Banglafresh
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- Published on Wednesday, 19 June 2013 13:51
- Written by Rob Cote
Unless a CEO is hanging out on the street, the surest way for a consumer to voice displeasure is to speak with their wallet. Recent years have seen a rise in so-called “moral spending,” with products being marketed as “Fair Trade,” “Rainforest Alliance Certified,” and “Organic,” in an attempt to appeal to a conscientious consumer. A number of boycotts have sprung up as well, perhaps most notably the campaign against American restaurant chain Chic-Fil-A, due to monetary donations towards anti-homosexual rights.
With this rise in informed consumption, it should come as no surprise that the outrage against Joe Fresh brand owner Loblaws over the deaths of Bangladeshi workers has led to similar thinking. On April 24, a multi-story factory building in Savar, Bangladesh, collapsed, killing 1,127 factory workers. Joe Fresh, one of the brands that had outsourced its production to Bangladesh, became the target of many consumers who vowed not to spend their money on Joe Fresh clothing until Loblaws committed to improving working and safety conditions in its factories.
In the weeks that followed, petitions on Avaaz.org and Change.org sprang up, urging other clothing retailers to sign the Bangladesh Fire and Safety Accord, which is a legally enforceable agreement that would disallow factories from producing goods in unsafe conditions. This was a specific problem in the Savar incident, as the building was ordered closed by authorities the day before the collapse, though the order was ignored, leading to the collapse of the illegally constructed building.
Chris Hadfield for President!
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- Published on Tuesday, 18 June 2013 12:40
- Written by Shaun Roncken
Space: a place where mundane, everyday tasks stoke curiosity primarily reserved for circus sideshows. In orbit, small chores provoke titanic mysteries that the world’s brightest minds are forced to crack. It is a place so peculiar and so exotic that non-events such as sleep, nail clipping, and the wringing of dishcloths become conversation starters instead of killers.
At first glance, Chris Hadfield looks like a guy your dad plays squash with; a guy who desperately needs a trip to anywhere, let alone space, to muster a dash of conversation. But, as we’ve all learned over the past six months, space is not what makes Chris Hadfield interesting - quite the opposite. Chris Hadfield’s charm, accessibility, and creative approach to spreading the gospel of the scientific heavens have captured the interest of millions and made space interesting all over again.
Porcine Problems in China: What is the Solution?
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- Published on Thursday, 13 June 2013 15:42
- Written by Shaun Roncken
Photo credit: Global Post
For the inhabitants of Shanghai, March 2013 will forever be remembered as the gruesome month when 20,000 pigs washed up along the shores of Huangpu River. A catastrophe rooted in poor government planning, farmers across the country have been without proper disposal options for their pig carcasses for years. Recent studies show that proper disposal is an extremely expensive and work-intensive undertaking, costing farmers roughly 160 yuan ($26), double the amount the government is willing to subsidize. And, as discussed in part 1, this is just the first of China’s complex network of headaches, as 30 - 40% of China’s pig farmers fail to qualify for the 80 yuan ($13) subsidy.
Consequently, it came as no surprise to members of the farming sector, (many of whom had not received a penny for proper disposal practices) when a river of death showed up on Shanghai’s doorstep.Yet March’s events are not without their questions. The most peculiar element of the catastrophe, is the fact that under-subsidization was hardly a new problem for Chinese pig farmers; so the pressing question has become: Why did 20,000 carccasses clog the main artery of Shanghai so suddenly?
China's Bay of Pigs Will Have Long Lasting Consequences
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- Published on Wednesday, 12 June 2013 19:05
- Written by Shaun Roncken
Picture credit: china.org.cn
A stroll down the Bund in Shanghai is a trip through the world’s wildest collection of revivalist architecture. Refined structures of Baroque, Renaissance, Gothic and Neo-Classical stand harmonious along one picturesque strip, complementing each other in a mosaic of early 20th century globalization. To the east, along the banks of the Bund, flows the Huangpu, Shanghai’s largest river, perpetually performing double duty as both tourist attraction and a major source of the city’s drinking water. Hordes of visitors and residents commonly flock to Shanghai’s riverbanks; but recent events, recalling apocalyptic passages from the Old Testament, have caused mass reflection in one of the globe’s most populous cities.
On March 10, 2013, a tide of nearly 2,000 dead pigs washed up along the shores of the Huangpu, a number that gradually swelled to 20,000 as the month came to a close. As the weeks passed and carcasses continued to pile, tens of thousands of swans and ducks were also found drifting lifeless in waterways throughout the country. While such tales of mass extinction may come as a shock to many, this problem has been a gruesome bubble waiting to pop for quite some time.
Read more: China's Bay of Pigs Will Have Long Lasting Consequences
US Approves Bee Death Pesticide as EU Bans It
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- Published on Tuesday, 11 June 2013 19:38
- Written by Natural Society
Corporate politics is business as usual inside the United States, as I am once again shocked to report the EPA has sided with industry lobbyists over public health in approving a highly dangerous pesticide that the European Union recently decided to ban over fears of environmental devastation. Not only have neonicotinoid pesticides been linked repeatedly to mass bee deaths, also known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), but the continued use of such pesticides threatens other aspects of nature (and humans) as well.
What’s even more amazing is that the decision not only comes after the EU publicly discussed the major dangers surrounding the use of the pesticides, but after the USDA released a report surrounding the continued honeybee deaths and the related effects — a report in which they detailed pesticides to be a contributing factor. Just the impact on the honeybees alone, and we now know that these pesticides are killing aquatic life and subsequently the birds that feed upon them, amounts to a potential $200 billion in global damages per year. We’re talking about the devastation of over 100 crops, from apples to avocados and plums. And there’s countless scientists and a large number of environmental science groups speaking out on this.
Making Money While Working on Your Tan
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- Published on Friday, 07 June 2013 19:08
- Written by Elizabeth Benn
When many think of their retirement, they think of the free time they will have to relax, spend time with their spouse, and travel. However, many Americans are now taking this retirement plan one step further and are choosing to retire abroad.
There are many reasons why people choose to move abroad including more affordable rent and living expenses, more temperate climates, and the sense of starting something new. Many also choose to work during retirement either to reinforce financial security, or for the desire alone to continue working. However, it is not always easy or immediate that one can find a job abroad. Many jobs require full citizenship rather than just a VISA, and in order to attain them, the retiree must prove that no one else in the country can do the same job. For example, in Panama, to work as a nurse you must have a Panamanian citizenship.
Starting a business abroad is one route that many take. The businesses that tend to be created abroad tend to range from actual businesses to galleries to restaurants and to bed and breakfasts. Currently, Panama is the top country in which to start a new business, followed by Belize, Ecuador, Columbia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.
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