In a country that makes up the richest 10% of the world (well, 1/3rd of the richest 10%, and I don’t feel like doing math,) and survival being a distant necessity in the back of our minds, we frequently have people with too much time on their hands. Vegetarianism, PETA, anti-GE crop hippies and “green company” advocates plague our news with stories about how we can change our lives for the better, or how we can be healthier, stronger, and happier by following these trivial causes. Hell, some of the things they’re against actually help those who don’t have the luxury of choice when it comes to food (in the case of GE crops.)

So, what are the real causes that need to be rallied behind and fought for? Well, I don’t know - unlimited food, world peace and human rights all seem nice, albeit idealistic goals. Instead, I’m going to point out some causes that don’t have a simple solution, but should at least give perspective to you the next time you consider “protecting the animals” by eating salads while you continue to use the newest cell phone, laptop, and services that make our first-world society so much more comfortable than those other places, like… you know, that place with the dirt, and huts and stuff.

• Coltan - a mineral used in consumer electronics (read: everything you own that lights up) that is mined illegaly and is a real-world, modern version of the movie “Blood Diamond” (though that specific industry exists as well.) Companies need this mineral to build the devices we use, pay anyone who can supply it, and the military forces in the areas naturally rich in this mineral know it. This article also provides some background about the conflict, although it’s slanted against Sony.
• E-Waste - I imagine most of you already know about this one, since its catchy name has gotten it onto most major news networks in the U.S. The breakdown of electronics in countries we often don’t pay attention to is a big industry, providing money (at the expense of health and habitat) to those who break it down, and saving money for companies that export it. Finding an article that would actually point out exact figures was nearly impossible, but you can Google it yourself to get a hazy idea of how much money is potentially involved.
• Chinese Coal Mining - Okay, we can be off the hook for this one, since the industry is question is providing energy almost solely for China itself. However, with “official” reports saying 3,800 lives were lost in a single year (over 10 people a day, and the figures given are conservative,) this industry is nothing to lose a canary at.
• Ship-breaking - This industry is a minimal-tools, hands-on appraoch to scrap metal reclamation. Thousands of workers rip apart everything on oil tankers, cargo ships and other floating monstrosities to be resold to the companies that made the ships in the first place. The people who own the ship-breaking yards have a huge profit margin since workers don’t really get, well, anything. The companies that make the ships get to cut costs, and the only one who loses in this deal is the worker, who trades life and limb for a living.

Since we all know I’m by no means an activist, what was the point of showing you all of this? Well, I’m getting sick of seeing people telling us that removing GE crops and meat from our diets will somehow change the world. Our way of life, including the ever-falling cost of luxuries, is dependant on the suffering and efforts of others. We aren’t going to change the fact that we depend on cell phones, laptops, and cruise ships, so we might want to gain perspective instead and stop acting like we’re going to change the world by swapping out cheesburgers for tofu.