Choose freedom - Consume Less

Freedom from the rat race for bigger, better, faster, more. Freedom from big corporations telling you and determining for you what you should have, what you should wear, how you should look, feel, walk, talk, and interact with others. How: By consuming less, by adopting modesty and simplicity, prioritizing relationships over possessions, genuinely caring for humanity, changing standards of 'success', 'fulfillment', and 'beauty', and bringing spirituality in life. They can be truly liberating and expose one to things and experiences that are 'real' and substantially much more 'meaningful'. The concern here is more than just becoming better environment-n-social-justice conscious consumers. It's consumerism itself: to not be dependent on consuming things to find fulfillment in life. In the clip, I especially liked how sight, sound, and smell are contrasted to project the difference between the 'real' and 'artificial'.

On TV: TV can have both good and bad uses. The technology is not in question here. The concern would be the content (what is shown on it?). The concern is also how we regard material possessions (have they become the most fundamental preoccupation in our lives? does having them make any difference in how we measure our 'success' and 'self-worth'?). The concern is also excessive indulgence: I don't think it's very constructive if for someone TV becomes the only or primary form of entertainment or pass-time, and the person ignores (or never discovers) the 'real' experience and joy of being close to nature, in good people's company, helping people in need, etc.

[Credits: Courtesy docminho on youtube. Production team: Bijoy George, Caro Liu, Dago Schelin, Daniel Yanik, Jan Pieniak, Maria Helena Toscano, Rogério Nishizawa, Simon Schulz. Supervised by Professor Cristoph Althaus.]

The truth about how your sportswear is made

Here is a visual depiction along with excerpts from The Independent report:



Alternative link

Blood, sweat and tears: the truth about how your sportswear is made
By Martin Hickman
Factories used by biggest brands abuse staff, employ children and pay pitiful wages - while stars earn a fortune

"Inspections by Nike, Puma and Adidas, identified 281 rogue factories, whose failings ranged from the unsatisfactory to the abysmal."

"A decade after some shoppers boycotted Nike over the issue, the leading players in the £134bn-a-year global sportswear industry seek to protect their reputations against allegations they profit from sweated labour by inspecting factories and blacklisting the worst. However their own reports show they have had only partial success in cleaning up the industry, and that they continue to outsource production to countries where trade unions are banned or restricted."

"Of 479 factories checked last year, on average 168 failed to meet Nike's standards, meaning they had "serious system failures" or a "general disregard" for codes of conduct. One in five failed to provide contracts, honour collective bargaining, occasionally used children or worked staff seven days a week without a break."

"Of 362 factories that supply Puma, one in five – 75 – failed audits two years ago. About half of those flouted rules on hours and pay, and most endangered workers' health. Three-quarters failed to follow rules on the handling of chemicals. Puma says it is committed to trade union-rights, but it outsources to China and Vietnam, which restrict those rights. In its Team Talk report, Puma admitted: "Considering these limitations, the social standard on freedom of association and collective bargaining is admittedly difficult to enforce at many of our supplier factories."

"Adidas, which was praised by the campaign group Playfair in 2008 for introducing complaints processes and for ending short-term contracts, gives little information about life inside its factories. Last year it ranked 60 per cent of 1,200 suppliers in the bottom three "compliance" ratings, but since it declines to explain the criteria, it is unclear how many failed audits. Last year the German firm warned 38 suppliers that they were so bad they could lose contracts."

"Conditions may be worse than publicly stated because factories falsify wage and time records to pass audits. Puma acknowledged "many factories" covered up excessive working hours with two sets of time records – one genuine and one for inspections. The firm said: "It is common knowledge in our industry that software programs have been developed specifically for this purpose, with workers being coached on how to answer questions." "

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint - English

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7zwrzEyzkA

These steps only 'reduce' carbon footprint; they don't relieve us of our responsibility - that is, if we are complacent in other aspects or if we are apathetic to the exploitation of environment and people by big corporations and by people in our very neighborhoods. The steps in this video can only be a starting point.

On a different note, on the use of tap water, obviously the suggestion in the clip applies only to some countries - mostly in the west. But over in those countries too, it is recommended to use effective filters: Pharmaceuticals - like antibiotics, mood stabilizers, and sex hormones - have been found in drinking water supplies in America. See here http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/pharmawater_site/day1_01.html

The last point about factory farming of cattle and greenhouse effect in the clip relates to the issue of excessive meat consumption. The more the demand for meat, the more grain would be fed to cattle, instead of humans. It takes about 7 gm of grain to produce 1 gm of meat protein. About 40% of world grain is fed to animals, whereas you have more than 1 billion people in the world who, as per UN estimates, sleep undernourished or hungry each day.

On top of that, there is environmental degradation (with excessive emission of 'methane') that the clip refers to.

According to one analysis food 'production' process is more environmentally costly than food 'transportation', and if average Americans replace only 1/7 of their meat consumption with vegetables, it can minimize environmental cost equivalent to that which can be obtained through maximum localization (eating local). See more about that study at: http://www.ethicurean.com/2008/06/23/food-miles-vs-food-choices/

Some people want to make it an argument about "food miles vs. food choices". I think we can incorporate all of these good ideas into our lifestyle - as we encourage eating local and organic (wherever it's realistically possible), we should also encourage cutting down on meat consumption.

Nikola Tesla - The Forgotten Wizard of Science - English

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoiC9EtELGg

Nikola Tesla's scientific discoveries are a reminder that there are alternative ways of imagining and doing science. They also highlight the fact that the current fossil fuel based economy is not a result of some natural (and inevitable) development in the history of science and technology but was guided in this particular direction by materialistic greed.

Some suggest that because of Tesla's eccentric behavior and views it became easy for the likes of Thomas Edison and J. P. Morgan to defame him and sweep him under the carpet. Tesla's works remain classified and are perhaps still used in classified scientific and military projects.

Would you buy a diamond if ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsfwEj6yqSA

More regulations on the diamond trade - specifically, to purchase only certified diamonds - would only reinforce the monopoly of De Beers and its likes.

Human beings are exploited on both ends of the diamond trade. From the poor miners in Africa to those people who are made to believe that their love could only proven by diamond. They probably do not know how much blood is on that diamond. And some, despite knowing, have simply become indifferent and cold (and therefore, in-human).

We need to re-think if we need diamonds at all to feel happy about ourselves or express our love toward others?

A related question to consider is that Are diamonds really that rare? Is diamond scarcity real or man-made?

Even if somehow we manage to address the problem of "scarcity" by dismembering the diamond cartels and etc., would that solve the problem? If today we address diamond scarcity somehow, tomorrow the hearts-with-illness will desire for some other “precious” metal or material. Instead of De Beers, you will have some other unscrupulous, profit-hungry business doing similar exploitation.

People should definitely engage in political activism, pressuring politicians and companies through protests and boycotts. But just that doing that won’t be enough. What is needed is a deep cultural shift in how people think and desire and somehow re-orient the focus away from the rat race for bigger, better, faster, and more, that you see in almost all segments of society around the world - those in the middle and upper classes that can afford such luxuries and those among the working and poor classes who can't afford but their hearts long for these luxuries, and if tomorrow they become rich, they would probably join the rat race with similar enthusiasm.

Change has to start from within ourselves, from transforming our hearts, from changing our standards of beauty and value. More than just sympathy we need to get angry at our complacency and at the exploitation of people and environment and turn our passivity into concrete action.

The sorry state of local and packaged milk in Pakistan - Urdu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSfyRc-9lw4

This is from the program, Hasb-e-Haal, run by Dunya TV. The host is known for coming up with researched content. So the argument should be taken seriously even if we don't accept it at face value.

I had some idea previously, but this is terrifying. I don't have high hopes from the big companies. From what I have been told most don't own dairy farms; that is, their production is largely dependent on these gawalas. Perhaps the international companies taught some of these techniques to the gawalas. Even if not all gawalas use these techniques to the fullest extent, I have been told that most, at least, do use emulsifier-s, to preserve milk for longer period (in the absence of cooling facility) and thicken its texture. I have been told that these practices are also applied to milk (khula dood) supplied to local shops. What is fed to these animals and the conditions under which they live is another terrifying story.

It's time people took "halal organic" seriously, which was, more or less, already part of established farming practices in Pakistan - though, obviously, not with that name - before the arrival of big companies and the so-called "green revolution". We need to scale down and make food production part of farming methods that are more humane, local, diverse, seasonal, and sustainable. We need to re-connect to our food sources to better appreciate the value of what we eat and associated environmental and human cost-s. We need more awareness of what we already had and what we could improve but that we are losing due to short-sighted greed and corporate gains.

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From the above clip:

The formula for artificial preparation of milk:

1 kilo milk
1 kilo cooking oil
10 kilo water
1 kilo dry milk

CMC powder (a stabilizing agent) - to increase density

"LR" (?) content found in natural milk - is made up for by adding urea, salt, and detergent.

Liquid hydrogen to preserve overnight.

If milk gets bad (phat ja'ey) then they add Caustic Soda.

Oxytocin and other booster injections to animals given for easy milking and increasing productivity.

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From Daily Times: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\12\10\story_10-12-2009_pg7_12

Mixing of harmful substances in packed milk confirmed

"Petitioner Dr Muhammad Yaqoob Bhatti, central executive member of the Watan Party Pakistan, had challenged the alarming situation caused by adulterated milk being supplied in market. The petitioner relied upon a report published in a newspaper on Feb 4, 2009, which stated that dairy farms and milk supplying companies had been adding various chemicals and unhygienic material in milk.

The percentage of impurities includes urea, or melamine as protein booster (30 percent), substandard cooking oil (70 percent), powdered water chestnut (40 percent), unhygienic water (50 percent), formalin, a chemical used by doctors to preserve human body (35 percent), penicillin for enhancing the thickness and fragrance of milk (47 percent), hair removing powder (29 percent), zoonotic pathogens (27 percent) and other adulterants including soda bicarbonate, to improve the taste."

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From: http://www.defence.pk/forums/current-events-social-issues/52817-packaged-milk-being-sold-tainted-melamine.html

"PSQCA says that it allows 5 mg melamine in one kg milk for adults’ consumption and 1mg in one kg milk for children. The Chinese milk controversy involved < 0.2 mg/kg per day consumption causing renal problems in infants.

Melamine Tolerable Daily Intake across the world are as follows

EU : 0.5 milligrams per kg of body mass per day
Canada : 0.35 mg per kg of body mass per day
US : Originally 0.63 mg but now 0.063 mg per kg of body mass per day
WHO : 0.2 mg per kg of body mass per day
China : 2.5 mg per kg in products with more than 15% milk content

So, the FDA says that we should not be consuming more than 0.063 mg of melamine per kg of body mass per day. That means a 20 kg child shouldn't be consuming more than 1.26 mg of melamine per day, and that is the tolerable limit. If these guys have been found exceeding these already relaxed limits set by the PSQCA, I wonder what the kids have been consuming."

"As for the petitioner, an internet search reveals that Dr Muhammad Yaqoob Bhatti is on the HEC Control Panel as well and is an Associate Professor of Livestock Management at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad."