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Spring 2000 Webzine

In this issue: Baglady Boarding Pass | Gadget Review | ITLA 2000 | LL Bean TRAVELER | Summer Sneak Peek

The Baglady Boarding Pass

by Lani Teshima

Back in January of this year, I got an email from one of my readers in Australia. Declan wrote:

"A suggestion on some research regarding manufacturers: Some bag manufactures (along with shoe manufacturers) use offshore manufacturing depots with horrific working conditions and worse child labour....A good start to finding out is a quick email to the companies. Those who don't respond to your question usually have something to hide. I know it's a difficult subject to deal with but an important one."

It has always been my policy to not broach political subjects on the Travelite FAQ, and the reasons are multifold:

The Travelite FAQ caters to readers worldwide, with differing views and philosophies
Once we start taking a stance on controversial topics, someone would have to make the subjective decisions of which issues are important
The Travelite FAQ would no longer be a web site just about packing light
There are many other Web sites that do excellent jobs discussing such topics

At the same time, the "take only photos and leave only footprints" philosophy is one of the primary reasons why packing lightly is important for so many of us.

The following was my response to Declan. I share it with you in the hopes that it will get you thinking as well.

"While I realize that people who travel tend to be more open-minded and inquisitive about the people, places and cultures they visit, once I touch on such subjects as the working conditions of overseas laborers, it opens a Pandora's box -- and as I get older, the issues become more and more complicated.

"Would US consumers still buy the same merchandise if it were to cost ten times as much? How many US consumers buy US-made goods exclusively? How many US consumers buy products made and sold by small business? If we criticize a sneaker manufacturer for hiring Korean workers at $10 a day, they will go to Thailand and hire children for $10 a month.

"Do I criticize consumers for shopping at Megalo-Mart because the local mom-and-pop shops suffer? Can I honestly criticize the struggling young couple for trying to purchase cheaper diapers there, so they can save their money for their children's education?

"Do I criticize the US corporations for trying to provide a higher return for their shareholders? Do I criticize the grandmas and grandpas of our country who augment their Social Security pittance with their investments in these large companies? Do I criticize the US government for having a horribly imbalanced set of import/export laws? Do I criticize Bill Clinton for signing NAFTA?

"If most villagers only earn $30 per crop season, is that better than working in dark, dinghy sewing rooms making $2 a day? Should villagers turn to more lucrative occupations, such as growing poppy plants, or selling their 10-year-old daughters off to be prostitutes in the city?

" How many political/environmental/social/economic issues do I raise?

"Do I also make a statement about the use of leathers in luggage, and criticize consumers for encouraging the large corporate cattle industry? Would that force me to recommend oil-derivative synthetic products instead, and thus encourage the petrochemical companies?

"Should I discuss the behavior of corporate giants such as Archer Daniels Midland, Monsanto, Exxon or Union Carbide (with its tragedy in Bhopal, India)? A lot of people might put DuPont in the same category, but as travelers we reap the benefits of DuPont's miraculous synthetic fabrics like CoolMax, Lycra, Supplex, -- and let's not forget our most beloved Cordura!
"Let's not even discuss the fact that airline travel in itself is often for luxury purposes; unnecessary, and expending tremendous amounts of nonrenewable resources.

"If I make one optimistic presumption about the readers of the Travelite FAQ, it is that by desiring to travel lightly, they are intelligent, educated (or in the process of lifelong learning), and able to make up their own minds about what sort of corporate behavior to condone or condemn, and to what degree.

"There are other Web sites that do a far better job at that.

"...and most of them probably don't talk about traveling with a carry-on bag."

[If you are interested in learning more about corporate (ir)responsibility, a good place to start is Corporate Watch, at http://www.corpwatch.org.]

Happy travels.

-- Lani

Spring 2000 Webzine

In this issue: Baglady Boarding Pass | Gadget Review | ITLA 2000 | LL Bean TRAVELER | Summer Sneak Peek

The Baglady Boarding Pass

by Lani Teshima

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