I used to think that I could generally trust that if a product was made in the USA, the worker received at least minimum wage and was protected under US federal labor laws. However, it has unfortunately been pointed out me via one of my classes this semester (aptly named "Social Problems") that this is not actually the case. If you have ten minutes or so, please check out this video. (Watch the Quick time version, as the Real Play one has issues.)
I'm deeply ashamed that any part of the U.S. - territory or mainland, would allow this type of stuff to go on. It's deceiving to consumers who have put their trust in the government and the "Made in the USA" label, and it's deeply deceiving to the foreign nationals who have put their hope in the US as a place that could help provide a better life. I just feel so ashamed of the deceit that happens in the name of my country. And again, with so many of these workers coming from the Philippines, it's even more personal to me, because I imagine some of the people I know there - and this could have been them.
No one takes ownership of these problems and I think that is our issue. The government says they send OSHA inspectors. The retailers say they passed inspection. The consumers say they didn't know. Well, now (if you watched the video), you know. And knowing means responsibility.
No matter how far down the chain the consumer is, we play a part in this stuff if we purchase the products. Sad to say, my all time favorite jeans are found at the GAP. I had done research on them before because they have been accused of child labor and other things in years past, and I sincerely thought they had cleaned up their act in modern times. And indeed, I do believe they have made strides comparative to where they used to be. However, in light of this video, I think I'll have to put any GAP shopping on hold. Poop on you, greedy corporations.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Another Year Passes
I figured it was about time for a "life in general" post.
Following up on a couple things I have already mentioned...
First, the post I wrote about the dog across the street. As the weather got colder and colder, I finally couldn't take it anymore and called animal control. So, animal control came by, called the number on the realtor's sign, got the owner's info, and the owner immediately came to the house and picked up the dog. He told the other neighbor that it is now living at his parent's house. I wondered for days if I did the right thing or not, not wanting to be a "mean person" or a "bad neighbor", and trying to be empathetic that this guy is going through a rough time. But, one day I realized that the owner had more than enough opportunities to correct the situation, between us and another neighbor offering to take the dog, as well as all of us expressing concern about how often the dog is getting food/water. And really, in the end, it all boiled down to human selfishness (the owner's selfishness in not giving up a dog that he clearly could not care for, as well as my own selfishness with being more concerned about "not causing a stir" than doing the right thing), and the only one feeling the consequences of all the selfishness was the little puppy. I really questioned myself after I called. But now that it's all blown over, I think it was the right thing to do. The weather the last couple weeks has been terribly cold, and the shelter gets word of numerous cases where animals are found literally frozen to the ground from being outside in the night during winter. I would have hated myself for months if I woke up one morning and went to check on the puppy, only to find out that he died that way. So, hopefully he is now living in better conditions. At the least, if he is living in an "occupied" house, then someone is checking on him every day, which means he would be getting food and water every day, which is better than what it was.
As for jobs, I took one at a vet clinic. So, I'm doing that, as well as still working with my current bosses. I can honestly see things going either way - really great or really not great. Time will tell.
Otherwise, I think Jesse and I are both very excited about 2009. Lots of unknowns, which means lots of possibilities. With Jesse, there is the possibility of some engineering internships and a potential strike at United, both of which obviously mean job uncertainties....but in a good way I think. He is also planning his first half marathon this summer, followed hopefully by his first full marathon next fall. And for me there is the possibility of grad school or a new job. I guess in about 5 months I will know which direction to head in. I'm excited though. I feel like I've finally figured out what I really want to do in my career, besides just the vague "I want a job that matters to me". And knowing more specifics is somewhat freeing. Otherwise, it's just kind of like drinking from a fire hose. So, there is a lot of potential change coming this year. And there is also the potential that things will stay as they are. Who knows. Again, time will tell.
Anyway, to end...here are my "year in review" lists...
Highs of 2008:
Going back to art!
Leaving art! (How many times is that now?)
Disney World
New sister-in-law
Shelter doggies
Witnessing Barack Obama take the presidency
Getting to take a third class unexpectedly with my all time favorite instructor
Car fully paid off
Political/spiritual conversations with Jesse
Two new pergolas (And was the bathroom this year too? It's all blurry.)
Lows of 2008:
Cleaning up approximately 2.3 tons of Abe schnipe
Horton developing yet more allergies
Paying out the wazoo for the aforementioned schniping and allergy issues
First ever mouse in the house
Poopy economy making our house value plummet
Reasons this year will be good:
Graduation
Maybe fostering doggies (still pondering if Grandpa Abe could handle it)
Disney World! (I'm just sneaking that one in to see if Jesse will play along.)
The vines we planted should grow lots since this will be their second summer
A host of house projects
7 years of marriage
Following up on a couple things I have already mentioned...
First, the post I wrote about the dog across the street. As the weather got colder and colder, I finally couldn't take it anymore and called animal control. So, animal control came by, called the number on the realtor's sign, got the owner's info, and the owner immediately came to the house and picked up the dog. He told the other neighbor that it is now living at his parent's house. I wondered for days if I did the right thing or not, not wanting to be a "mean person" or a "bad neighbor", and trying to be empathetic that this guy is going through a rough time. But, one day I realized that the owner had more than enough opportunities to correct the situation, between us and another neighbor offering to take the dog, as well as all of us expressing concern about how often the dog is getting food/water. And really, in the end, it all boiled down to human selfishness (the owner's selfishness in not giving up a dog that he clearly could not care for, as well as my own selfishness with being more concerned about "not causing a stir" than doing the right thing), and the only one feeling the consequences of all the selfishness was the little puppy. I really questioned myself after I called. But now that it's all blown over, I think it was the right thing to do. The weather the last couple weeks has been terribly cold, and the shelter gets word of numerous cases where animals are found literally frozen to the ground from being outside in the night during winter. I would have hated myself for months if I woke up one morning and went to check on the puppy, only to find out that he died that way. So, hopefully he is now living in better conditions. At the least, if he is living in an "occupied" house, then someone is checking on him every day, which means he would be getting food and water every day, which is better than what it was.
As for jobs, I took one at a vet clinic. So, I'm doing that, as well as still working with my current bosses. I can honestly see things going either way - really great or really not great. Time will tell.
Otherwise, I think Jesse and I are both very excited about 2009. Lots of unknowns, which means lots of possibilities. With Jesse, there is the possibility of some engineering internships and a potential strike at United, both of which obviously mean job uncertainties....but in a good way I think. He is also planning his first half marathon this summer, followed hopefully by his first full marathon next fall. And for me there is the possibility of grad school or a new job. I guess in about 5 months I will know which direction to head in. I'm excited though. I feel like I've finally figured out what I really want to do in my career, besides just the vague "I want a job that matters to me". And knowing more specifics is somewhat freeing. Otherwise, it's just kind of like drinking from a fire hose. So, there is a lot of potential change coming this year. And there is also the potential that things will stay as they are. Who knows. Again, time will tell.
Anyway, to end...here are my "year in review" lists...
Highs of 2008:
Going back to art!
Leaving art! (How many times is that now?)
Disney World
New sister-in-law
Shelter doggies
Witnessing Barack Obama take the presidency
Getting to take a third class unexpectedly with my all time favorite instructor
Car fully paid off
Political/spiritual conversations with Jesse
Two new pergolas (And was the bathroom this year too? It's all blurry.)
Lows of 2008:
Cleaning up approximately 2.3 tons of Abe schnipe
Horton developing yet more allergies
Paying out the wazoo for the aforementioned schniping and allergy issues
First ever mouse in the house
Poopy economy making our house value plummet
Reasons this year will be good:
Graduation
Maybe fostering doggies (still pondering if Grandpa Abe could handle it)
Disney World! (I'm just sneaking that one in to see if Jesse will play along.)
The vines we planted should grow lots since this will be their second summer
A host of house projects
7 years of marriage
How to Prevent SADS
Jesse and I recently went mattress shopping, which we were both very excited about. Our current mattress is in really bad pathetic shape. I was very anti-foam mattress (ones like Tempurpedic or memory foam), but ironically, we ended up buying a foam mattress. Figures. Anyway, we don't have it yet because they were out of stock, but it should be delivered this month sometime.
I'm a total nut when it comes to researching products, so before we went mattress shopping, I had been reading all these mattress reviews except for the ones about foam mattresses, because I just knew there was no way I wanted one of those. So, when we got home, I decided I needed to read all of the reviews about what we just purchased. And of course, I started coming across all of these articles on mattress off-gassing. Recently, the government mandated that all mattresses be sprayed with some chemical to make them totally fire retardant. Well, that chemical is quite toxic. And apparently, the foam mattresses are known for being the worst. So this all led into reading up about the toxins in mattresses and what not. I found some interesting information.
There is debate about whether or not mattress off-gassing is the cause behind SIDS. Some evidence points to yes, while others say no. But, they do know that having a fan on reduces an infant's risk of SIDS by over 70%...and in studies where babies sleep on wrapped mattress (meaning a plastic sheeting cover was applied in which no air could escape from the mattress), there have been zero cases of SIDS. And when you think about it...they say sleeping face down is a no-no, which does kind of make sense if the off-gassing thing is correct, because the baby would basically be directly inhaling the gasses all during the night vs. laying up right with their face away from them, or having a fan on, which would distribute the gasses across the room instead of having them concentrated around the baby's sleeping area. Scientifically, it's unproven, but I think there is enough evidence to warrant looking into this avenue more.
I know I move more into "hippie-nut-job-the-government-is-a-conspiracy" territory every day, but still.... back in the day when they were spraying asbestos on everything, no one thought a thing about it and now today we know they might as well have just implanted cancer cells into everyone. So who knows what things we use today that will in the future be totally prohibited for health reasons. And really, even if the off-gassing isn't the cause of SIDS, surely we could agree that it's not good for any infant to be breathing in toxic fumes.
In light of this new information, and our recent potentially toxic (yet hopefully extremely comfortable) mattress purchase, Jesse and I have decided to make a plan for the prevention of SADS - sudden adult death syndrome. =) Apparently, the "new mattress" smell is actually that toxic fire retardant chemical. So, I think we will leave it in the garage unwrapped for a few days or weeks until the initial smell is gone and it's aired out some. Then, I think we will be purchasing a polyethylene mattress wrap, which would serve two purposes - first, it totally seals off the air in and surrounding the mattress from the air in the room without interfering with the functioning of the foam (which is temperature sensitive and stuff like that) thereby helping me worry less about whether or not we are sleeping on a death bed, and two, it would also protect the mattress. Apparently, sweat really breaks down the foam and is one of the biggest causes of body impression in foam mattresses, so it is highly recommended to use some sort of barrier on the foam mattresses anyway.
So there you have it. I hope we don't regret going with the foam mattress. It was significantly more comfortable in the store than any other mattress we tried, but we also only laid on them for a few minutes. My main worry is that I will get too hot on the foam. Because you kind of sink down into it and stuff, I feel like it would be hotter than other mattresses. And I hate sleeping hot. Yet it felt so comfortable. Hm.
OH! Also, I meant to blog this the other day. I was grocery shopping and had a big craving for salsa. I decided to "splurge" and buy the pre-made stuff (not the canned stuff, the fresh stuff made by the deli that's chilled). I was really looking forward to it. So, I got home, I took a bite, and as I was eating, I thought to myself "This is really sweet. I wonder if they add sugar." So I turned it over and read the ingredients...and what do I find.... CHICKEN FAT (well, as part of chicken bouillon) - What the!?!? In salsa? You would think salsa would pretty much be a guaranteed vegetarian dish, but no. (And also, did you know that many cans of icing are made with beef fat? I always have to check the ingredients now before I buy the premade frostings. Some flavors/brands have it, others don't. But, really, the thought of that while eating a cupcake is vomitous, not just because I'm a vegetarian, but just because.) Anyway, needless to say, I didn't eat anymore salsa and made Jesse take it to work to get rid of it. I am still bitter though. My big grocery store splurge is laden with chicken fat and I am still craving salsa.
So lesson of the week: Check the ingredient list before you buy....in food and in mattresses. =)
I'm a total nut when it comes to researching products, so before we went mattress shopping, I had been reading all these mattress reviews except for the ones about foam mattresses, because I just knew there was no way I wanted one of those. So, when we got home, I decided I needed to read all of the reviews about what we just purchased. And of course, I started coming across all of these articles on mattress off-gassing. Recently, the government mandated that all mattresses be sprayed with some chemical to make them totally fire retardant. Well, that chemical is quite toxic. And apparently, the foam mattresses are known for being the worst. So this all led into reading up about the toxins in mattresses and what not. I found some interesting information.
There is debate about whether or not mattress off-gassing is the cause behind SIDS. Some evidence points to yes, while others say no. But, they do know that having a fan on reduces an infant's risk of SIDS by over 70%...and in studies where babies sleep on wrapped mattress (meaning a plastic sheeting cover was applied in which no air could escape from the mattress), there have been zero cases of SIDS. And when you think about it...they say sleeping face down is a no-no, which does kind of make sense if the off-gassing thing is correct, because the baby would basically be directly inhaling the gasses all during the night vs. laying up right with their face away from them, or having a fan on, which would distribute the gasses across the room instead of having them concentrated around the baby's sleeping area. Scientifically, it's unproven, but I think there is enough evidence to warrant looking into this avenue more.
I know I move more into "hippie-nut-job-the-government-is-a-conspiracy" territory every day, but still.... back in the day when they were spraying asbestos on everything, no one thought a thing about it and now today we know they might as well have just implanted cancer cells into everyone. So who knows what things we use today that will in the future be totally prohibited for health reasons. And really, even if the off-gassing isn't the cause of SIDS, surely we could agree that it's not good for any infant to be breathing in toxic fumes.
In light of this new information, and our recent potentially toxic (yet hopefully extremely comfortable) mattress purchase, Jesse and I have decided to make a plan for the prevention of SADS - sudden adult death syndrome. =) Apparently, the "new mattress" smell is actually that toxic fire retardant chemical. So, I think we will leave it in the garage unwrapped for a few days or weeks until the initial smell is gone and it's aired out some. Then, I think we will be purchasing a polyethylene mattress wrap, which would serve two purposes - first, it totally seals off the air in and surrounding the mattress from the air in the room without interfering with the functioning of the foam (which is temperature sensitive and stuff like that) thereby helping me worry less about whether or not we are sleeping on a death bed, and two, it would also protect the mattress. Apparently, sweat really breaks down the foam and is one of the biggest causes of body impression in foam mattresses, so it is highly recommended to use some sort of barrier on the foam mattresses anyway.
So there you have it. I hope we don't regret going with the foam mattress. It was significantly more comfortable in the store than any other mattress we tried, but we also only laid on them for a few minutes. My main worry is that I will get too hot on the foam. Because you kind of sink down into it and stuff, I feel like it would be hotter than other mattresses. And I hate sleeping hot. Yet it felt so comfortable. Hm.
OH! Also, I meant to blog this the other day. I was grocery shopping and had a big craving for salsa. I decided to "splurge" and buy the pre-made stuff (not the canned stuff, the fresh stuff made by the deli that's chilled). I was really looking forward to it. So, I got home, I took a bite, and as I was eating, I thought to myself "This is really sweet. I wonder if they add sugar." So I turned it over and read the ingredients...and what do I find.... CHICKEN FAT (well, as part of chicken bouillon) - What the!?!? In salsa? You would think salsa would pretty much be a guaranteed vegetarian dish, but no. (And also, did you know that many cans of icing are made with beef fat? I always have to check the ingredients now before I buy the premade frostings. Some flavors/brands have it, others don't. But, really, the thought of that while eating a cupcake is vomitous, not just because I'm a vegetarian, but just because.) Anyway, needless to say, I didn't eat anymore salsa and made Jesse take it to work to get rid of it. I am still bitter though. My big grocery store splurge is laden with chicken fat and I am still craving salsa.
So lesson of the week: Check the ingredient list before you buy....in food and in mattresses. =)
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