Ethical Easter

"Hundreds of thousands of children labour in the West Coast of Africa to produce cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate. Specifically, over 40% of the global supply originates in the Ivory Coast, where the US Department of State reports that over 109,000 children work under the worst forms of child labour. Of these 10,000 are victims of human trafficking or enslavement. Children working in cocoa production labour long hours and [...]

iPhone? Ethics in Electronics

Generic mirror selfie with my new iPhone 5c Almost as bad as jean shopping and swimsuit shopping, shopping for a new cell phone can be quite the daunting experience. They’re expensive, they tend to always break (perhaps from dropping them one too many times without a fancy case), they don’t do water well (unless a really fancy case exists around it), and yet they are so necessary to the life [...]

Challenge: Ethical Valentine’s Day

The mystery surrounding who Saint Valentine really was is quite fitting to the often-mysterious image surrounding the idea of love. Most stories peg Saint Valentine as a man who either secretly married Christian couples at a time when Christians were being persecuted and were unable to do so, or, he secretly married couples so the husband wouldn’t have to go off to war. Most of these stories of individuals secretly [...]

Human Trafficking Prevention

Image found on Pinterest I’ve heard January be referred to as Human Trafficking Awareness month. As the beginning of research generally starts, I opened up Google and typed in ‘Human Trafficking Awareness Month.’ Upon skimming through the top few headlines one link in particular caught my eye. Posted by the White House, it was a letter that President Obama wrote announcing January 2014 to be National Slavery and Human Trafficking [...]

Challenge: Ethical Christmas

Putting the words 'Ethical' and 'Christmas' together is quite the statement. From a faith-based perspective, this simple phrase would have one epic meaning! From a live-my-life-without-slavery perspective, it can take on another. I believe the two go hand in hand to create a holiday season that remembers why we celebrate to begin with, and allows that remembrance and celebration to flow into how we purchase the goodies for our festivities. [...]

Challenge: Ethical Halloween

“Trick or Treat?!” Allow me to reminisce and take you on a journey to the ‘middle-of-nowhere’ Manitoba where I grew up…. Halloween Win: dressing up as your cat and your mom making your Halloween costume. Where I grew up was literally the middle of nowhere. Our closest neighbours were miles away and we were the only house down the mile stretch of road that could possibly just be considered our [...]

The Three Super Labels: Natural, Organic and Ethical

Oh, if only… If only Natural, Organic and Ethical came hand in hand. Life would be easier, shopping would become a little simpler, and everyone involved in the entire process of what we are purchasing—from food to foundation— would be treated in a way we could all smile about. Unknowingly doing so, I tend to associate each label with one particular genre of item. When it comes to produce at [...]

Challenge: Clothing with a Conscious

Spring Fever. I have it. I don't know if it is highly contagious, if I caught it from someone-- but I have a firm belief I can almost 100% back up with proof that it is brought on by the weather. This fever will only break once temperatures warm up outside. Symptoms can be treated by sitting by windows so you can be all 'cat-like' and bathe in the sun [...]

Challenge: Ethical Easter

"Hundreds of thousands of children labour in the West Coast of Africa to produce cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate. Specifically, over 40% of the global supply originates in the Ivory Coast, where the US Department of State reports that over 109,000 children work under the worst forms of child labour. Of these 10,000 are victims of human trafficking or enslavement. Children working in cocoa production labour long hours and [...]