Ethical chocolate update
16 May 2012 2 Comments
in Serving Tags: behaviour, Change the world, Chocolate, christianity, ethics, mission, Protest, western society
I have previously reported on the ethical dilemmas posed by eating chocolate, due to the trafficking and exploitation of children in growing cocoa in West Africa (see My pleasure, their misery? and Easter eggs and slavery), and on the responses to my letters to chocolate manufacturers (see Fair Trade chocolate – report 1).
I have received some more replies, and have researched some more information, all of which is very revealing.
Easter eggs and slavery
15 Mar 2012 3 Comments
in Serving Tags: Change the world, Chocolate, ethics, Protest, western society, what is human?, world
Easter’s coming soon, and if you live in the west as I do, you’ll probably be eating your share of easter eggs. But what if the eggs came from cocoa grown using child labour, that is effectively slave labour?
Urban Neighbours of Hope
11 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Serving Tags: Change the world, christianity, christians, Good news, Hope, western society
I met Jon Owen at the Black Stump music festival. Over three days I listened to his stories and was impressed. I laughed a lot, but had the odd tear as well.
Jon and his wife Lisa live in one of Sydney’s most depressed suburbs as part of a community supported by Urban Neighbours of Hope, and try to bring hope to the many people who need it. I deeply admire them and their work, and I don’t think I could do it. I blogged about his book, Muddy Spirituality.
Here is an article from the Sydney Morning Herald about their life. It’s worth reading. (The photo above was taken from the article.)
Fair Trade chocolate – report 2
22 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
in Serving Tags: behaviour, Change the world, Chocolate, christians, ethics, Protest, western society
Back in November I reported on exploitation in the world cocoa trade in My pleasure, their misery?. At that time I wrote about this to two prominent chocolate manufacturers.
I subsequently reported (Fair Trade chocolate – report 2) that I had received a reply from Cadbury indicating their ongoing support for Fair Trade products. I think they could do more, but it is encouraging that they have come this far.
Now, more than a month after I wrote to Darrell Lea, I still have not received a reply. Of course, Christmas is probably their busiest period, so I may hear from them in January. We shall see.
Anyone want to join in writing to Darrell Lea, and also to Nestle, Lindt or others?
Photo courtesy of World Vision.
Fair Trade chocolate – report 1
09 Dec 2011 2 Comments
in Serving Tags: behaviour, Change the world, Chocolate, ethics, Protest, world
A couple of weeks ago, I outlined some facts about exploitation in the growing of cocoa for chocolate (see My pleasure, their misery?) and at the same time wrote to two prominent chocolate manufacturers expressing my concerns and asking them to make more concerted moves to only source cocoa from growers who were paid a fair wage and were not exploiting children.
I have had one answer back.
A beautiful day?
06 Nov 2011 Leave a Comment
in Serving Tags: Change the world, christianity, ethics, Islam, mission, world
It was a beautiful sunny day in Sydney today. I went for a drive in the country and visited the Berry markets. (For those unfamiliar, these aren’t fruit markets. Berry is a former dairy farming town 2 hours south of Sydney, which has reinvented itself as an art and craft town. Once a month, they hold markets where you can buy fresh vegetables, plants, arts and crafts, food and miscellanea.) We brought back some herbs to grow.
How much to save the world’s poor?
05 Nov 2011 Leave a Comment
in Serving Tags: behaviour, Change the world, christianity, ethics, mission, western society, world
Last post I raised concerns about world poverty in the light of the world’s population reaching 7 billion people. But how big is the need, and how much would it take to bring some relief for those who most desperately need it?
Christians and world poverty
30 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Serving Tags: behaviour, Change the world, christianity, christians, ethics, mission, western society, world
Those of us who are christians in the western world are currently facing one of the biggest ethical challenges we have ever faced. Consider the following population graph – the world’s 7 billionth person is about to be born.
Support
16 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Serving Tags: Change the world, Protest, world
On 8 October actress Marzieh Vafamehr was sentenced to 90 lashes and one year jail in Iran for her part in the Australian film My Tehran for Sale. I’m a little late in posting this, but its not too late to sign an Amnesty petition to the Iran government opposing flogging.
Support persecuted christians
29 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
in Serving Tags: christianity, christians, Islam, persecution, world
Christians face persecution in many countries today, especially North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Iran. According to some estimates, about 100 million christians face persecution, far more than any other religious group.
Right now, two people need our support.
Asia Bibi
Asia is a christian woman, wife and mother of two children. She has been imprisoned in Pakistan for several years because she professed faith in Jesus. Voice of the Martyrs is seeking signatures on a petition in her support. Perhaps you would like to sign, perhaps post a link on your own website or blog. Here is a video outlining her need.
Youcef Nadarkhani
Youcef is an Iranian pastor under imminent threat of execution because he converted to christianity. Voice of the Martyrs and other groups are calling for prayer and representations to be made on his behalf, though the link to find out more doesn’t seem to work.
What do christians have to say about a broken society?
27 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
in Serving Tags: christianity, christians, ethics, western society
Last weekend’s Sydney Morning Herald carried two opinion pieces on greed, ethics and a “broken” western society that presented a disturbing picture.
Climate change and christians
18 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
in Serving Tags: christians, environment, science, world
A month ago I pondered why so many christians appear unwilling to accept the broad consensus of reputable climate scientists that human-induced global warning is a serious threat to the earth.
I have now come across some information that suggests that christians are not doing their homework, but are believing things told to them by people who are presenting misleading information, perhaps for dishonest reasons.
A strong statement? Read on!
My ecological footprint
29 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Serving Tags: environment, western society, world
If you are reading this, you probably live in an English-speaking western country. And it is no secret that we in the west use a greater amount of the world’s resources than do people in less affluent countries. Is it fair?
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