On the occasion of 'Buy Nothing Day', November 28th, Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust held a street activity in Valletta as part of the I SHOP FAIR project.
Through this activity KKĠ raised awareness about the degrading conditions textile and garment producers work in. Activists encouraged the public to give cards to shop owners asking them to ensure that textile and garment workers of their products have their labour rights respected. The cards distributed to the public emphasized the following labour rights:
- right to a fair wage
- right to join a trade union
- right to health care and safe working environment
- right for workers to be secure and not discriminated against
KKĠ took the opportunity to remind the public to 'really think about what they are consuming' and the social inequalities that exist between consumers in the North and those in the South.
"We live in a throwaway society where we buy things and then discard them without a thought, items such as plastic bottles, cardboard coffee cups, food packaging and plenty of clothes to name a few. 25% of the world's population consumes 80% of the world's material resources and owns over 80% of it wealth" said Mahira Sheik, who was the main organizer for this event.
For Koperattiva Kummerċ shopping responsibly means following these steps:
Ask yourself: "Do I need it?" We often buy things we don't need. 80% of consumable products end up in the bin within 6 months.
Remember: Every choice makes a difference. You may be only one of 6.7 billion people on the Earth, but your decisions count. Your money is your vote.
Go for the best buy: You won't find the right product all of the time. Choose as best you can, based on your values and availability.
Make new habits: Once you learn about a product, put your decision into action every time. Give feedback to the shop or manufacturer - let them know what you want. Buy more organic food and fair trade products and while doing so you are recognizing the fact that people are being respected and the environment is not being exploited.
More Pictures Here
