Wow, beautiful poetry. The article, and recently a documentary on the garment tr...

Wow, beautiful poetry. The article, and recently a documentary on the garment trade in Bangledesh [1] had me thinking about ethical consumption. Ever since watching "The Story of Stuff" [2] I've wanted a way to easily understand the ethical implications of purchases. I'd like to scan a bar code and get a 1-to-5 rating of how ethical and fair the product life cycle is - something like that. I'd be willing to pay more, and do with less, if it meant knowing that my purchases contributed to a healthy work-life balance, living wage, and... well, hope, basically, for the various people involved in the production chain. The Fair Trade label on my coffee doesn't go very far to quell the inner conviction that stories like this increasingly raise. I don't really care for a gold iGadget, or whatever, but I'd love one that's built with empathy. I don't buy the argument that fair-trade is a luxury for the upper middle class. I think it would benefit everyone and contribute to a more participatory economy. [3]