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Entries Tagged as 'poverty'

Can A Tomato Change the World?

August 14th, 2010 · View Comments · Abundance and Prosperity, Energy & Sustainability, Frugality/Frugal Fun, People Helping People, Shel's Personal Life, poverty

I feel very sorry for those people who’ve never had a REAL fresh tomato. Comparing it to a supermarket tomato is like comparing a perfectly aged French triple-cream gourmet cheese with Velveeta.

And I feel grateful not only to live in a place where we can have a garden, but in a time when consciousness of local organic and fresh foods is high, and where food is helping people know their neighbors and boost their nutrition.

Yes, a tomato can change the world.

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Marketing Honesty: Is Fair Trade Really a Fair Deal?

August 7th, 2010 · View Comments · Abundance and Prosperity, Corporate Social Responsibility, Marketing Techniques and Philosophies, Social and Economic Justice, poverty

Essentially, the term Fair Trade refers to the following business model: companies pay craftsmen and farmers in developing countries an increased wage for goods that are traditionally produced in that region. These goods are produced with an eye to minimal environmental impact. Examples of Fair Trade goods are: bananas, honey, cotton, wine, handcrafts, coffee, sugar, and tea. As of 2008, the annual amount of revenue generated by Fair Trade goods amounted to approximately US$4.08 billion worldwide.

While the popularity of Fair Trade goods is almost certainly a byproduct of good intentions on the part of consumers, is there a downside to the Fair Trade industry?

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A Brilliant Ad for CSR…A Puzzling Call to Action

August 1st, 2010 · View Comments · Advertising, Corporate Social Responsibility, Demographics/Psychographics, Marketing Techniques and Philosophies, People Helping People, Social and Economic Justice, poverty

I got the message that it’s my job to make a difference in the world, no matter what I happen to wear.

Now, I confess—As an entrepreneur motivated more by creating social and environmental change than by making a monetary fortune, I am exactly who this ad is directed at. And I was fascinated. I took the rare step of typing in the link that was displayed on the video to find out more

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Banana Imperialism: A Company Town in Costa Rica

July 14th, 2010 · Comments Off · Business-general, Energy & Sustainability, Social and Economic Justice, poverty

Most of our trip around Costa Rica has involved protected wilderness areas, and we’ve seen what bananas look like in nature; they grow a few here and there amidst the astounding biodiversity of the rainforest. Thousands of trees in orderly rows would not be found in nature.

A nearby organic farmer told us that this kind of monoculture requires enormous amounts of pesticides and herbicides. Not so good for the planet in this country that prides itself on its eco-consciousness.

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A Progressive “Windmill-Tilter” Candidate Reflects on Election Realities: Juan Del Rio

June 10th, 2010 · Comments Off · Democracy, Ethics in Government, Politics, Social and Economic Justice, poverty

A self-styled “Don Quixote,” Juan Del Rio ran for County Board of Supervisors in a conservative district near San Diego. These are his reflections just before the election (he lost, but the Democrats cumulatively got enough votes to force a November vote). Guest blog by Juan Del Rio May 28, 2010 Dear friends and supporters, [...]

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Obama’s Nuclear Plant Pre-Bailout: His Dumbest Move Yet?

February 17th, 2010 · View Comments · Democracy, Energy & Sustainability, poverty

Nuclear power is not necessary. It is not sensible. It opens great risks for small returns that can be much more easily achieved in other ways. It is a gift to the terrorists, a robbery from the taxpayers, a diversion of resources away from better and far more proven technologies that could meet all of our energy needs safely, and a serious threat to the well-being of future generations.

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Negroponte/Quadir: How Laptops and Cell Phones Attack Systemic Poverty in Developing Countries

October 28th, 2009 · View Comments · Abundance and Prosperity, People Helping People, Social and Economic Justice, Web 2.0/Social Media, poverty

Horace Mann, founding President of Antioch College, famously said “Be ashamed to die until you have won one victory for humanity.” Neither Nicholas Negroponte nor Iqbal Quadir will ever have to worry about shaming themselves in front of Horace Mann’s ghost. These two M.I.T. professors have both made substantial contributions in developing countries, bringing life-changing [...]

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Physicians: 45,000 Americans Die Each Year for Lack of Health Insurance

September 19th, 2009 · View Comments · Politics, Social and Economic Justice, Uncategorized, poverty

The Harvard-based researchers found that uninsured, working-age Americans have a 40 percent higher risk of death than their privately insured counterparts, up from a 25 percent excess death rate found in 1993.

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Bushonomics a Disaster for Poor, Middle Class

September 15th, 2009 · View Comments · Politics, poverty

Not only did George W. Bush preside over the largest destruction of wealth in history, he also left the poor and middle class reeling, even before the Wall Street collapse. So says a new Census Bureau report that shows, according to the Atlantic Magazine article about it: While Bush was in office, the median household [...]

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