Green Options

Chinese workers making energy-saving fluorescent lightbulbs for Western consumers have been sickened by the hundreds due to mercury poisoning.

While poor factory conditions in China shoulder most of the blame, the news does raise serious questions about just how “green” the mercury-rich fluorescent lightbulbs actually are.

Sweatshops are still an issue in China but with concerned citizens both here and there, things are changing. For example, Eco Fashion World reports:

leading sports brands have responded to repeated pressure on supplier factory conditions from the PlayFair 2008 campaign. Together with trade unions and NGO’s they will explore how to promote trade unionism and collective bargaining as well as improving wages across the sector. Only last year, scandal erupted when four Chinese factories that were producing clothing and gadgets with the Olympic logo, were accused of underpaying and mistreating their workers. The joint effort for which PlayFair has been fighting for over five years is an important step in the right direction.

Campaigns like this that promote awareness are essential educational tools for change.