Fred's Footprint

New Scientist environment correspondent, Fred Pearce, is currently touring the world and investigating his own footprint, but from a global perspective. This week he is in Bangladesh, examining the conditions under which his jeans were produced. "These women work 10-hour days or more, making clothes in one of the sweatshop capitals of the world. I had come to find where the jeans I paid £9 (US$18) for in a British store came from. They came from women like these." 80% of Bangladesh's exports are from the clothing industry, and the women who produce these items earn just under US$1 a day. Pearce has previously traveled to Tanzania to investigate the source of his favorite fair-trade coffee, and to South Africa to see the conditions under which the gold for his wedding ring was mined. It's an important journey, and one that could help people to think about the impact of their purchases. Our disposable culture is not a sustainable one. Cheap goods may be good for the consumer, but are severely detrimental to our planet and to workers in developing countries. We must think about our purchases, and spend our money wisely, because it can influence what industry does. :: New Scientist