tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294699315718764344.post550001346488232956..comments2023-12-20T05:36:06.325-05:00Comments on Peanut Butter Macramé: But I still have to buy the fabric!ladykatzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046811640134997947noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294699315718764344.post-62766475622594854022012-01-14T00:26:24.462-05:002012-01-14T00:26:24.462-05:00I am in agreement that it is not going to come dir...I am in agreement that it is not going to come directly from the consumer. We CAN, however, apply pressure. Though, most of my activism these days its directed toward education reform. I only have the energy for so many things so that is where I decided to direct mine.ladykatzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04046811640134997947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294699315718764344.post-51414722138712245602012-01-13T15:50:14.355-05:002012-01-13T15:50:14.355-05:00I think ultimately this is a problem that can'...I think ultimately this is a problem that can't be solved by us as consumers---it will require regulation, mostly in the countries of manufacture. We absolutely can be thoughtful about what we buy, where we buy, who we buy from, and how much we use, and we can do our best to make sure that our own governments aren't contributing to the situation in developing countries.<br /><br />Personally, I have some reservation about the label "organic"---as I understand it it's not well regulated at all, and I'm not convinced that, for example, organic fertilizers produce runoff that's any better for local waterways than manufactured fertilizers. Both contain phosphates, nitrogen, etc. (I'm open to being convinced if the research is there, by the way. I am absolutely an environmentalist. I just want to know that our solutions are actually solutions.)<br /><br />Fabric manufacture is intensive and complex and really is not practical in the home environment except for a fairly limited range of fabrics---specialized spinners and weavers have existed for thousands of years, for very good reason. The solution, rather, is to improve regulation and processes everywhere. (This would also make local production viable again...) The downside, of course, would be increased prices. Personally, I think it would be worth it...<br /><br />After all that, I'm a really lousy activist. I buy second-hand when I can. I try to avoid the main businesses I know to be evil, but that doesn't mean that the ones I'm patronizing instead are actually better. I'm willing to eat locally when it's convenient, but Canada is really not the place for it in the winter...Tanit-Isishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15824217102632813598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294699315718764344.post-67712982946023526182012-01-12T07:05:36.176-05:002012-01-12T07:05:36.176-05:00I know I struggle with this one too...so lately I&...I know I struggle with this one too...so lately I've been trying to only buy 'organic' fabric. The price tag is hefty though and I can only trust that the manufacturers are keeping to their word about their processes. There are labels out there, just as for food, but I don't know how much these things are supervised.<br /><br />However, this still doesn't address the workers' conditions, how they are paid, their environment, etc. There are some equitable labels for food, meaning that the laborers were supposedly correctly paid, but I haven't see this yet for cloth. I hope it comes soon!niddetissushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15675473136978180192noreply@blogger.com