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Oct 25, 2007

"For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver." --Martin Luther

Finding Gifts That Don't Harm

It's hard to find gifts that don't do great harm, Dara O'Rourke notes. Flowers -- a billion roses, for example, are imported each year from Colombia and Ecuador which takes up a lot of fossil fuels to air freight to the US and leads to low-paid farm workers. Chocolate -- seventy percent of our cocoa comes from West Africa and unfortunately Ivory Coast is rife with child labor. Jewelery -- major controversies have erupted over toxic pollution from cyanide heap leaching in the gold-mining industry and diamonds maybe even worse in its impact. Perfume -- recent research shows that many perfumes have chemicals called phthalates which damage the liver, kidneys, lungs and reproductive system. So where exactly does that leave the consumer? UC Berkeley researcher Dara O'Rourke shares some insights after struggling to find a Valentine's Day gift.