You may be interested in this report on the connection between major clothing brands and toxic water pollution in China, similar to many stories you've read in "When a Billion Chinese Jump."
http://chinasmog.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/fashion-designers-make-us-pretty-but-get-children-sick-3/
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/publications/reports/Dirty-Laundry/
These stats are interesting: http://chinasmog.wordpress.com/china-pollution-facts/
ReplyDeleteSometimes environmental causes of cancer elude clear identification, but when there's pollution of this magnitude, it's hard not to think it's the cause of everything not-quite-right in a city/town/village.
The role of Global Citizens: "As global citizens, we can collectively influence brands to act responsibly on behalf on the planet and it's people." -pg. 77 of "Dirty Laundry"
ReplyDeleteThey mentioned the responsibility of the government just before this Global Citizen chapter, which I feel can be frustrating. The government plays a crucial role in prohibiting this kind of polluting; however, action seems to come way too late and is often only centered around money… If it is not profitable, it is hard to make it happen.
Good quote about global citizens, Cole! I share your frustrations with the government in addressing environmental problems (and many other problems). Policy change, however, is often the most efficient and effective way to solve a problem (for example, banning plastic bags in grocery stores as we briefly discussed the other day). Although "business rights" too often overpower "human rights" in driving government's decision-making, we have to keep acting collectively (like the Clean Air rally) to have our voices heard, hoping that the government will be pressured to respond.
DeleteA quote from Haruki Murakami (one of my favorite novelists): "We are all human beings, individuals, fragile eggs. We have no hope against the wall: it's too high, too dark, too cold. To fight the wall, we must join our souls together for warmth, strength. We must not let the system control us -- create who we are. It is we who created the system. (Jerusalem Prize acceptance speech, JERUSALEM POST, Feb. 15, 2009)"
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