My Slavery Footprint

by: Avi Smolen

Thu Sep 22, 2011 at 14:21:40 PM EDT

If someone asked me yesterday how much I contributed to global forced labor, I would probably have said only slightly or not at all.  But thanks to an innovative online tool I have found that my “slavery footprint” is much larger.  The interactive survey assesses the extent to which consumers abet forced labor based on how many cars they own, how many rooms are in their house, and what clothes they buy. 

Especially for people who aim to live socially conscious lives, this is a wake-up call.  We need to learn about what we buy and ask the companies who make those products to ensure that they purchase materials from suppliers who protect the rights of workers.  Women and children are disproportionately affected, often forced to work incredibly long hours in unsanitary or unsafe conditions.   I know that I will think twice about what I buy and begin to ask questions that I hope will force companies to monitor their supply chains to prevent forced labor.

To find out your slavery footprint, visit http://www.slaveryfootprint.org/.

For more information about the initiative, click here.