Confessions of an Eco-Sinner (Book Review)
Written from the perspective of a British consumer, Fred Pearce endeavours to find out what’s behind some of our most unthought-out-loud questions. As a respected science journalist Pearce’s task in Confessions of an Eco-Sinner: Tracking Down the Sources of my Stuff is to hold us to account for our actions. From Britain to Africa to Siberia and Australia he follows the trail of his own stuff through the hands of manufacturers and sometimes unclear supply chains to find out the conditions and the footprint incumbent in our transactions. What is the deal with the devil we make every time we dig into our perpetual bargain basement?
Who lives and who dies in the globalisation of our economies – where are we empowering and disempowering societies beyond our proximate view?
In some sense this book told me a lot about what I already knew at the base of my soul – my consumerism is a disease. However, Pearce has put together a book which looks at food, clothing, our everyday stuff and then the minerals we make them out of… and finally the glimmers of a solution. This is not solely a book about bagging out globalisation. If anything, its about informing other consumers about the difference between inclusive globalisation where we bring the rest of the world with us and exclusive globalisation where we use the third world as a slave market to perpetuate our lifestyles unsustainably.
While reading the food and clothing chapters I found myself almost paragraph after paragraph saying WOW out aloud and sharing the facts with my friends and family. I honestly had no idea that African bean farmers were supplying British supermarkets so efficiently by mobile phone… some of this was simply amazing work. I don’t want to share the actual stories in this review because I’d like you to read it – if you’re a public library then get hold of several second hand copies for loan.
As an MBA student I did find it interesting that not only don’t people in general feel comfortable knowing where stuff comes from, universities are no different. We’ve got the osterich policy in place, if we don’t see or hear then we’re not complicit. How do we stop the race to the bottom for the cheapest most exploitative products – simple: as consumers we need to start being prepared to pay what things are worth. Consumers need to demand quality, not rubbish. It starts with us.
And resources… once again the statistics were boggling. Resources are running out at an imminent rate. I was surprised how low some important metals are becoming in the planet’s crust to the point where there is serious consideration given to mining street dust.
But most of all I think this particular book is important because it changed several things about the way I operate as a consumer. I’m trying not to demand rubbish for cheaper prices and I’m prepared to pay more for good produce. I’m drinking only FairTrade coffee (although I’m prepared to pay more than what they’re currently charging). I’ve got a greater appreciation for how much rock gets mined and how much water is consumed to provide me with a tshirt or a gold ring. Everything comes from somewhere… and sometimes its surprising exactly where that is.
I’d put this on the must read list with a caveat. Don’t buy this book just looking for the good or the bad answer to your own bias. There are good and bad things going on in the world of your stuff. But do buy it if you’re interested in your own footprint on this planet. It will definately make you think again about the value of your stuff.
