Re: Davos Question - Purchasing Power - Product Labels

[TOILETLOG]

you need some group of people at some stupid conference to label products so you can determine if you should buy or not?

sounds like you need the government to place a sensor in your body to tell you when to think.

how about if we just outlaw mean people and pollution? then, we can track down the pots of gold found at the end of all rainbows and give that to the developing world so we can live happily ever after.

[thebigbalance]

"Step up to the challenge as consumers", since when did people stand up to a challenge anywhere, especially in the first world?

People don't even bother voting you wanker, spend less time fantasizing.

[UBCLTScom]

awesome idea. Are you reading that?

[gizmosells]

Aid is spent by curropt elite to buy mercades, and villas in poor african nations. Aid is useless, knowledge and techincal knowhow is what needed. Transfer of certian technology to poor countries is more useful than throwing money at the problem.

[georgituber]

yea yea

I will "buy" democracy in WalMart. Cmon man!

Beg your masters to make better capitalism trough more consumerism.

You are insane. The whole initiative "beg the world master" is just insane and is just promoting neoliberal capitalism, thus legitimizing misery and violence.

[jamisojo]

Your idea about purchasing power is very strong. I believe the world IS made a better place everyday by our purchasing decisions.

With or without your plan.

Bottom line, we get value constantly from our everyday decisions. I'd argue that spending more money on regulation and bureaucracy provides a product we already receive , and it is sure to be applied inefficiently and unequally.

[ShrinerMcbitey]

Good idea.

[aldawg114]

Although I enjoy debating here, I'm going to take a break from Youtube, I've deff done enough debating tonight and I'm starting to get a headache :P Very good points made here.. and although I have nothing to 'counter' your statement, i'm sure it will come in time :p

[aldawg114]

see, although I like your idea, I don't think it's the 'best' [no offense] and how do you propose that this serves as a 'foundation'?

[stejones]

No offense taken. This serves as a foundation because it provides the types of information that would be required for more dramatic actions like regulations and taxes.

[aldawg114]

Nice idea, but again, another idea I've seen that is [likely] impossible. I just don't see how you can eliminate the concept of people feeling the necesity to purchase the cheapest products; whether or not they meet 'economic standards'

[stejones]

That is partly true but let's at least give people a chance. I try to purchase responsibly whenever I have the chance, even when it costs me more and I know I would make more responsible decisions if given more information.

[aldawg114]

Giving them a chance would maybe prove benficial, but why don't we just implement every idea that sounds [relatively] decent? I'm not putting this idea down by any means, but if you can understand where I'm coming from, people have very good ideas, and we can't take the time to implement them all. I guess what I'm asking is.. What makes YOUR idea better than anyone elses?

[stejones]

There are a lot of great ideas. I think that mine could serve as a foundation for many related changes and that is why I would vote for this idea.

[tonoarq]

I'm terribly sorry, and I definitely do not wish to be rude, but....WHAT?!

(You don't think that we can find solutions to the problems that HUMANS face in this world, yet you're actively advocating animal rights? OMG!)

[lrvl2000]

How do I vote for this response?

[capedchameleon]

Very true! I have thought about this myself.

[letytb]

That´s a really good idea ;)

[OnStage9]

Would you not be concerned that the first listing on the label would be 60% of this purchase is for the cost of creating this label?... hummm.... Everyone is out for profit. We need to eliminate GREED!

[Charbax]

Purchasing power doesn't work. People just buy cheapest stuff made by slaves in the third world.

[Stirner123]

*coughwhiteliberalguiltcough*

[notloz2]

When will we be informed of whats in or how the products we buy/make?

Soo many commercials too little anti commercials.

[djcuning]

Excellent response Steve!

But is the key to this is to regulate at a national level? Or for companies to take advantage of the shift in consumer buying preferences as we are becoming more aware of social and environmental issues?

Using this type of labelling then becomes a selling point and is driven by the companies themselves.

There will always be consumers who buy on price alone, so enforced regulations are required to set a *minimum standard* of social and environmental conduct.

[myzt1c]

good idea... not gonna happen though.

People love cheap products, and the only way for companies to provide that is to cheat and lie a little.

[stejones]

We require companies to put ingredient lists and nutritional information on products and it has been effective in getting some people to make different choices. It won't work for everyone but there are enough people that would change their behaviour for this to make sense.

[myzt1c]

I agree, but big companies always find a way to cheat out of it.

For example, even though the ingredient list is there, they use big words that most consumers don't understand.

[myzt1c]

My school recently switched to "healtier altnernatives" so instead of regular coke, we have coke zero in our vending machines.

Yeah, as if huge amounts of aspartame is any better for us than sugar.

Organic & fair trade foods are expensive, and consumers are led to believe that something is better for us because it is labelled "low fat" or "zero sugar"

Perhaps, the first step is to educate people not on what they should do, but how to do it.

[Chewxy]

Not to mention that 'fair trade' is yet another way for companies to jack up profits.

If Steven's idea is widely implemented, we'll be seeing way more expensive goods for no reason.

[gtavii]

Thats nice to know but still if its cheaper (as a student you have to weigh things against your budget ;) )

[tneshi]

I'm supporting this one. Like it very much.

[LtotheP0859]

Thats a great idea.

We live in a capitalist society we should be able to see where are products come from so we can make informed choices.

Def one of the best answers/ideas so far!

[loawilli]

Thank you for the clear, succinct, intelligent response to the Davos question.

[tulachkon]

Desgraciadamente la mayor parte del mundo vive en condiciones de pobreza, y existen mercados enteros diseñados para aprovecharse de ella. No podemos empezar a tomar este tipo de acciones sin proteger los mercados de menor solvencia económica, no hasta que la situación económica del mundo permita preguntarnos tales cosas, creo que así sería más conveniente para los que menos tienen.

[tulachkon]

Creo que tocas un punto importante, pero hay un gran inconveniente ¿Cómo aplicarías este concepto a poblaciones con un poder de compra menor? Veo esto todos los días y he caído en esta falla; ¿Compro el producto hecho de manera responsable, o compro el producto que es más barato? la respuesta parece obvia pero cuando le es propuesta a alguien con una capacidad de compra tan baja como la de muchos de mis compatriotas... no es tan fácil.

[stejones]

Usted está correcto que la gente que está en situaciones económicas pobres no tendrá el lujo de comprar las mercancías que se hacen de esta manera responsable. Sin embargo, esto proporcionará un método para ciudadanos más ricos a ayuda hacia fuera.

[stejones]

Apesadumbrado si mi español es malo.

[tulachkon]

It's a lot better than my english, that's why i didnt respond in english, thank you for your comprehension.

[smdaltonncsu]

Sounds awesome man I will definitely support your video for Davos

[smdaltonncsu]

Hey, you know there are "Fair Trade" labeled products. Products labeled fair trade are socially, environmentally, humanely, and economically sound made products and grown agriculture. Just 'google' "Fair Trade" if you haven't heard of it

[stejones]

I've heard of fair trade and there are great organizations like FLO working in this area.

However, much more work is required before everything I buy from shoes to cans of soup will come with a label. Real progress will be made when labels are not voluntary and state the good and the bad.