THE ETHICAL marketplace

Photography by Denise Blasor

We've heard it often enough: rampant consumerism
is wrecking the world. Still, there is no getting around it: some
level of consumption, however minimal, is plainly required to
live on planet Earth. Just consider all the different items that
one uses or consumes on a daily basis and while some, arguably,
are not necessities, others are definitely must haves: pots to cook
in, phones to communicate with, clothes to look presentable at
the office and on the street.

Still, the world of consumption is in a state of change. More
and more consumers who at one time might have made
purchases exclusively based on pricing are now likely to factor
in other considerations besides pricing before they buy a product
out of concern for the environment, animal rights, and workers
rights.

This evolving consumer profile, in turn, is encouraging the entry
into the marketplace of new companies eager to provide
alternatives that meet the demands of principled buyers. And it's
not only upstarts but also established companies that are rushing
to add "green" products to their lineup of goods. After all, they
wouldn't want to miss out on yet another opportunity to boost the
bottom line.

The internet is proving a fertile ground for so-called ethical
companies. A good way for buyers to find out about these
companies is through online marketplaces, the equivalent of big
box stores that bring buyers and producers together in a single
place. One such marketplace is Ethical Ocean. This online
shopping website launched on April 22, 2010, caters to shoppers
seeking products that fall under a variety of ethical labels such as
"eco-friendly, organic, fair-trade, animal friendly (vegan), people
friendly (sweatshop free)." In addition to clothing for men, women
and children, the website also offers a variety of products spanning
health, beauty, home, lifestyle and everything else.

The website is attractive and the product selection is not
overwhelming. Among the items that stood out during a recent
visit to the site  were a man's sneaker and a messenger bag. What
made the sneaker distinctive (and other shoes like it but in different
colors and styles) was the material used in its construction, a
recycled polyethylene fabric resembling crinkly paper (Tyvek). The
Unpressed Collection sneaker is manufactured by Unstitched
Utilities, an "eco-friendly" footwear company based in
East-Brunswick.  Retail price: $70.

The second product that caught our attention was a Fusion
Messenger Bag that serves as "a personal source of solar power
to charge mobile devices." It is made by Eclipse Solar Gear, a
company devoted to creating innovative, eco-friendly solar
charging carrying cases and solar charging solutions for mobile
electronics. The bag features a large main cavity, side pockets,
front organizer pockets, accessory pockets and a padded laptop
cavity. The integrated solar charging module provides up to 2.5
Watts of power to charge mobile devices. Retail price: $99.95.

www.ethicalocean.com

Photography by Lorelei Albanese

A person who is looking for something
 doesn't travel very fast. 

E.B.White

⇰ MEATLESS MONDAY

Consider this fact: Some 800 million people face hunger
and malnutrition yet most of the corn and soy grown 
around the world goes toward feeding cattle, pigs and
chickens!

The truth is that meat production consumes vast 
amounts of land, water, fertilizer, oil and other resources.
All of which has a considerable impact on the health of
the earth. Not to mention a person's health. Eating red
meat is linked to heart disease, atherosclerosis, and
other health risks.

Giving up meat might be a tough thing to do but 
consider the virtue of Meatless Monday. Forsaking meat
one day of the week might give your health a boost and
you'd be making a small contribution to a grand 
international movement dedicated to reducing
consumption of red meat worldwide.

And if the thought of replacing meat with something 
else leaves you in somewhat of a quandary, here's an
appealing alternative courtesy of Amy's:  California 
Veggie Burger made with organic vegetables and grains. 
This excellent product, available in Puerto Rico at Selectos
and SuperMax, is easy to prepare and quite tasty. It has
no trans fats, no added MSG, no preservatives, no GMOs. 
Its ingredients are easily identifiable: mushrooms, onions,
bulgur wheat, celery, carrots, oats walnuts, potatoes, garlic, 
all organic. Additionally, it contains filtered water, wheat
gluten, sea salt, expeller pressed high oleic safflower 
and/or sunflower oil. The sodium is a tad high: 500 mg.
Calories: 150. Contains 6 grams of protein and 2 grams 
of sugar. Retails for around $6.

The older you get, the lonelier you become
and the deeper the love that you need.

Leonard Cohen

Copyright ©2013 Lorraine Blasor All Rights Reserved