Adventures in Ethical Consumerism

Saturday, December 04, 2004

Rough Guide to a Better World

This is the best example of a PPP (Public/Private Partnership) I've ever come across. Rough Guides, in conjunction with the Government's Department for International Development, have produced the Rough Guide to a Better World.

This book is free and you should be able to get one at your local Post Office. If you live outside the UK, you can send an email to Enquiry@dfid.gov.uk and ask nicely. Alternatively, download the (rather large) PDF here.

I haven't read the whole book yet, but it looks like a pretty decent effort. It covers many topics including: what is development?, speaking out on behalf of poor people, making trade ethical and ethical tourism. There are lots of useful references, and tips on how to go about making a difference.

Rough Guides have also recently produced the book Rough Guide to Ethical Shopping. If you're thinking of buying one of these (or anything else) from Amazon, maybe you could do it via Kids International Net Donations, which ensures a percentage of every purchase gets donated to the charity of your choice. Or why not order one from your local, independent bookstore?

On the subject of books, there's also the Good Shopping Guide, which is an excellent source of ethical info and has just published a new edition.

2 Comments:

  • I've bought the Good Shoping Guide after recently starting to buy the New Consumer (although this mag tends to encourage 'conspicious consumption as long as it's ethical' stance rather, a bit like Body Shop).
    I was given this book recently which you might find interesting: http://www.thinkpublishing.co.uk/gomadframe.html, which as well as suggesting green/ethical alternative, it also questions if you actually need it anyway, also has hundereds of usefull weblinks (a bloggers dream)

    By Blogger Rhys Wynne, at 12:01 PM  

  • I just hope that enough of our Post Office's have been let in on the loop. My local branch hadn't even heard of it when I tried last week...

    By Blogger Starbuck, at 11:59 AM  

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