Consumer News and Links for Jan. 27th. (Mid-Day Edition)
From the Bono-fied Charity department:
Bono, of hob-nobbing with world leaders and Angelina Jolie fame (oh yes, he also has a band with a couple of friends named after a spyplane and German submarine), has been using his superstar status to urge several large corporations to participate in an ethical shopping program where a fraction of the proceeds from certain lines of products will be donated to charity to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and other world ills. Bono has hooked up with the likes of American Express and Nike's Converse to create Product Red. There will also be an opportunity for those interested to get a credit card where 1% of the purchases made will be donated as well. Bono has been receiving much criticism for hooking up with large corporations like Nike, but I like to think he is on the right track. The problem is, how much are these companies committed to sustainable industry and fair employment for the people in the countries where they set up factories? It's always good to cut your profits and trick everyday consumers into doing good, but if the company itself is not helping at its base level of operations, isn't all of this just chasing windmills? (Belfast Telegraph)
From the Trade Fair Trade? department:
Alex Frey over at the University of Maryland's Diamondback challenges our acceptance of fair-trade do-goodery by breaking the reaches of the process down into basic easy-to-read economics. He had me going until he made this comment:
"These farmers could switch to a different occupation or crop, one where they will not be dependent on the continuing charity of others to survive."
Funny. I feel that same way about the automobile industry's reliance on combustion engines and petroleum. Hey, I know! Why don't coffee farmers and auto mechanics get together, create and market automobiles that run on coffee beans, give every child a kitten and a puppy and live happily ever after? (Diamondback Online)
From the Cute And Worthless department:
Some young hipster from the UK developed a cute little carrying case for your iPod that is made to look like a hoodie sweatshirt. While this is cute, I can't believe so many people are buying this crap! You can't even use your iPod's buttons while it is in the protective carrying case. I already have to pull my iPod out of my pocket when I want to change songs. I'll be damned if I'm going to fumble with its hoodie like it is some drunken indie rock girl too! (Review & Observer)
From the Reminders department:
Woot.com still has some of those 8.1 megapixel cameras left. I can't believe they haven't sold out! Don't sleep! (Woot.com)
Bono, of hob-nobbing with world leaders and Angelina Jolie fame (oh yes, he also has a band with a couple of friends named after a spyplane and German submarine), has been using his superstar status to urge several large corporations to participate in an ethical shopping program where a fraction of the proceeds from certain lines of products will be donated to charity to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and other world ills. Bono has hooked up with the likes of American Express and Nike's Converse to create Product Red. There will also be an opportunity for those interested to get a credit card where 1% of the purchases made will be donated as well. Bono has been receiving much criticism for hooking up with large corporations like Nike, but I like to think he is on the right track. The problem is, how much are these companies committed to sustainable industry and fair employment for the people in the countries where they set up factories? It's always good to cut your profits and trick everyday consumers into doing good, but if the company itself is not helping at its base level of operations, isn't all of this just chasing windmills? (Belfast Telegraph)
From the Trade Fair Trade? department:
Alex Frey over at the University of Maryland's Diamondback challenges our acceptance of fair-trade do-goodery by breaking the reaches of the process down into basic easy-to-read economics. He had me going until he made this comment:
"These farmers could switch to a different occupation or crop, one where they will not be dependent on the continuing charity of others to survive."
Funny. I feel that same way about the automobile industry's reliance on combustion engines and petroleum. Hey, I know! Why don't coffee farmers and auto mechanics get together, create and market automobiles that run on coffee beans, give every child a kitten and a puppy and live happily ever after? (Diamondback Online)
From the Cute And Worthless department:
Some young hipster from the UK developed a cute little carrying case for your iPod that is made to look like a hoodie sweatshirt. While this is cute, I can't believe so many people are buying this crap! You can't even use your iPod's buttons while it is in the protective carrying case. I already have to pull my iPod out of my pocket when I want to change songs. I'll be damned if I'm going to fumble with its hoodie like it is some drunken indie rock girl too! (Review & Observer)
From the Reminders department:
Woot.com still has some of those 8.1 megapixel cameras left. I can't believe they haven't sold out! Don't sleep! (Woot.com)
posted by Kevin | permalink |
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