----- Original Message -----
From: Julia Thompson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2001 11:55 AM
Subject: Re: Transferring Wealth Re: W. on the Environment
>
>
> On Sun, 13 May 2001, J. van Baardwijk wrote:
>
> > Example of the right way: several food products here are sold under
> > the "Max Havelaar" label. These products still come from Third World,
> > but are not bought from large factories but directly from the
> > producers (read: local farmers) themselves, and at a higher price
> > than those producers would get otherwise. This makes "Max Havelaar"
> > products a bit more expensive than other brands, but they sell quite
> > well.
>
> I like that sort of thing. I don't know much about getting food products
> this way (except for coffee at certain places), but we have a number of
> *things* in the house that were made by hand by people who were paid more
> directly for their work. (There's a nice set of wooden salad tongs
> knocking around here somewhere, and some magnets on the other side of my
> tall filing cabinet, for starters....) My sister is really big on getting
> some of our Christmas presents this way, and knows where to go in DC to
> purchase such things.
>
That's a nice way to be charitable, and I certainly approve of it. But,
unfortuantely, the market for these is very very small. You are very much
in the minority in buying these items. A few people are helped, and that is
a good thing. But, it does not make an overall dent in the poverty of these
nations.
A real solution must involve the transfer of billions of dollars. I cannot
imgine a voluntary effort doing this. I would love to be surprised on this,
but.....
Dan M.
