I also shop at the Gap, but one thing is, as far as massive retail chains go, they're actually more socially responsible than most. They have been audited a lot and have actually been shown to have better working conditions than most companies. Unless that article was talking about their store workers, not their factory workers. If they are talking about the retail workers, well, I'd say "welcome to retail baby". I have never actually heard anything about them logging before though. That being said, the email newslette i get from Greenpeace informed me that Apple computers is actually one of the least Green electronics companies, and Dell actually ranks among the better ones. Go figure. You'd think Apple would be more aware. Goes to show you never can tell. BTW, if you want to talk, you should call me more often, because no one ever answers the phone at your house, and I waste long distance minutes every time I call. ; )
I'd like to add, that list seems a little militant if they want us to boycott Lonely Planet for issuing a guide for Burma. They're not propping their corrupt government with one little travel guide; if Lonely Planet didn't do a guide for every corrupt country out there, they wouldn't have published any at all. Besides, Lonely Planet does a lot of good. I'm glad to see you're taking more of an interest in issues like this. I'm sure you know this, but even with these kind of sites that mean to do good, you have to read everything critically and take it with a grain of salt. There's a surprisingly large amount of left-wing propagana out there as well... but I tend to view everything critically. Thanks Dr. Suderman. (my Hist. prof at Mt. Royal)
People should avoid the presumption of final truths and should exercise some critical thinking when encountering articles like this on the internet, tv and even news papers. The link is ok because it provides you the ability to look at other site that gives you more detail about the stories and reasons why these particular companies were selected. I think Lonely Planet does deserve to be there. Lonely Planet claims to be the largest independently owned travel guidebook publisher in the world. They have an annual sale of more than 6 million guidebooks. I think LP did a lot of good before it has entered US markets. New versions of the guides are now diminished. While the maps are now professionally drawn and strong opinions stayed its catered to the middle-class now and is dismissive of certain facts about the country. Information that reader probably should now before supporting a tourist infrastructure that is often using slave labor.
Well, yeah. But you can't really rag on a company that is really doing little harm when you compare it to an Esso, shell, or even Calgary-based Talisman energy, which has an appalling record of supporting autocratic regimes in Africa. The issue with Lonely Planet just seems like whiny leftist nitpicking. It's not like it supports resort-based tourism or anything -- which most mainstream travel guides do. All I'm saying is people really need to pick their battles when it comes to stuff like this. Lonely Planet is not really doing any harm. In fact, they encourage people to be more open-minded to other ways of life, and to get out of the high-priced hotels and whatnot -- which actually supports the little guy, not the "evil big businesses". Actually having read a couple of Lonely Planet guides, I'd say that yeah, they don't go into grisly details about everything, but they don't really have a problem with saying negative things about a country's policies or institutions.
Comments 6
I have never actually heard anything about them logging before though.
That being said, the email newslette i get from Greenpeace informed me that Apple computers is actually one of the least Green electronics companies, and Dell actually ranks among the better ones. Go figure. You'd think Apple would be more aware.
Goes to show you never can tell.
BTW, if you want to talk, you should call me more often, because no one ever answers the phone at your house, and I waste long distance minutes every time I call. ; )
Reply
Reply
Reply
I'm glad to see you're taking more of an interest in issues like this. I'm sure you know this, but even with these kind of sites that mean to do good, you have to read everything critically and take it with a grain of salt. There's a surprisingly large amount of left-wing propagana out there as well... but I tend to view everything critically. Thanks Dr. Suderman. (my Hist. prof at Mt. Royal)
Reply
I think Lonely Planet does deserve to be there. Lonely Planet claims to be the largest independently owned travel guidebook publisher in the world. They have an annual sale of more than 6 million guidebooks. I think LP did a lot of good before it has entered US markets. New versions of the guides are now diminished. While the maps are now professionally drawn and strong opinions stayed its catered to the middle-class now and is dismissive of certain facts about the country. Information that reader probably should now before supporting a tourist infrastructure that is often using slave labor.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment