[sdiy] Ethical electronics (was Re: SMD experiences)

[Tom Wiltshire]

On 14 Sep 2011, at 21:45, David G Dixon wrote:

>> No, but we're all responsible consumers (right?) so we want 
>> to make sure that our money isn't funding stuff that we don't 
>> approve of, like unsafe working practices for the 
>> under-fives, or regimes with hideous human rights records, 
>> or,...etc etc etc.
>> 
>> Whether China is good or bad, and whether trading with China 
>> makes it better or worse is your judgement call. But I would 
>> ask you to think about it rather than merely choosing based 
>> on lowest price. A lot of shit is justified by "economic arguments".
> 
> Have you read the labels inside your clothes, lately?  If you really applied
> this principle in earnest, you'd probably have to go naked!  :)

I wasn't trying to promote any *particular* principle. I specifically said that's your judgement.
The point is just that everyone has their own principles, and they need to think about it to make sure that their money says the same thing their mouth does! Given the complexity of our globalised world, I don't think this is at all easy.

Incidentally, virtually all of my clothes come from a local charity shop (thrift store in US English) so any money I pay for them goes to charity, not the original manufacturer. Out here in the sticks, people think you're fashionable if you've got wellies in some colour other than black, so there isn't much need for new stuff.

On 14 Sep 2011, at 21:07, bbob wrote:

> I agree abt responsibility; I'm particularly concerned personally about the situation in Tibet, and environmental issues.
> 
> but in practice, I think you'd have a very hard time doing DIY electronics these days w/out some Chinese buy.  a friend of mine looked for a drill press that wasn't made in China for over a year, finally wound up w/ a 40yr old craftsman from a garage sale.

I'm not surprised at all, and I completely agree about doing DIY electronics being nearly impossible without buying something from China. Bet your friend likes their old drill press though!

I've heard people make a very convincing argument that trade with China is a positive thing, since (they argue) it has brought greater wealth to what was a very poor country and that wealth and the middle class it has created increases the internal pressure (within China) for change and greater freedoms. Whether you go along with such arguments is (again) your call, but I don't think it's as simple as "Don't buy from China, man!", even if you *could* avoid it completely. There's a case to be made both ways.

> but realistically, i think "buy locally" needs to be a goal, not an absolute


See above!
I completely agree that 'goals' rather than 'absolutes' are where we're heading.

Regards,
Tom