How to Take the First Step to Fight Global Hunger

ReputationProfessor.Com World Hunger By Kim Petit.

It is easy to believe that technology has helped everyone. We live such comfortable lives, after all. We really benefit from an almost remarkable level of abundance and convenience. Even middle and working class people tend to have plenty to eat, good sources of transportation, and a wide variety of recreational activities that are not available in a lot of the world. We work longer hours than we used to, but we still do have plenty of recreation time to unwind.

Once you look at world hunger statistics, however, it becomes clear that all is not so rosy . In much of the world, poverty is a daily reality. Even hunger in America is a problem. This was shocking to me the first time I learned this. I had a teacher who had us study world hunger. He wanted us to be aware not only of our neighborhood, our state, and our country, but of our entire extended world community. Before he showed us an article, he asked what we thought about world hunger statistics. I was confident in my reply. I told him that, except for a few isolated areas, I believed that we had wiped out hunger and poverty in the world. Boy, was I in for a shock when I read the world hunger statistics!

The really scary thing was how easily I slipped back into a state of everything as usual, even after I was alerted to the reality of world hunger statistics. We like to think that we care about our fellow man, but when we look at our actions on the whole, it is quite clear that we don’t. It is so easy to forget about world poverty statistics, to go on living a life of affluence as if nothing is wrong. I am as guilty as anyone.

A few years later, however, I became so frustrated with my own apathy that I knew that the time for action was at hand. I decided to join a group to end world hunger. A friend of mine laughed at my naïve idealism. He also was familiar with the world hunger statistics, and he argued that it would not be as easy as I thought to end poverty. He knew that economic factors were complex, and felt that there was no easy solution.

I realize his arguments are valid, but I think it is even more important to realize that the world hunger statistics demand immediate action by all of us. If everyone was dedicated to ending world hunger, a solution could be found!

ReputationProfessor.Com African Scourge By: Alan Hawkins.
The most probable reason poverty exists, is insufficient work opportunities in combination with a lack of basic education and skills training, or is it?

In Africa, drought is labled as the most common cause of poverty, assisted often by a war here and there, a touch of genocide or the self enrichment of a political dictator and his merry men. Poverty is the scourge of Africa, it knows no boundaries and to quote Mr Jacob Zuma, it knows no colour.

During a recent television report it was stated that five children per day die in South Africa from malnutrition and that the incidence of abandoned babies has increased by one-third, shocking statistics from one of the wealthiest economies in Africa, one can only imagine the true extent of this problem.

Poverty cannot be categorised as another legacy of apartheid and simply swept under the carpet, it is not unique to those countries with a history of racism or other human rights atrocities. Poverty is a human catastrophe and growing, the upward trend of food and power prices, the implications of both global warming and the increase in the price of oil are all factors ensuring this trend remains.

The question is whether poverty is an unavoidable phenomenon or is it an unintentional creation of society. Our leaders talk glibly of job creation, particularly during election speeches, often seen cutting ribbon in front of the cameras at some local self-help project, this is not nearly enough to reverse a trend.

Go back a few years to the cement and brick industries and you will recall hundreds and thousands of workers on building sites throughout the country, loading cement and throwing bricks around manually, this whole workforce has been replaced by automatic palletisation systems. The motor industry and many employment sectors have become more and more automated. I know a farmer who, after being absolutely frustrated by theft and continual difficulties with his labour force, has installed as many automated systems as he is able in order to reduce his reliance on physical labour. On the sports field, a few years ago unskilled and uneducated labour was used as caddies or bag carriers, these employment opportunities have been substantially reduced in most cases and replaced by pull-carts and golf cars with some golf courses banning caddies from their environs completely.

The above mentioned employment sectors were largely forced to reduce employment opportunities as a result of either efficiency or economic factors, in simple terms labour became either too expensive with cheaper and more productive alternatives. It would be dangerous to hazard a guess at the number of jobs lost to the population as a result. When this situation is considered in parallel with the lower cost of production in some of our supplier countries, China and our textile industry as an example, we have mounting evidence to support the probability that poverty is exacerbated by our own actions, including the action of those first to complain about being unemployed.

To the unemployable masses in Africa, the core lack of education and skills development must surely contribute significantly to a poor economic environment and the resultant lack of employment opportunity. Until the standard of educational opportunity is addressed significantly, this situation will compound itself in perpetuity, as appears to be the case.

Is this avoidable, the answer must surely be yes. An immediate short term solution comes with obvious difficulties, the catch-22 position where to fund schools and qualified teachers an economy needs to be in good condition, a difficult state to reach in the midst of problems of poverty. The long term solution must however be addressed urgently by our leader group, politicians, church and traditional leaders. It is their bounden duty, even though only in office for a short while, to publicly commit to immediately addressing this issue with a long term objective. The effect of fraud, poor administrative and financial practice by our leaders in public office, if quantified and re-presented as the number of teacher appointments that this mismanagement could have funded, would be frightening.

Considering the problem from a job creation viewpoint, the labour leaders and organisations need to re-look their relationship with industry, strive to develop an atmosphere of consultancy and cooperation, rather than confrontation and demand. Job creation, even at the risk of lower wages, must remain high on any negotiation agenda; this needs the support of Government in all aspects, including reducing administrative employee related requirements for small business.

Poverty relief through improvements in the education infrastructure is not someone else’s problem, it is ours as responsible persons who supposedly care for the future of Africa, consider this next time you elect the person to represent your ward.

The alleviation of poverty will undoubtedly have immediate social benefits to all South Africans, the improvement of our economy, less financial commitment to hand-outs, a reduction in the crime rate. Our generation, in South Africa and also the wealthier countries, need to take immediate meaningful action to reverse the trend.

ReputationProfessor.Com Effects on Africans By Azeez Olawale-Arish Yusuff.

Unlike the developed Economies, African economy continues to record tremendous growth in their Gross Domestic Products, Foreign Direct Investments, Per Capital Incomes, Foreign Reserves and Surplus Balance of Payment Accounts. Nigerian Economy is a typical example.

Yes, Nigerian Economy has recorded fantastic economic growth and development in the last few years. No doubt, it is a place where investment grows exponentially, huge market for developed, developing and under-developed economies, despite the negative reports about the country in the western media and her World ranking(108 in the world).

According to The Punch Newspaper, May 13, 2008, the Secretary General, International Telecommunications Union, Dr. Hamadoun Toure, in Cairo, Egypt noted that contrary to what many people think about the country, Foreign Direct Investments had the potential to achieve great return in the country, particularly in the Telecommunication, Information Technology fields. He also advised the global investors in attendance of Nigerian Investors Forum at the International Telecommunication Union TELECOM AFRICA, to discountenance negative reports about the country in the western media, stating that most of them were meant to deceive investors from making profit from the fastest growing telecoms market in Africa. He submits,

“If there are security problems in Nigeria, no businessman would go to the country to explore opportunities, companies like Celtel, MTN, Etisalat, would not have ventured into security risk country to do business. Those who spread rumours about security and corruption problems in Nigeria are saying so to stop others from making money in the country. Figures don’t lie. They are the biggest testimonies for how conducive Nigeria’s environment for business and opportunities are. If you want to do business in Africa and record good returns on your investment, I welcome you to come to Nigeria. The political environment in Africa, particularly in Nigeria is tremendous”.

In the same vain, the Head of Research, Africa and the Middle East, International Consilium, Mr. Gordon Smith described Nigeria as the most dynamic market in Africa. He said that Nigeria was still under severe pressure from some countries in Africa to serve as a cushion against the effects of global turbulence. He also noted that some countries like Ghana, Malawi, Mauritius, among others were depending on Nigeria at the moment due to global risk exposure and that the country’s economy, led by the consolidated banks, was far from being affected by the global credit crisis currently rocking the world’s financial giants.

According to him, foreign investors, who will be patient enough to weigh the Nigerian financial system on the credit risk perspective relative to global events, will find the nation’s financial sector more interesting to invest and raise capital from. He posits:

“What is happening currently with the Nigerian financial system is far from being affected in any way by the global credit crisis. At global level currently, the banks are under-capitalised, but Nigerian banks are over-capitalised. And I do not think this is a problem at all. I believe that Nigerian banks are under pressure from other economies within Africa continent that are affected by the credit challenges”, the Punch Newspaper, June 30th, 2008 reported.”

Despite these laudable achievements and developments, it is sad to say that millions of Nigerians are still living in extreme poverty and hunger. It is also worth-noting that the country is presently witnessing series of strikes, high unemployment rate,decayed infrastructures and so on. To substantiate my point, I will quickly submit the Economic Commission on Africa’s Annual report which posit,

“African economies continued to sustain the growth momentum of previous years, recording an overall real GDP growth rate of 5.8 per cent in 2007. Although 30 countries recorded higher economic growth rate in 2007 than in2006….., economic growth recovery in Africa has not yet translated into meaningful social development and has not benefited vulnerable groups”

Instead of designing people-oriented programmes that will generate jobs for their teeming population, translate into other economic benefits and improve the lives of people with their excess foreign reserves, the African government, most especially Nigeria, are busy collecting loans, grants and other forms of credits for misappropriation and embezzlement, all in the names of community-based projects, poverty alleviation and National Economic Empowerment Development Strategies. The truth is that, Nigerian governments have succeeded in aggravating poverty instead of alleviating it. I would like you to challenge me by visiting Nigeria to see how extreme poverty and hunger is comfortably living in almost every home.

In support of my argument, I will like to refer to the Punch Newspaper, March 2,2008, in an article titled “Impact of FDI on lives of Nigerians. Mr. Oscaline Onwuemenyi wrote:

“But all the sustained growth has done little to improve the living condition of most Nigerians. About half of the population is still living on US $1 a day or less and the distribution of wealth remains unequal and exclusive. Experts say the challenges for the administration of President Umar Musa Yar’Adua will be to translate the improvement in the economy into jobs and higher general living standards.”

I must confess at this junction that my intention is not to portray Nigerian government as a total failure, but to represent objectively the real situations every Nigerian is facing. However, it is worth-mentioning that the Nigerian situation is a good example of what is obtainable elsewhere in Africa.

Thus, I will suggest that African government and leaders should diversify the economy by using their excess reserves to develop other sectors, create jobs and establish community-based projects that will have evidenced impact on the lives of the vulnerable groups.

Besides, the government should stop collecting loans and other forms of credits that will endanger the lives of people, generations yet unborn and the economy at large.

Useful information from ReputationProfessor-Com.

It is possible to capture a glimpse into the future when we look into the faces of children. The environment in which children live is nurturing this world’s future generations. Adults today have to ask themselves the question – is our environment shaping children into become caring, productive, and globally aware citizens?

Are the wealthy countries really doing enough for the children worldwide? Are the governments of the poorer countries doing enough for their children? Are there better ways to provide support and assistance, particularly for those children with mental and physical disabilities lacking in social safety nets?

There is a huge need for funding support for children in need in impoverished areas of the world, regardless of class, ethnicity, culture, religion or nationality. There are many definitions of special needs. In the “well off” countries of the Western world such as Canada, the United States, England or Australia, a special needs child might be autistic, have physical limitations, suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome, be a victim of sexual abuse, or face other challenges. In the “global south” (otherwise known as the ‘Third World’), such as many parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America, you can add the horrors of malnutrition, homelessness, sexual slavery and sweat shop laboring to these children’s lives. Many of these children are without parents due to civil wars, HIV/AIDS, or were just abandoned by their parents. Most face threats to their basic human rights and live in squalor and fear.

The destiny of all countries and all people on our planet Earth depend on the support, care, development and safety of children. When we attend to the physical, intellectual, and moral growth of our children, we give them the skills, values, opportunities, and confidence necessary to succeed as adults, earners, parents, citizens, and leaders.

There are many children’s foundations in the world today. Some focus on reducing the misery of poverty and hunger. Others address the gaps in education, health care, and shelter that many children face. All are doing their part to provide help and assistance to needy children. Sadly however, there are always more needy children than there are helping hands. There is every reason to believe that many of the needy children in the poorest countries will not live to reach adulthood. Many of these children have physical disabilities, giving them a zero chance of survival in environments suited only for the survival of the fittest.

In Western countries, we take for granted that our governments will provide adequate health services as well as wheelchair ramps, handrails and accessible public transport. For most Westerners, the ready availability of equipment such as crutches and wheelchairs, low entry buses and taxicabs are taken for granted.

ReputationProfessor.com World Economy Issues By Scott Pearson.

Expectations drive the market. Every stock price is driven by what people expect the company to do. That’s why all the talk about a strong or weak economy has such an impact.
But those aren’t the only expectations moving us. We’ve seen the impact of war and terrorism worries on markets and the impact of SARS concerns on Asian markets.

Markets move on a combination of expectations and reality, and every reality leads us to new expectations. Great earnings? I expect the company will earn more. A sales slump? I expect the company to struggle next year too. The question is: if all decisions are made on expectations (and they are), how can things turn around? If our expectations are so colored by past events, we’ll expect the future to be as grim as the past, and nothing can ever change, can it? Ah, but we have long memories. Ask yourself: what would it take for you to change your outlook? What would it take for all of us to change our outlook? The answer to that last question effectively tells us when the market will turn, because when everyone is upbeat and buying, the market will fly.

Consistently rising earnings will change expectations, but how much positive news is necessary before the turn begins? Will some companies turn before the market? Consider Constellation Brands or Fortune Brands, two of our recommendations that haven’t seen any drops, and in fact are defying estimates of weakness. Should we expect those shares to rise based upon their own positive trends, or will the market turn first?

The answers aren’t simple or uniform. There’s no answer, only conjecture. We can make estimations. In the past, we’ve seen market turnarounds led by small stocks or led by big stocks, led by technology, or led by consumer goods. So, as we near the turn, you’ll likely hear all kinds of suggestions for where the upturn will begin. Preserve your sanity with a little skepticism. I suspect the first to turn will be the ones that have had the best results for a long time. That’s precisely why we’re so aggressive in our recommendations of companies like Fortune and Constellation. If they are successful in maintaining their records, this type of firm will rise sooner than the rest.

It doesn’t matter whether the companies are big or small, techie or traditional. The best companies will start the upward move. Without support from a strengthening economy and a rising market, even these success stories can’t rise far. That’s why expectations of the broader economy are important. That’s where we’ll have to wait and see. Expectations should rise now with the ending war (with stock prices and consumer spending following). Expect some good news for a while. Surprises from companies like McDonald’s will also provide a boost. Surprises shake people out of expectation ruts. When we’ve become too negative (or too positive), a shock can wake us up to the change.

By Frank Ramsey

Article submitted by ReputationProfessor.com.

No matter how rich a person or a country is, there will always be tough times. In these tough times when the economy is in bad shape surviving a bad economy is a must for everybody. This will not only help themselves to adjust to the current situation but this is also one way of contributing to the overall survival. The following strategies no matter how simple they might be can somehow help a person to survive the downscaling economy.

On transportation:

- It is best to carpool more often. Make it a habit between you and a coworker to take turns in carpooling to the office. This is a good way of minimizing both your expenses in gasoline. If there are more than two of you living in your neighborhood much better, the more the merrier.

- Instead of buying new cars, old used ones. In these tough times, new cars are not a necessity. But still, you need a means of transportation. What best way to save up but to buy old cars and save up some money? When you buy used cars, it would costs you a lot cheaper.

- Put together different errands in one trip. Try to get all of the things you need to do in one trip or on your trip home. This lessens the number of trip you need to make and you can avoid from driving back and forth.

- Take up a hobby and ride a bike. If you live close to stores malls or places you usually go to, ride a bike instead of driving you car. It’s god exercise and it’s good for your health.

- Wash your car yourself. This one is a no-brainer, why spend on something you can do yourself. That’s right, you can do this yourself. Imagine the cost savings that you’ll be making. It’s not much on its own but it’s a lot altogether.

On eating:

- Eat like you’re on a diet. Try and eat off your kids plate sometimes, this will make you eat in smaller portions and you would even notice. This one works if you don’t go for seconds.

- Bottled water alternative. Tap water is the ultimate cheap fix. Try comparing an ounce of bottled water and an ounce of tap I’m sure you’ll see the difference.

- Less meat more savings. Imagine not having meat during the working week and having it on weekends instead. It will definitely cost you less than your usual tab.

On personal shopping:

- Generic is good. Brand loyalty is a thing of the past especially if it cost you a lot. More than anything else the generic substitutes allows you to have options.

- Be a bargain hunter. Despite the downscale, people would still always buy personal items for themselves. Getting good items while surviving a bad economy can be done by buying bargain stuff. Don’t just be contented with the low price the stores have, try and look around if there’s anything better.

ReputationProfessor.com in a Rocky Economy By Debra L. Dragon.

With all the talk about a recession (Are we headed for one? Are we already in a recession?), many people are unsure where the safest options are for investing their money. Stock values and retirement accounts are plummeting and whether or not you’re in them for the long haul, you may still want to invest some of your money in investments that are considered “less risky” in an effort to combat the situation of the current economy.

Certificates of Deposit are an option for a reasonably safe investment that also offers the opportunity to earn interest. It’s a bit like loaning money to the bank; and in return – they pay you interest on the money you’ve loaned them. The CD is a note from the lending institution that states you are investing a certain amount of money for a specific time period; and during that time period, the lending institution will pay you a guaranteed interest rate when the CD matures at the end of the designated time period.

You can choose the investment period you prefer, with options ranging from a few months to several years. Usually the longer you invest the higher your interest rate, but the amount of your deposit will also play a role in the interest rate you secure. High yield certificates of deposits are typically offered around 4% interest for deposits of $5,000 or more, but it will vary from one lending institution to another. The varying interest rates are a good example of why it’s important to take some time and compare your options for investing in certificate of deposits. Just as an online bank can offer better rates and terms on checking accounts and money market accounts, they are often likely to have the ability to offer higher rates on their certificate of deposit accounts due to having lower overhead costs for operating expenses.

During times of economic difficulty, a certificate of deposit is a nice option for investing money you can’t afford to lose. The potential of losing your money in the stock market is a much greater risk and you can easily lose your money just as fast as you invest it in stocks. Putting your money into a certificate of deposit, on the other hand, guarantees that the interest rate you are given when you invest is locked in for the life of your certificate of deposit and will not change. You know exactly how much money you’ll have at the end of your investment term.

While safe investments, the downside of a certificate of deposit is that you are committed to investing for the full length of time you arrange when you set up the investment. If interest rates increase after you’ve invested your money, you can’t just pull the money out of your CD and move it to a new investment (at least not without paying early withdrawal penalties on your certificate of deposit!)

In an uncertain economy, and any time you want to invest money in secure, interest earning options, a certificate of deposit is a practical investment. If you have enough money to deposit to qualify for a high yield certificate of deposit, you’ll earn an even more attractive interest rate that does not decrease in value and does not pose any risks of losing your initial investment.

Small Jobs Stimulate from ReputationProfessor.com By Debra Yergen.

A bad economy can provide a great opportunity to put a few “principles” on hold. First Lady Michelle Obama made news — and made a lot of mothers proud — when she announced that her daughters would still be making their own beds in the White House. Children should learn to participate in household chores, and those who don’t often grow up to be terrible spouses who seldom pick up their own socks much less make the bed or vacuum.

All good parents know that children need incremental responsibilities. But in this economy, there are a lot of adults who would welcome some extra hours a week working a side gig to bring in extra cash to keep their own families fed, clothed and taken care of. At the same time, there are a lot of nonprofit organizations in need of volunteers — even the tiniest volunteers willing to sit and talk to a patient, fold towels or stuff envelopes.

What if every family with full-time employment, and $25 or more extra dollars available a week, were to hire a family in need of some extra cash to help with cleaning, yard work, organizing or errands for a couple of months while they found steady employment? Could small jobs like this really stimulate the economy? Well, yes, actually any job that keeps money in motion stimulates the economy. [Be sure to check IRS guidelines. The cutoff for hiring household help is $660 per year before the employer needs to pay employment taxes on the person providing help.] You don’t want to find yourself fined for trying to help someone in need.

If you’re reading this and you need to make some extra money, do you have friends or family who could use your time, help or expertise? With the job landscape changing, many people are returning to trades. Experienced workers 55+ are perfectly suited to offer apprenticeships to younger workers who are looking to develop skills to fall back on.

And of course there’s the matter of discretionary income. The economy has given a one-two punch to service industry workers who rely on tips for a significant portion of their income. Instead of going out to eat twice a week, what if you were to go out only once but double your tip? If your bill for two people is $30.50 and you usually add $4.50 twice a week, what if you only went once but tipped $10? You’d save tremendously and your server would feel very appreciated.

Indeed, there are small things everyone can do every week to make a big difference. If you’re in a position to give a little extra help, you’ll make a real difference to a family in need. If you find yourself needing some extra income, you might be surprised who would be willing to help out right in your inner circle. And the biggest surprise of all — everyone wins. Because small jobs really do stimulate the economy.

The New ReputationProfessor.com EconomyBy Lee Traupel.

We’ve helped a number of clients develop business plans and raise capital from “angel” investors, corporate entities and venture capitalists during the last 6-8 years. It’s always a daunting process that can be full of pitfalls and require a tremendous amount of work – but it can be done! Here is some perspective gleaned from years of experience.

The most important rule for raising capital to consider is: it’s never easy to raise capital when you need to! Meaning, investors are inherently risk aversive, can be very picky (a real understatement!) and they are looking for the best deal with the greatest upside and minimal risk.

Rule number two – don’t raise capital! Self fund your company (called bootstrapping in entrepreneur-speak) by finding customers that will purchase your products and services. This enables you to involve your most important business asset in your business from day one – customers!

Rule number three – use the “FAF” or “VMC” methods. Raise seed (early stage) money from your friends and family and/or if you are really committed, pull some cash from a Visa or MasterCard. These methods can and do work for many entrepreneurs – be aware it can be very painful on the back end if your company does not make it!

Angel investors can add so much to your company – they can bring “intelligent capital” to the business. Not only do they invest capital but will very often take an interest in helping you grow the company by taking a Board of Directors seat and/or temporarily assuming a senior management role.

In my experience finding and recruiting a blue chip management team with advanced degrees and a strong corporate pedigree can sometimes kill a startup as quickly as no cash or revenue – yes, they look great in your business plan and venture capitalists love a “strong team.” But, you need “fly by the seat of their pants” manager/leaders who don’t need to grind five sets of scenarios (analysis paralysis) before they can take action – hire entrepreneurial types who’ve excelled in small companies.

Dealing with venture capitalists can be a significant challenge that is fraught with risk and no upside! Remember, they are highly skilled at the entire process, in most cases they’ve done it hundreds of times before. So, your on their turf when you step into this arena and you better do your homework properly (market size, revenue projections, cost of sales, marketing plan) and/or consult with a consultant, attorney or “angel investor” who has been through the process before to give you guidance.

Round two in dealing with venture capitalists (assuming you are one of the 1% that submitted a business plan and/or were referred to them by another “VC approved” entity) can also be fraught with risk – know how to value your company (equity for capital), look at comparable deals in the marketplace and be prepared to negotiate hard and to give up more now than in the last 2-4 years.

Round three in dealing with venture capitalists or corporate investors. Don’t (never!) be so desperate for capital that you agree to turn over the reins of the company if you don’t meet specific performance milestones based on a first or second round of funding. There are too many variables in the marketplace for you too control and you’re taking too much risk for not enough upside. If this is the only way you can raise money from this venture firm or corporate investor then walk away, in the end you will be better off.

Here are some “cliff notes” on how to write a business plan – there is no set formula other than covering the basics about your company; i.e. technology, market analysis, marketing/business development, competitive analysis, management team and a five year set of (detailed by month from startup to year three) financials. The Executive Summary (first 3-5 pages) is the most important, as it is a summary of the entire plan and most investors read this carefully and scan the rest of the business plan.

Don’t get caught in the trap of endless rewrites based on investor feedback – put your plan through one or two reviews by your BOD members and or seasoned execs that will give you honest feedback. Once the plan has been reviewed and approved then go to market with this iteration and stick to it – investors should be investing in you ultimately, not an artificial business plan that more often than not is out of date by the time you get to market.

True ReputationProfessor.com Economics Guide By Soni Pitts.

What’s the price of your lifestyle? Is your living room furnished in blood, or your wardrobe woven of pain and suffering? How about your body – are you fed with diminishment and despair?

Every piece of merchandise we buy costs a set amount of work, energy and resources. What we pay for it in cash may – or may not – reflect what went into its making. If we buy cheaply, at a discount store where prices are kept artificially low, then the price is paid by others who have to suffer to make up for the portion of the price we refused to pay. If we allow others to negotiate for costs that leave too small of a margin for fair wages or adequate health concerns, then the price is paid by the destablization of the land and the people and the societies that produce it.

But our bargain hunting gets us nowhere. In the end, we pay the full price, with interest – in wars brought about by people pushed too far, by terrorism and riots sparked by those who feel (often rightly) that their people and their land are being drained of life so that the rest of us can buy or drive cheap toys that we don’t even appreciate, by environmental degradation that affects us all perpetrated by those simply too powerful to be stopped or too poor to care as long as they can eat and live. We must all face the inevitable fact that human suffering doesn’t stop at the suffering human in question, but ripples out to all of us.

No matter what the actual price tag says we pay in full measure for what we buy and use, either in cash or in kind. By choosing to buy less and choose more wisely, we allow ourselves the financial breathing space to afford the better, fairer-priced option, and we step away from supplying the negative cycles of economic hardship. Our actions heal rather than harm, support rather than undermine. And in the end, by working together we can give birth to positive, more equitable cycles where everybody benefits fairly and justly and where everyone gets a chance to demand as well as supply.