wal-Mart is cheap, I know money can be tight. But if you buy one really well-made "X" for $50 at a locally owned store (or an online fair trade store), you can avoid buying 5 cheaply made "X's" for $10 each at Wal-Mart - as long as you can handle having only one "X" while others have 5, or 10, or 50. This example doesn't work for food, I know, but it does work for shoes, toys, bags, and whatever other stuff we think we must have lots of. Reviewing what we actually need compared to what we want can go a long way towards being a socially & environmentally responsible consumer.

 

Buying locally is obviously the best way to go if you can. I'm sure it's tough if you're in a rural area, or you're on a tight budget, but if you can find what you need (and what do you really "need" anyway), you're good to go. Think of it this way: the cost of something you buy is more than the price tag, it's the cost of the jobs of the people that made it, or will make it, so best to support the people close to home. Sure it usually costs a little more, but it's an investment in your future. It's good for the karma. I usually think about stuff I "need" for about a month, then realize I don't need it, or I do, but I end up consuming a lot less.

Thrift stores rock if you can find 'em. I've found some of the coolest clothes at the Salvation Army.

One way around the issue with being rural is ordering on line. There are plenty of conscientious on line vendors out there, and yeah, you might need to shell out an extra five bucks for shipping, but it sure beats driving to Wal Mart...

 

Starbucks actually uses fair trade coffee... look at the package

 

That's good to hear. I understand Wal Mart is actually starting to become somewhat socially conscious if you can imagine, selling organic foods, better treatment of their employees, etc. Of course, it's mostly because they've gotten such a bad reputation with the general public they were forced to change their ways, or face a threat to their bottom line.

I still try to avoid doing business with any large corporate chains when I can help it. The Starbucks we have in town is nowhere near as good as the locally owned coffee shop it displaced.