Two events have occurred recently that have got me thinking about people power.
A few weeks ago, local food company, Spring Gully Foods, announced that it had had to hire an administrator. I knew nothing of the company because I thought all it made were pickled onions and gherkins, neither of which I like. I certainly didn't know it was a local - and I mean local to my state - or that it was a family run business.
After hearing the news I went to their website to see if it made any products I might like; I really wanted to help. Me and everyone else in South Australia, it seems. A couple of days later I "liked" Spring Gully on Facebook so I could follow its story. After visiting its website I knew I would like to try some of its products. Me and everyone else in South Australia, it seems. I went to a bigger, independent supermarket and found that many of the Spring Gully products were sold out. I managed to get hold of a jar of sweet chilli chutney and one of jam. The chutney is really good but I haven't opened the jam yet.
Over the course of the next few days, many of my local Facebook friends were posting updates about Spring Gully foods; which supermarkets had which products and which were sold out. Spring Gully is still in trouble; there was a meeting with the creditors last week. It is in less trouble, however, than it was before and its administrator said that he had never seen such a turn-around before. I've got my fingers crossed for the company and I think the people of this state have its back.
How's that for people power???
So, what about this for a thought? What if the same passion were shown by the public by boycotting the clothing companies that use the kinds of sweatshops like the one in Bangladesh that collapsed? I can tell you right now that the cute $6 t-shirts on sale at Big W at the moment are made in Bangladesh. Maybe even at the same factory. Do you want one of those on your back? Do you want one of those on your conscience?
I use my Ethical Consumer Guide every time I go to the supermarket. Sadly, however, it only gives grocery items. You can bet your bottom dollar that if such a guide exists for other products - particularly clothing - I will find it and use it. I don't want to be complicit in future deaths and my silence and my buying of any of those products is complicity.
It was never my intention to use this blog for anything other than to tell my family's story and share our experiences. I never wanted to try to get anyone else to do what we do. Now, however, I ask each and every one of you to think about the clothes on your back and where they come from. You don't know? That's the problem and that's why companies get away with human rights violations. None of us know and we need to find out. Some of the companies using the Bangladeshi factory have been named and shamed so, please boycott their products.
Fellow blogger, Katy Wolk-Stanley made a similar heartfelt plea, along with other information. I would urge you to read that post to learn more about the situation and what you can do.
Cheers.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
The Media: Director or Reflector of Public Opinion
Like a great number of people in the First World I sat glued to my television screen in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings.
As I sat watching the same footage repeatedly shown, I noticed a worm move under the pictures which read that bombs had detonated in Iraq. I furthered realised that many more people were killed and injured there than in Boston.
It occurred to me that we're used to bombs going off over in the Middle East but when it happens in a First World country we sit up and take notice. At least I hope that's the reason because I would hate to think that we believe that First World lives are worth more than Third World ones simply because of an accident of birth.
I decided that the media was at fault for showing so much footage from Boston and none from Iraq. I immediately knew that the media would counter that argument with the justification that it was just meeting the public demand.
That begs the question: is the media the director or reflector of public opinion? Does it shape the way we think and feel about issues by what it shows or does it show what we want to see?
Either answer makes me feel somewhat hopeless. If the media shape the way we think and feel about things then we are living in the very society George Orwell wrote about in his futuristic novel 1984 and can no longer think for ourselves. Scary stuff.
If, on the other hand, the media really is just showing what we want to see, what kind of a society have we become when we place a higher value on someone's life just because of who they are and where they live?
Footprints is about trying to live as ethically as possible. To sit and blindly accept the images being shown without questioning the fairness of the coverage would go against the way we try to live. To blindly accept what we - as a society - have become or, at least, what the media think we've become would also go against it.
Fortunately, in the same week, I've witnessed a magnificent and heartening example of consumer power at its best. That, however, is for another post.
Cheers.
As I sat watching the same footage repeatedly shown, I noticed a worm move under the pictures which read that bombs had detonated in Iraq. I furthered realised that many more people were killed and injured there than in Boston.
It occurred to me that we're used to bombs going off over in the Middle East but when it happens in a First World country we sit up and take notice. At least I hope that's the reason because I would hate to think that we believe that First World lives are worth more than Third World ones simply because of an accident of birth.
I decided that the media was at fault for showing so much footage from Boston and none from Iraq. I immediately knew that the media would counter that argument with the justification that it was just meeting the public demand.
That begs the question: is the media the director or reflector of public opinion? Does it shape the way we think and feel about issues by what it shows or does it show what we want to see?
Either answer makes me feel somewhat hopeless. If the media shape the way we think and feel about things then we are living in the very society George Orwell wrote about in his futuristic novel 1984 and can no longer think for ourselves. Scary stuff.
If, on the other hand, the media really is just showing what we want to see, what kind of a society have we become when we place a higher value on someone's life just because of who they are and where they live?
Footprints is about trying to live as ethically as possible. To sit and blindly accept the images being shown without questioning the fairness of the coverage would go against the way we try to live. To blindly accept what we - as a society - have become or, at least, what the media think we've become would also go against it.
Fortunately, in the same week, I've witnessed a magnificent and heartening example of consumer power at its best. That, however, is for another post.
Cheers.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
You're Going to Get a Fat Ass
Mother was a tall, thin woman, except for her bootyliciousness. Apart from the lack of booty I'm built like Mother. She used to look at me and say with deadly sweetness in her melodic southern U.S.A. accent, "Wait till you're forty, you're going to get a fat ass."
In nine months and four days I'm going to be out of my forties and, so far, my ass has decreased rather than increased. It's become a pancake and redistributed itself onto saddle-bags and a muffin top instead. I know that, at this point, my friends reading this are guffawing into their coffees, wondering where these saddle-bags and muffin top are.
I'm not saying I'm fat - far from it. It's just that I've reached an age where the body distributes things differently. It's not a problem for me because I know that I exercise and eat very well and Husband still finds me attractive. Consequently, I have no desire to try to fight middle-age.
Recent photos have revealed to me, however, that perhaps it's time to stop wearing tight t-shirts. Sadly, that's pretty much all I had...until today. I drove to a local shopping centre to use their branch of my credit union and walked the short distance to a Salvos shop. Fellow blogger, The Book Addict, commented about "incidental exercise" yesterday on my post. I got some of that and bought three new (to me) tops. They're looser than I've been wearing without the need for a Demis Roussos kaftan.
Later I drove to Marion to run more errands. I parked near the entrance in the underground carpark to be in the shade. After finishing there I did more incidental exercise, walking across the rather large carpark to the library. While I was over there I visited Gallery M where I found a wonderful Bat Mitzvah present for a young friend. Then I walked back to the car feeling self-righteous about how I had done my bit to save the environment and gotten some exercise in the process.
Cheers.
In nine months and four days I'm going to be out of my forties and, so far, my ass has decreased rather than increased. It's become a pancake and redistributed itself onto saddle-bags and a muffin top instead. I know that, at this point, my friends reading this are guffawing into their coffees, wondering where these saddle-bags and muffin top are.
I'm not saying I'm fat - far from it. It's just that I've reached an age where the body distributes things differently. It's not a problem for me because I know that I exercise and eat very well and Husband still finds me attractive. Consequently, I have no desire to try to fight middle-age.
Recent photos have revealed to me, however, that perhaps it's time to stop wearing tight t-shirts. Sadly, that's pretty much all I had...until today. I drove to a local shopping centre to use their branch of my credit union and walked the short distance to a Salvos shop. Fellow blogger, The Book Addict, commented about "incidental exercise" yesterday on my post. I got some of that and bought three new (to me) tops. They're looser than I've been wearing without the need for a Demis Roussos kaftan.
Later I drove to Marion to run more errands. I parked near the entrance in the underground carpark to be in the shade. After finishing there I did more incidental exercise, walking across the rather large carpark to the library. While I was over there I visited Gallery M where I found a wonderful Bat Mitzvah present for a young friend. Then I walked back to the car feeling self-righteous about how I had done my bit to save the environment and gotten some exercise in the process.
Cheers.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Those Sneaky Snacks
I did my weekly shopping, as per usual, at
the end of last week. I feel pretty good about the origin and ownership of most
of the grocery items I purchase. As I’ve written on numerous occasions, for me,
ethicality trumps eco-friendly when they come into conflict. Many of the not so
benevolent multi-national companies have jumped on-board the eco-friendly
product bandwagon while still doing untold harm to the environment and/or their
workers.
There was something that bugged me when I
shopped last week, however. I’ve slowly let more processed foods creep into my
trolley. Because the ones I buy are reasonably healthy and ethical I’ve let it
happen. I don’t really think it’s okay, though. The more I buy that’s processed
the more packaging I’m throwing into the rubbish. Even if the packaging is
recyclable there is fossil fuel energy used in the process.
I don’t even know why I’ve been doing it.
We always have snack appropriate food in the house anyway. It may not involve
instant gratification but is that a bad thing? So what if you have to wash a
piece of fruit before eating it or cut some cheese to put on crackers? Is it
really too much work to make a cheese and tomato toasty? It’s quick and easy to
grab a handful of almonds or walnuts, which we usually have in the house. I
know a good many of them are also packaged but, to me, they’re necessary food
items. I’ve been buying rice snacks and banana chips. Goodness knows, we’ve got
fresh bananas!
In the ideal world where I’m drowning in
free time I’d have far fewer items and do much more cooking. I’d bake my own
bread, crackers, wraps and rolls. I’d do my own pasta and muesli. I’d spend
hours reducing kilos of tomatoes into passatta. For now, however, they’re some
of my staples. That’s enough. No need for processed snacks.
Cheers.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Passover
Today is Day Five of Passover, a Jewish festival which celebrates the exodus from Egypt. While our Christian - and atheist - family and friends are enjoying Hot Cross buns and Easter eggs, we're enduring matzah, an unleavened bread eaten at this time of year.
We eat matzah to remember the slavery, not only of our own people, but that there are still people in the world today who are not free. We don't just focus on the sadness of slavery, however, but the joy of freedom and liberation. During Passover, there are five grains that are forbidden: wheat, rye, spelt, barley and oats. If it's used to make matzah it's okay but that's all. Some people take it further, some less; in our family we simply avoid those grains and all products using them. Apart from matzah, which is wheat based, this puts us on a gluten free diet for a week.
I'm tall and thin and don't eat red meat. I'm constantly hungry at the best of times and really rely on healthy carbs. That being the case I find Passover difficult. But that's a good thing. I want to be reminded that I'm fortunate and free and live a wonderful and blessed life. I want to be reminded that others don't so I don't forget to be grateful and do what I can to help.
It isn't just people who are less fortunate socio-economically that I'm reminded of. Two of my best friends and one of my nieces suffer from coeliac disease. This means they have to be on a gluten free diet all the time. My niece was around two when she was diagnosed so has only known a gluten free diet but my two friends were into middle-age. That's quite an adjustment to make. Each year, at this time, I'm reminded that I'm also fortunate not to have to limit my diet and that - touch wood - my health is only contingent on good nutrition, not a special diet.
Unlike the poorest of the world who struggle to eat and my two friends and niece, when the sun sets on Monday I can return to a gluten filled life. Furthermore, I'm happy not to touch another piece of matzah until next Passover. First stop Tuesday morning is the supermarket to buy up big on all those Hot Cross buns on sale!
Chag Sameach/Happy Easter.
We eat matzah to remember the slavery, not only of our own people, but that there are still people in the world today who are not free. We don't just focus on the sadness of slavery, however, but the joy of freedom and liberation. During Passover, there are five grains that are forbidden: wheat, rye, spelt, barley and oats. If it's used to make matzah it's okay but that's all. Some people take it further, some less; in our family we simply avoid those grains and all products using them. Apart from matzah, which is wheat based, this puts us on a gluten free diet for a week.
I'm tall and thin and don't eat red meat. I'm constantly hungry at the best of times and really rely on healthy carbs. That being the case I find Passover difficult. But that's a good thing. I want to be reminded that I'm fortunate and free and live a wonderful and blessed life. I want to be reminded that others don't so I don't forget to be grateful and do what I can to help.
It isn't just people who are less fortunate socio-economically that I'm reminded of. Two of my best friends and one of my nieces suffer from coeliac disease. This means they have to be on a gluten free diet all the time. My niece was around two when she was diagnosed so has only known a gluten free diet but my two friends were into middle-age. That's quite an adjustment to make. Each year, at this time, I'm reminded that I'm also fortunate not to have to limit my diet and that - touch wood - my health is only contingent on good nutrition, not a special diet.
Unlike the poorest of the world who struggle to eat and my two friends and niece, when the sun sets on Monday I can return to a gluten filled life. Furthermore, I'm happy not to touch another piece of matzah until next Passover. First stop Tuesday morning is the supermarket to buy up big on all those Hot Cross buns on sale!
Chag Sameach/Happy Easter.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Healthy Footprints
I mentioned a while ago that I subscribe to a magazine on a monthly basis which I plan to discontinue when my subscription runs out. The magazine is Good Health because I'm a sucker for all things health related. When our crappy Sunday paper, The Sunday Mail - which we buy for the TV guide - arrives I grab the "Body & Soul" section to read all the articles on health. My passion is nutrition. If I'd only been able to understand Physiology I'd be a Nutritionist now.
When I was reading the articles in "Body & Soul" the other day and rehashed, yet again, what are the right foods to eat and how much one should be exercising on a daily basis, it occurred to me that Footprints goes a long way towards putting us on the right track.
The more highly packaged and processed a food is, the more likely it is to be manufactured by a large multi-national company. In fact, the best way to buy food for Footprints is to buy as locally, as fresh and as unprocessed as possible. It just so happens that buying food that way is helpful in preventing us buying unhealthy foods, as well. Furthermore, we try not to buy foods which are overly packaged. Therefore, we tend to fill our pantry with staple foods instead of processed food. Husband and I visit a naturopath regularly and I don't think it's an accident that, since we've been doing this, our health has shown visible improvement.
Exercise is an area where we tend to let ourselves down. In theory, Footprints is also good for that. In theory, we should be walking and taking public transport much more than we're doing. Husband has been working hard in the veggie patch and getting out there and planting, pruning and weeding. It's a gentle form of exercise but a movement he wasn't getting before. It all adds up.
Chag Sameach and Happy Easter.
When I was reading the articles in "Body & Soul" the other day and rehashed, yet again, what are the right foods to eat and how much one should be exercising on a daily basis, it occurred to me that Footprints goes a long way towards putting us on the right track.
The more highly packaged and processed a food is, the more likely it is to be manufactured by a large multi-national company. In fact, the best way to buy food for Footprints is to buy as locally, as fresh and as unprocessed as possible. It just so happens that buying food that way is helpful in preventing us buying unhealthy foods, as well. Furthermore, we try not to buy foods which are overly packaged. Therefore, we tend to fill our pantry with staple foods instead of processed food. Husband and I visit a naturopath regularly and I don't think it's an accident that, since we've been doing this, our health has shown visible improvement.
Exercise is an area where we tend to let ourselves down. In theory, Footprints is also good for that. In theory, we should be walking and taking public transport much more than we're doing. Husband has been working hard in the veggie patch and getting out there and planting, pruning and weeding. It's a gentle form of exercise but a movement he wasn't getting before. It all adds up.
Chag Sameach and Happy Easter.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Spoilt for Flavour
I went out to lunch with my sister earlier in the week. The company was lovely but the waiting staff great. That's where it ended. The food took forever to come out. That happens sometimes when places are busy. It wasn't. My biggest complaint was the food, however. I ordered a dip platter which came with three dips and some pita bread.
I managed to distinguish tzatziki as being one of the dips. It was really tasty. The other two, however, were insipid and flavourless; I couldn't even tell you what the flavour was supposed to be. I realise that our lifestyle is somewhat to blame for me being so critical. We've had a bumper crop of eggplant this summer and several have made it into really kick-ass babaganoush. That would be hard for anyone to top. I buy dips off the shelf at the supermarket, as well. The only brand of dips that is unethical is Philadelphia; that leaves a lot. Neither of the other dips on my plate even came close to a good Yumi or Gaganis brand dip by any means. Perhaps they should have used one of those from the nearby supermarket!!!
The place we ate was your average run of the mill cafe. I eat at those places quite often; there's usually something for everyone on the menu. I'm not used to fine dining but I am used to good, fresh, tasty food. Most of the cafes I go to get it right. This one didn't. At least, not with the dips. My sister's pasta looked and smelt good.
I'm actually not bothered by this because I like the fact that the produce from our garden is really tasty and that I'm used to eating at places that use fresh, local produce. I like the fact that the food I usually eat is really good so I can ascertain the bad. In short, we've been spoilt.
Cheers.
I managed to distinguish tzatziki as being one of the dips. It was really tasty. The other two, however, were insipid and flavourless; I couldn't even tell you what the flavour was supposed to be. I realise that our lifestyle is somewhat to blame for me being so critical. We've had a bumper crop of eggplant this summer and several have made it into really kick-ass babaganoush. That would be hard for anyone to top. I buy dips off the shelf at the supermarket, as well. The only brand of dips that is unethical is Philadelphia; that leaves a lot. Neither of the other dips on my plate even came close to a good Yumi or Gaganis brand dip by any means. Perhaps they should have used one of those from the nearby supermarket!!!
The place we ate was your average run of the mill cafe. I eat at those places quite often; there's usually something for everyone on the menu. I'm not used to fine dining but I am used to good, fresh, tasty food. Most of the cafes I go to get it right. This one didn't. At least, not with the dips. My sister's pasta looked and smelt good.
I'm actually not bothered by this because I like the fact that the produce from our garden is really tasty and that I'm used to eating at places that use fresh, local produce. I like the fact that the food I usually eat is really good so I can ascertain the bad. In short, we've been spoilt.
Cheers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
