Here’s a cool site I came across recently. Located at 3609 Butler Street in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Equita (Italian for fairness)
is a design-conscious shop showcasing the finest in green, sweatshop-free and Fair Trade essentials for the body and home.
They are virtually a one-stop green source offering ethical fashion and footwear; green home decor; sustainable furniture; fair trade & eco handbags and jewelry; organic & fair trade body care; ethical baby clothing; fair trade sport and wellness gear; and specialty gourmet treats.
I’m finding the site as alluring as their brick & mortar shop must be. I could stay on it forever. It’s chock full of interesting information about the products, how and where they are produced, and reads almost like a love novel. They offer a number of items made in the USA and are supporting many Fair Trade cooperatives around the world.
Prices run the gamut. The Soap Pebbles (Gift Assortment), pictured above, are produced by the Arghand Cooperative in Afghanistan, and goes for $16.00. This cooperative, which includes men and women, was founded in 2005 by former NPR reporter Sarah Chayes, and is committed to providing women with dignified employment remunerated at a fair level, as well as an equal share in the decision-making process. More importantly, supporting their efforts offers a viable alternative to opium production. You owe it to yourself to pop over to Equita just to enjoy the titillating sensory description of the ingedients: cold pressed wild pistachio, pomegranate, wild almond, steeped licorice root, the essence of the “Kandahar Rose”… Trust me, you just have to check it out.
The Cyrilla Arm Chair by PURE, left, goes for $2,100 with embroidery, $1,860 without, and is designed
…to reduce your carbon footprint and improve indoor quality… The company produces high quality contemporary furniture pieces using sustainable materials that will not off-gas or leach chemicals into the air.
Out of my league, but it is to die for, isn’t it? And who knew about the off-gases from furniture?
I hate to continually quote from another site, but Equita expresses the essence of ethical living in such a succinct, yet all-encompassing manner, that I can’t help but present it here in its entirety:
Ethical living invites us to look behind the tall, wide curtain of consumer culture to clearly view the factory floors, forests, farm fields and people that lie on the other side. It is conscious, informed, open-eyed living that takes into account the impact of our choices on the environment and human rights; a continuing call to action that demands we acknowledge our connection to nature and participate in the movement for social change.
More than a fleeting trend, it is an accessible way of living that recognizes the urgency of global environmental and social problems and supports real, sustainable alternatives. Ethical living allows us to break out of our role as passive consumers, and harness the tremendous power that our choices, purchases and daily habits wield us. We can accomplish this by consuming consciously and by choosing Fair Trade, organic and green options wherever possible.
Above and beyond promoting a more conscious and aware form of consumerism, ethical living asks that we dig deeper, that we live compassionately, work to affect change and become active members of our communities by taking concrete action – recycling, supporting local enterprises, reducing energy consumption, alleviating social injustice and encouraging companies to be more accountable for their actions remain critical ways that everyone can participate equally.
In short, an increasing number of people find themselves asking a larger philosophical question that begs to be answered: though many of us have more wealth, possessions, technological advancements, status and choices than ever, are we moving in the right direction as a people? Are we promoters of justice? Do we smartly allocate our limited resources? Are we considerate of others? Are we living ethically? Rather than a manifesto or set of strict guidelines, ethical living asks that we take simple steps to encourage awareness of and a sense of conscience about one’s actions in hope of helping everyone live better.
I encourage everyone to check out Equita. They’re not only offering high quality sustainable goods made to high ethical standards, but are doing a lot of good in the process. You should also visit their blog, Nitty Gritty to stay up-to-date on
news, information and dialogue on The Essentials for Ethical Living: environmentalism, green design, the local economy, fair trade, social consciousness, and, yes, ethical shopping.
May much success come to this principle-driven company, and may it serve as a model for others striving to participate in this ever-growing movement for change.
