Okay, I back at home and the laundry is going, my Grape Nuts have been eaten and I'm getting ready to go into my classroom. I like working in there a little bit each week during the summer. Sometimes, I even practice lessons without kids in the classroom. Keep your dork comments to yourself, I know I am. Had a nice chat with wife and two youngest sons last nights. Spencer and Max travelled at the same times as me and so we shared travel war stories. Maggie has been holding down the fort and I tell you I am a blessed man.
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Alright, let me explain the title of this post. At Lincoln's Cottage there was a travelling display on modern day slavery. I wrote another post on it about the tragic Wichita connection about ten days ago. One of the suggestions in the display was to see how many slaves work for you. There is a organization named Slavery Footprint which does just that. When you go there, it asks you questions and then calculates the number of modern days slaves are used to make the products you use, the food you consume and the businesses you frequent.
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[A note to my smug, granola-eating Birkenstock-wearing liberal friends. Get off the moral superiority platform right now. I don't care about your lifestyle, I care about the young women and men whose lives are being shattered by my casual consumer choices.]
[A note to my smug, red meat-eating, cowboy boot wearing conservative friends. Get off your high horse-literally! I love my country as much you do, but we are doing harm; this issue is at odds with every 'American' ideal we hold dear.]
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Here is my challenge. Go to www.slaveryfootprint.org and take the quiz. Come back to my blog and post the number of slaves you own accoring to it. No names. No guilt. Just the number. I have decided that this is my first step. My stats shows that there are about 250 people who read my blog this month. I am going to post this blog entry on facebook and twitter every day this week in the hopes that my friends (and their friends?) will take the challenge.
Will you do this for me?
My number came up as 63. However, I know that some of that is skewed, since I know that some of the items I chose are made in America - especially my produce and food. I chose "eat all the time" for eggs, but my eggs come from my in-laws that live across the street. All spring and summer and into the fall, I choose fruits and vegetables that are locally sourced (farmers' market, etc.). But I know that my number is definitely not a 0, so there are things I can do.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post - very interesting and I plan to use this with my current events students!
I have 35 slaves working for me. Interesting survey. I need to find a way to weave this info into my classroom.
ReplyDeleteI had 49. Scary. I know the number is a bit off as I try to buy and eat as much local produce, dairy and meat as I can, but the rest is guilty as charged.
ReplyDelete52 slaves. I don't want ANY slaves!
ReplyDeleteI have 46 slaves, apparently, but that doesn't include the illegal immigrants working in California that I'm sure I buy products and services from. Or does it? Also, a bunch of my electronics are 10-20 years old (I don't use them anymore), so I don't know if that is better or worse. How do we find out if someone is using forced labor? And what if definitions of forced labor vary based on opinions rather than the the folks who are actually doing the work? Just curoius. VERY interesting!
ReplyDeleteI have 62 slaves working for me... & I'm fine with that. J/K An intriguing site and activity, but I'm always skeptical of the numbers/stats from groups that have an agenda (i.e. like politicians). You might find a book interesting about the clothing industry & child labor that a local author wrote. It's called "Wher Am I Wearing?" by Kelsey Timmerman. Check it out... plus he's on FB too.
ReplyDeleteFYI Dave... Irun Man is your roommate from last summer's awesome Presidential Academy. I bookmarked the slavery foot print website & definitely want to use it with my classes. Thanks!
DeleteIrun-you mean the guy who ran Gettysburg in 106 degree weather? Hello, sir. Glad you liked the site. Raises some interesting dialogue. dm
Delete60 for me. I had to think about "family" items as to whether that counts for all of us (divide the TV by 4) or not. Regardless though, its very thought provoking.
ReplyDeletePS I posted my score to my FB page too, so hopefully some additional readers of this important info...
ReplyDeleteThanks Carolyn.
DeleteMy number is 42. I understand the shock factor of this exercise but I have an issue with the intro. From the viewpoint of someone who will (Dec!) have multiple degrees in logistics/supply chain, I don't feel it's fair to blame everything on the supply chain. The supply chain is only as good/moral/etc as the people who make it. Don't blame something that has greatly increased productivity and lowered the price of products! Blame the people who turn a blind eye to whats actually going on. (As I sit in my nice air conditioned office on a computer with a cold water bottle sitting next to me and my phone never out of reach... Yes, I realize the hypocrisy of my rant.)
ReplyDeleteI apologize for hijacking the comment. What are you going to do with all the numbers?
Amanda, I understand your point and it is well taken. My goal for the numbers is two pronged. Part of it for me is personal. Where do I fit in the scheme within my peer group...people I know. The other part is to start a conversation. Your supply chain point is fair and I've noticed that a tenth of my slaves come from jewelry. I included Maggie's in with mine and realized it added to me as an individual. The first step for me is understanding and then awareness.
DeleteMy number is 72.... Apparently, I'm pretty self-indulgent. That being said, the largest part of that number comes from the diapers for my baby boy, ironically named Lincoln.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely going to incorporate this in my geography course this year. Thanks.
For me, the largest part comes from electronics but 12 years ago it would have been Pampers, thanks for posting Brian.
Deletehttp://slaveryfootprint.org/my-footprint#results
ReplyDeleteI have 38 working for me.
Thank you for posting!
Delete25- but it's just me and I'm old.
ReplyDeleteIs it age or how often you buy a something 'newer'? Your recent office upgrade probably accounted for your number. I wonder what it would have been last summer?
Delete59 for our household. Mostly due to electronics.
ReplyDeleteFound the same for electronics. Jewlery too, which suprised me.
Delete68 for me with three kids, and I don't have a TV but do have a computer, laptop, ereader, etc. We are gadget people, I admit. I also was honest about the clothing, etc. and fine tuned it. I don't believe most Americans are only at 38, btw, but across the world, probably.
ReplyDeleteI do a unit on modern slavery and was glad to be introduced to this site. Thanks Dave!
Grif, I was wondering about who makes up the 38 average as well. Thanks for posting, glad you can use the link in your classroom.
Delete52 slaves. Probably more, considering that it's just using averages. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteNo sighs! This is making wonder what my next steps should be.
DeleteMy number came up 63 for me personally. My number might need adjusted as I didn't include all of my wife's items-probably higher?
ReplyDeleteMike, I was the same. I added our closet and jewelry together. When I dropped her jewelry I dropped from 74 to 64.
Delete32
ReplyDeleteCurrently living in China, but own a house in the US. Gadgets and toiletries were my biggest areas of exploitation.
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