Christmas..

Here it comes, run and hide...
Well it's that time again.  The time of year we over consume at every possible opportunity, whether figuratively with the 'need' to buy everything in the shops, or by physically consuming more food than is probably good for us.

I heard an interesting statistic yesterday.  Apologies Jules for the blatant plagiarism:

In the USA alone $450 billion (and that's not a typo - BILLION) is spent on Christmas.  Go on, try to get your head around that number.  That's more than the GDP for Poland.  Its a staggering amount of money, truly staggering.

Also to put it into context, firmly into context, it would take less than 5% of that figure to give clean water to every person on the planet.  It really doesn't make sense does it?  Here are a few facts about water:

• 884 million people in the world do not have access to safe water. This is roughly one in eight of the world’s population.
• 1.8 million children die every year as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation. This amounts to around 5000 deaths a day.
• Projects providing safe water and hygiene education at an average cost of twenty dollars per person, for a generation.
• The simple act of washing hands with soap and clean water can reduce diarrhoeal diseases by over 40%.
• Providing water and hygiene education reduces the number of deaths caused by diarrhoeal diseases by an average of 65%.
• Water-related disease is the second biggest killer of children worldwide, after acute respiratory infections like tuberculosis.
• The weight of water that women in Africa and Asia carry on their heads is commonly 40 pounds, the same as the average airport luggage allowance.
• Water and sanitation infrastructure helps people take the first essential step out of the cycle of poverty and disease.

So why not do something fabulous, and make a real difference.  Spend a little less this year.  In fact lets do some simple maths and make it easier for you and your conscience.  Spend 10% less this year.  That's one less DVD for little Johnny, the slightly smaller bottle of perfume, the turkey that actually feeds you and your loved ones, rather than you, your loved ones and half of Kent!  Buy the Aston Martin rather than the Bently (Ha!).  So now you have 10% more money than you expected.  Put 5% in your pocket, it'll ease the strain of Christmas, and give the other 5% to LWI to provide clean water to those people that really need it.

Makes you think doesn't it.  Here we are in our developed countries, spending ourselves into debt, so why not try and make Christmas less fraught and less driven by blatant consumerism, and do something that will make a real difference.

(RED)
OK.  Now I'm on a roll.  Also when you go buying your 10% less presents this year - why not buy presents that will make a difference.  Make them ethical, make them fairtrade, make them (RED).

(RED) takes a different approach to raising its money.  (RED) works with some of the world's most iconic brands such as Apple, American Express, Converse, Emporio Armani, Gap, Nike and Starbucks, plus many many more.  These companies have created variants of their products that have 50% of the profits from the sale donated to The Global Fund. The Global Fund is the World's leading financier of programs that fight AIDS, TB and malaria.

The products look cool, and you can feel that little buzz of knowing that the present you bought this year will help fight some of the World's most terrible diseases.  So when little Katie wants an iPod for Christmas, make it a (RED) iPod.  I will be.

Fairtrade
Fairtrade is an organisation best described in their own words:

Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers - especially in the South. Fair Trade organizations (backed by consumers) are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade. Fair Trade's strategic intent is:

• deliberately to work with marginalized producers and workers in order to help them move from a position of vulnerability to security and economic self-sufficiency
• to empower producers and workers as stakeholders in their own organizations
• to actively to play a wider role in the global arena to achieve greater equity in international trade.

Fairtrade works mainly with farmers globally, to ensure they get a fair price for their products.  However their produce also works its way into products that we buy, and not just raw foods such as fruit and vegetables.  Look out for the fairtrade symbol on chocolate, coffee, wine, flowers, cotton products such as tee-shirts and also sports balls.  You'll then know that the products you buy, and not exploiting the people that grew them or made them.

Ethical Trading 
Finally this time; ethical trading.  if you run a Google search for ethical trading, then you will be innundated with sites that offer products that have been traded and sourced ethically.  Key amongst these is the Ethical Trading Initiative.  This is an initiative that works with business and charities, to improve the lives of local producers and manufacturers globally.

I am not going to list all the ethical trading companies here, however I will highlight one.  Currently one of the most ubiquitous pieces of footware is the Converse Chuck Taylor hi-top and low-top.  I have a pair myself.  Even Converse, who are one of the biggest supportes of (RED), have an even more Ethical alternative.  The Ethletic company make an ethical Converse Chuck Taylor.

Now I am not saying don't buy Converse - how can I when I have a pair.  However this Christmas if you are buying Converse, why not buy (RED) Converse, or alternatively buy the Ethletic variant of the iconic brand.  The only difference, is that it says 'Ethletic' on the back not 'All Star'.

Now I know not all your shopping can be ethical, but if you have the choice why not make a difference.

Cheers

diggy
(trying not to be the Grinch)