socially conscious consumer?

Did you know that you could be contributing to slave labor depending on where you shop? That's quite an accusation, and it's true! Do you love See's Candies, or Sketchers Shoes? Did you know that those companies have workers that they do not pay, which categorizes them as slave laborers? Did you know that Hanes, the underwear company endorsed by Michael Jordan, does not have a policy against hiring child workers? That in fact they exploit children by having them work in their sweat shops with no pay.

We learned about the industrial revolution in history class, and are all familiar that a hundred years ago there were factories and coal mines where children worked with little to no pay, but what many of us don't know is that this is still a problem today.

So there is no way that you can now use Hershey's chocolate bars with your smores, or have Uncle Ben's rice with your meal. If you do, you are supporting businesses that use slave labor to make profits. Sure, M&M's are your child's favorite chocolate, and shopping at WalMart is so convenient, but supporting those companies is saying that you agree that slave labor is okay. If everyone stopped buying Snickers bars (which are one of my favorite), then Snickers would have to change their corporate policy if they wanted to survive in a socially conscious consumer economy. Not For Sale Campaign is the website where I learned which consumer products support slavery.

When I told my mom that she couldn't get those Sketchers Shape Ups because she would be endorsing slavery, she didn't really know what to think. There are alternatives, but you're right, usually they are more expensive. It does cost more to buy chocolate bars at Trader Joes than at Albertsons, but that 75 cent difference will set a slave free.

Here's an idea. If you daughter plays soccer or your nephew plays baseball, teach them about modern day slavery. With the Free To Play campaign sponsored by Not For Sale, for every goal they score or home-run they hit, donate a monetary amount in their honor. My in-laws do this with Phil's little brothers. For every touchdown or home-run or goal, they are saving up to set a slave free. Phil's little brothers started doing this when they were 8 and 10, and completely understood the concept of modern day slavery and setting someone free. They started telling their other team mates, and soon more parents were learning about modern day slavery and being advocates with their children. It's an awesome cause to rally around as a family, sports team or class room.



I do miss my snickers bars, and my mom still really wants those Sketchers, but we both see the bigger picture here.

If I were a slave, would you set me free?

Here are some of the places I shop:
 FreedomStones for jewelry
The Body Shop for lotion, soap, chap stick
Freewaters for sandals
Krochet Kids International for beanies and t-shirts
TOMS shoes for fun shoes

Not For Sale has a store, too!

*The website www.notforsalecampaign.org is where I gathered the information that I share with you here.They have a grading system that they use to rank companies based on a report that they file after much research. For detailed reports that show why a company is considered to support slavery, please go to their website. If you need help finding it, feel free to email us and we will help you find it!