Just come across this interesting article from Schnews about sweatshops for the electronics industry. Although fair trade is getting some recognition in the realms of food and coffee, we often don't consider the workforce that's powering the information/communications revolution. (I say this as I write on my girlfriend's Dad's new apple mac)
I appreciate that relinquishing all IT would be quite a silly move, but if you do want to get ethical Schnews has some good advice...
Direct Inaction. Do nothing. Don’t upgrade, if it ‘aint broke don’t fix it and if it is - get it repaired. Windows XP will be updated for several years, and as we said in SchNEWS 560, free ‘Open Source’ software - headed by the operating system of Linux, Open Office, Firefox and others - offers free, direct equivalents for the software Microsoft’s monopoly rides on.
For myself, I'm using my girlfriends old ipod instead of buying myself one (this comes after years of cassette players and one old mini disc) and I've only ever bought one PC 4 years ago. I run Firefox, although have yet to wean myself off Windows and MS office.
I wonder how long it will be before/if we ever we see fairtrade labels on all products?
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