A unique gift...
Need to Know
A true gift is handmade. There is something special about handmade.
It's the result of thinking creatively and using a skill to craft a material and/or ingredient into something wonderful. It's a gift to be able to do this which should be encouraged, respected and nurtured for the benefit of future generations. A handmade gift is unique and the recipient can appreciate the care and attention that has gone into making it. It also helps to support an independent maker that then goes onto support the local economy. It helps us to reconnect the line between producer and buyer and is better for the environment. Artisans often use vintage/recycled/reclaimed materials and natural and/or organic ingredients. Even when they use new, they are less wasteful, mindful of eco-friendly practices and are local so their carbon footprint is low. They make things to last and for keeping, not throwing away. It is also ethical as artisans have a passion for what they do, no one is being exploited. Their creativity makes for a more interesting and bright environment, it is satisfying to the senses, rather than the mundane uniformity of everything being the same under mass manufacture. Most importantly it leads to a fairer distribution of wealth with a little money going to a lot of people rather than a lot of money going to a few people.
Contrast this with the ascendency of the global manufacturing scene and the domination of large supermarkets and multinationals whose only concern is profit. We have been discouraged to be producers and encouraged to become avid consumers where we are urged to purchase 'ever cheaper' goods. How do they get us to buy these bland, unsustainable goods? By telling us what a bargain they are. However, these goods are not 'cheap.' They come with a heavy price. Multinationals externalise their costs, they do not put down the true manufacturing cost in their accounting systems ie one polluted river, one ill worker because they do not pay for that.
Factories of mass production are a major cause of environmental pollution to the air, land and water helping to quicken climate change. They consume huge amounts of energy making the products and then shipping them, often thousands of miles away. The products are often made of plastic or man made materials which contain harmful chemicals. They are made with a short life expectancy or be thrown away after use and yet are difficult to dispose of safely. Big businesses are often accused of using child or slave labour and are more likely to trade fraudulently. They are also great at avoiding tax. Even though they may be big employers they see labour as a necessary cost to be dispensed with at every opportunity. Far more jobs are lost than are created, because jobs go to the cheapest place which usually means abroad with the money going there too, and at the same time dragging wages down everywhere in a race to the bottom.
We've supposedly had decades of 'boom' but what do we have to show for it? Who has it benefited? Yet governments repeatedly support big business while doing nothing for the small business. Isn't this a bit thick, it doesn't make sense? Big businesses often avoid tax, ruin the environment, take jobs abroad, abuse foreign labour, pretend to have ethics, are not transparent, have huge profit margins, make some people obscenely rich and basically profer an extremely unfair and divided society.
We all know what a mess the economy is in. It's too important to leave to politicians to sort out as they're all idiots or out for themselves. Or both. It doesn't matter which main party is in power, they all bow to big business. We need to really think about what we buy. Next time you want to buy something or see a 'bargain' ask yourself: Who made it? Where was it made? What is it made of? Who is going to profit from this purchase?
We can make the world a better place and many people are doing just that. There is reason for optimism! Just don't rely on the people in charge to do it otherwise you'll be waiting a long time. Power is in your hands, use it wisely. Support your local, small, independent producers. It makes sense.
Fiona Marshall
2009
