Customer Reviews

Everyday Justice: The Global Impact of Our Daily Choices

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I really wanted to love this book, because I'm very much into many of the same goals in my own life. Raised our son with cloth diapers, for example. Drive a Prius, when we drive at all. Caring deeply about helping the poor, both here and abroad. But having a degree in economics myself, I just can't get past the pervasive economic ignorance in this book.

Almost every page assumes that whatever horrible thing is happening to the unfortunates who grow our cotton, grow our coffee, sew our T-shirts, assemble our shoes, etc. in various poverty-stricken countries would magically heal if only we stopped buying such products. The author retains this view even while pointing out how, for example, when Disney was confronted about clothes it sold being reportedly made in a Haitian sweatshop, it "solved" the problem by moving the business to an even worse factory in China. I'm fine with blaming Disney for not living up to its desired image as child-friendly. But how are now out of work Haitians better off after the change?

Thomas Sowell, in his excellent book Basic Economics: A Citizen's Guide to the Economy, Revised and Expanded Edition asks the question "And then what?", meaning whenever we advocate an economic change, we should first think how that change will play out over time. That, in short, is what I do not see happening in this book.

One happy story is how Nike has helped those who make its shoes, not by taking its business elsewhere, but rather by monitoring its suppliers to be sure they treat their employees fairly. Apple too responded effectively last year when questions arose about conditions in a Chinese factory making Apple products.

One exception to the above critique is that I am in full agreement with the final chapter on the need to forgive third world debt, both for the Biblical "Jubilee" reasons cited, and for practical economic reasons. Yet even here, there is more to consider - namely how to help nations whose debts are forgiven avoid incurring new equally-bad debts?

Let us indeed be gentle as doves. But let us also be wise as serpents.

Last word: Thanks much for all the links for further reference and next steps, and for the excellent Biblical references and analysis throughout. Those both make this book a keeper for me.

Martin Luther King Jr. writes in From Where Do We Go From Here, "All men are interdependent. Every nation is an heir of a vast treasury of ideas and labor to which both the living and the dead of all nations have contributed. ...We are everlasting debtors to known and unknown men and women. When we arise in the morning, we go into the bathroom where we reach for a sponge which is provided for us by a Pacific islander. We reach for a soap that is created by a European. Then at the table we drink coffee which is provided for us by a South American, or tea by a Chinese or cocoa by a west African. Before we leave for our jobs we are already beholden to more than half the world....We are inevitably our brother's keeper, because we are our brother's brother. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly."

Julie Clawson addresses exactly what Martin Luther King Jr. speaks of here in her new book, Everyday Justice. Clawson's book brings thoughtful reflection and awareness to some of the most profound and obscure breaches of justice that plague the world today. Some of the topics Clawson includes are the injustices found in coffee, clothing, and cocoa production, the car industry and the impact of oil consumption upon the environment, and even the rampant amount of waste created by a consumer society. The target audience of the book is the Christian living in America. Clawson claims that the Christian, who desires to follow the lessons of Christ and the principles of social justice within Christianity, must start to become aware and take responsibility for how consumption choices contributes and sets the stage for many of the human rights atrocities in the world today. But the book is not just for the Christian, it's for the socially and ethically conscious individual who wants to take, as Clawson says, small steps toward a better world. It suggests small steps toward a future free of exploitation. It suggests small steps toward building a better future.

Given the controversial nature of some of the topics addressed in this book, some may criticize Clawson for not addressing all sides of every issue (the global warming debate, or the relative merits of fair trade, for instance). But given the limited scope of the book (only 206 pages) and the audience intended, it seems that Clawson's purpose is not to argue every issue in minute detail, but instead to give practical advice for ordinary people. With every chapter, Clawson lays out the issue and provides practical real life scenarios, vignettes which she calls "Everyday Practitioner", highlighting the individual inner conflict as well as specific "everyday" ways readers can make a difference. At the end of each chapter, she also provides recommendations of books, films and websites to look to for further information . On the chapter of Waste, she even gives a photography website that depicts a pictorial display of the impact of trash.

In conclusion, Clawson opens and closes the book with the directive, "Don't Panic". Yes, today's global issues of injustice are vast and complicated but while there is no end all immediate solution, Clawson helps provide ways the individual, you and me, can play a role in helping to alleviate the injustice. Whether that is supporting the local farmer in buying local produce, recycling or buying fair trade coffee and chocolate products, the action provides a message that injustice is not tolerated. In many of Martin Luther King's speeches, he often quoted from his book, Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution, "Through our scientific and technological genius, we have made of this world a neighborhood and yet...we have not had the ethical commitment to make of it a brotherhood. But somehow, and in some way, we have to do this. We must learn to live together as brothers. Or we all will perish as fools. We are tied together in the single garment of destiny, caught in the inescapable network of mutuality" Picking up Clawson's book will help make the brotherhood of man one step closer to becoming a reality.

Everyday Justice challenged me to become a more ethical consumer, based on biblical mandates for justice. If you've been running in social justice circles for a while then some of the topics in this book might be familiar (child slavery in the manufacture of chocolate, or fair wages for coffee farmers). However, Julie does cover some new ground that is both important and significant (more on that later...).

However, one other thing that sets this book apart is its strong reliance on the Bible for supporting why it's important to think before you buy. In that respect, I would highly recommend this book for people who don't see why it's important to consider where the things they buy come from, or who choose what to buy based purely on finding the lowest price. The book explains that everything we buy is made from something and by someone, and it's manufacture, distribution, and disposal have consequences on the environment which in turn directly impacts someone, somewhere. It challenges us to look both ways along that stream to see the face of those who are impacted and make choices that honor them as beloved children of God. Then, as much as we are able, it challenges us not to be complicit with injustice, whether that be through paying unfair wages, misusing resources, or otherwise exploiting other people. It's not easy, but often it's possible to find alternatives to the current mainstream options, or to advocate for changes to the existing system.

The book discusses both real solutions and real dilemmas that are confronted when trying to make changes. Through personal examples, Julie gives us a framework of examples for choosing among the "lesser of two evils". Like Julie, I would have been torn on whether to buy gas from the station who was causing pollution locally, or the one who was contributing to violence and injustice in another country.

Everyone will be talking about the one thing that no one is talking about - disposable diapers/feminine products. It's kind of icky, but kudos to Julie for bringing it up. This is another one where we are encouraged to make the best choice given your situation. For instance, sometimes you are required to use disposable products (such as in daycares or nurseries), but you can still try to reduce consumption in other areas. A friend reminded me that in the film "Little Women", in pretty much every scene you could see the girls folding white cloths. In a house full of women...well, let's just say they weren't dish towels. If you aren't sure what to do without disposables, ask your mother, grandmother, or I'm guessing the majority of women in the world today. Thanks to the discussion of this topic in Everyday Justice, I went looking for what women in the developing world use for "sustainable" pads - and unfortunately, the options aren't good. The "homespun" options include rags, bark, and mud...and if rags are an option, many women don't have access to water to clean them. Without access to appropriate sanitary protection, women may miss up to 50 days a year of work or school, which leads to inequity in income and education. Perhaps my take-away from this discussion will be to attempt to reduce consumption and to find a more ethical option than what I use now, but to also advocate for women who don't have the options that I do as a woman in the US.

Some of the suggestions offered in the book seem radical, but nothing seems to be suggested without good reason. Living sustainably in a way that cares for other people (our neighbor) and God's creation isn't necessarily as convenient as living as a blissfully unaware consumer. However, if the Bible can be believed as true (and I think that most of the audience for this book would agree that it can), then "everyday justice" becomes an avenue for "everyday worship".

This is certainly a powerful yet simple presentation of living out biblical justice in today's world. Julie presents a clear, logical and easy to read way in which followers of Jesus can have a meaningful impact upon suffering in the world, be they conservative or liberal in their leanings. This is truly a valuable treasure in showing a practical way to reveal the character and nature of God through our daily Christian walk. This can very well be the individual launching point for some Christians looking for a means to be a force of change on our planet. Don't be surprised if the little flicker of light from your life can become part of a much brighter and glorious revelation of God's love in a world that continues to struggle in darkness. I loved this book and its triumphant message of change. We're not individually called upon to solve all the problems facing our world, but here's some practical ways to demonstrate Christian caring and to bear witness to the new heaven and new earth promised by God.

Julie Clawson has done a good job of laying out some basic concerns all of us in the privileged part of the world need to think of as we go about our everyday lives. She reminds us that every purchasing decision we make has a far larger impact than we may care to admit and that thoughtfulness in our consuming actions is critical if we truly care about our neighbors all around the world.

Each chapter has a list of related resources--books, movies, websites--that can help the reader dig into specific topics covered here, one of the most valuable parts of the book. Her efforts to find the best products in many areas are to be commended as well, and she points out the difficulties of "doing the right thing" especially well in her chapter on clothing purchases. Too often it seems we are given a choice of organizations that provide fair wages for textile and clothing workers but that utilize environmentally-unfriendly materials or eco-sites that extol pesticide free "natural" fibers without any regard for the treatment of workers in the factories using these materials to make their garments.

While the book might be a primer for those who still haven't heard about many of the issues noted (the plight of tomato farmers, slavery in many modern manufacturing companies, etc.), it does not provide much new for those who may have come to this looking for deeper insight into the issues. She is honest in the difficulties she faces in making many of her own buying decisions, but the advice she dispenses on ways to address the problems is pretty worked over territory. Further, there are a few areas where her research seems a little wanting and/or outdated. One example: she cites a source over ten years old when saying that the average computer monitor contains more than 4 pounds of lead--how many computer monitors have even weighed that much for many years?

The author's warning at the beginning of the book is realistic, when she reminds people to "start tweaking the way we live" instead of completely overhauling. "Sometimes insisting that the revolution be slow," she say, "means that it will actually be *doable.*" While that may be true, at the end, her approach seems almost too tentative to be of lasting value, especially if we readers end up thinking that it will be up to others to do more than we ourselves are ready to do.

Should you buy the book? Maybe. I have two primary concerns that should guide anyone as they read through the text. First, though she does mention the excessive consumption that characterizes so much of American society, her comments are more tentative than I think warranted. Each of us needs to consider carefully not just which product to buy, but whether to buy at all--do we really need that extra chocolate bar, that second car, that third or fourth or fifth winter sweater?

The other concern deals with the final section on debt forgiveness is good to include, but it seems naive at best and does not recognize enough the ongoing negative impact of despots and powerful politicians in many societies that are likely to remove any real benefit of debt forgiveness for those who are at the bottom of these societies. I am glad she raises the issue but I am not satisfied that this provides enough information and argument here to make it ultimately useful. Maybe this would be a good topic for a separate book by Clawson.

Any one or group interested in making a difference, this well presented, easy-to-read book is for you. For a small group, such as mine, it fosters great discussions over personal choices and global impacts: Ivory Coast child slavery & chocolate; oil refineries and pollution of fishing waters, both at Lake Michigan and around the world; our choices of coffee, clothes, etc. are some other topics Clawson explores.

Making sustainable, ethical choices for my family's food, clothing and other consumer decisions whenever possible is important to me as a Christian. We're called to love our neighbors and to be good stewards of both our own bodies and Creation. Buying locally and sustainably grown food rather than grocery store and factory farm fare, breastfeeding, using cloth diapers and reusable rather than disposable wherever we can, and buying fair trade are all things we've implemented in our home to various degrees. So when I had the chance to review Everyday Justice: The Global Impact of Our Daily Choices by Julie Clawson, I looked forward to seeing what she had to say about consumer choices from a Biblical point of view and what I could glean from her knowledge.

Ms. Clawson begins by encouraging the reader not to panic or get overwhelmed. The sheer enormity of the issues involved, the realization that our everyday lifestyle choices contribute to them, and the awareness that our faith should inform our approach to them can leave us feeling paralyzed. She encourages us to make small changes as we can, not to attempt to overhaul our entire lives overnight or feel guilty. Do what you can when you can. This is key. After this exhortation, she moves into an explanation of why our daily choices matter and why our faith should inform those choices.

Jesus commands us to love God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:27). These two commands encompass every one of our relationships.

"When we choose to love God and love others, we have no choice but to treat others with respect and fairness as we acknowledge them as fellow image-bearers. We have to treat them as we ourselves desire to be treated and act in ways that show concern for their welfare." (p. 21)

So how does this apply to our everyday choices as a consumer? Purchasing goods that are produced in a way that is harmful to the environment or treats others unethically fails to apply the biblical mandates to be good stewards and to love others. Every decision we make is an ethical decision. Every decision we make affects others.

"For example, the banana my daughter ate for breakfast this morning involved an ethical decision. By buying and eating that banana, I support everything that banana represents. If that banana was grown by farmers who were kept in near-slavelike conditions, paid pennies a day, exposed to hazardous chemicals and beaten by hired terrorists if they protested their work conditions, I am supporting those things." (p. 25)

As Christians, every area of our lives, including our choices as consumers, should be informed by our faith.

"Living justly means understanding the impact of our decisions. It involves not only an awareness of the needs of others but also choosing to love others in a way that cares for their needs. It forces us to take a hard look at how our everyday choices (what we wear, what we eat, what we drive, etc.) affect others...We will still need to be consumers, but instead of being complicit in injustice, we can promote ethical consumption. Ethical consumption implies that we will apply our moral values and ethical standards to our consumer habits. We don't opt out of a necessary system, but we attempt to redeem it as we live by a more consistent ethic." (p. 26)

Ms. Clawson is frank about the complexity of the issues and the reality that substantive change doesn't happen overnight, but she urges us to be aware and take small steps wherever we're able. This means we must educate ourselves so that we can be informed consumers and make wise, biblically ethical choices.

Everyday Justice serves as a resource to that end, a primer of sorts. This explanation of how the biblical mandate applies to our choices is followed by seven chapters, each addressing a different area:

coffee
chocolate
cars
food
clothes
waste
debt

Each chapter begins with background information on that particular issue, then goes on to give the biblical viewpoint, followed by practical ideas to apply a biblical ethic to the situation and then a resource list. Several chapters contain boxes that tell the story of an "everyday practitioner": an ordinary person who has chosen to adjust their lifestyle and habits to reflect a more biblical ethic on that particular issue.

Since our consumer habits are something we've been focused on as a family already, I was aware of quite a bit of what she shared, although there was some new information for me too (I'd never really looked into the issues with chocolate, for example, although being a true chocoholic I should!). I really appreciated how the book is able to raise some shocking issues and motivate the reader to take action without making them feel guilty, or overwhelmed at the enormity of the issues.

The biblical call to love our neighbor as the motivating force behind our choices was the focus of the book. The call to be good stewards was somewhat implicit in the reasoning since there is definite overlap between them, but I wish she would have addressed it more explicitly alongside the call to love. Both are compelling reasons for action. I did find a couple of the suggested resources less than appealing, and I'm just not sold on global warming, but overall I think Ms. Clawson did an excellent job of raising awareness of an important issue that is so often overlooked by Christians. We of all people should be the most concerned about how our lifestyle and consumer choices affect others, no matter how small or insignificant that choice may seem in the grand scheme of things.

All in all, Everyday Justice serves as a great primer on the practical outworking of the biblical mandates to be good stewards and love our neighbors. It addresses an issue that should be important to every Christian.

Thanks so much to Intervarsity Press for providing a review copy to me! All opinions are my own.

This is a well written, easy to read book. An amazing eye-opener about how our everyday purchases, products and choices not only affect our environment, but our friends, families, the way we live and the lives of millions of people.

This is an excellent book that tells the truth about how much injustice and harm we do to others without knowing it.
A must read for any concerned consumer.

"Living justly" can often feel like "living legalistically." The sheer number of ways a typical American's lifestyle contributes to injustice--as well as the vast number of recommendations out there for how to live a green or sustainable lifestyle--can be overwhelming. Too many things to do or don't do. Too many things to feel guilty about.

That's why I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that Julie Clawson begins her book Everyday Justice with the words "Don't panic." Julie knows that the biggest risk of writing a book like this is that the reader will be so paralyzed that she will do nothing. So she addresses 7 specific areas from our everyday lives (coffee, chocolate, cars, food, clothes, waste, debt) where we can make small but significant changes, but in the process shows how living justly (or not) in these areas connects us to other people from around the world.

Everyday Justice encourages us to take seriously the two greatest commandments according to Jesus: loving God and loving our neighbors. First John 4:20 puts it this way: "Those who say, `I love God,' and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen." The problem is, as Julie points out, that many of the things that Americans consume are produced by the poorest people on the planet in horrifying conditions. The fact that we do not see these people, except when the occasional scandal exposes their plight, is no excuse for supporting the systems that keep them poor or otherwise endangered by their working conditions. But we do precisely that with our consumption patterns. Many of the things we buy support companies that treat their workers unethically. And many of the things we consume were produced in ways that deplete the earth of natural resources or were made with dangerous chemicals.

But Everyday Justice is a light shining in this darkness. Yes, it exposes the darkness, causing me to be depressed. But it also gave me hope by showing how I can alter my lifestyle and love my unseen brothers or sisters around the world by supporting companies that pay their workers fair wages or make their products without wasteful plastics or dangerous pesticides.

Many readers will be on the same theological page with Julie, as I was. The book's value for them, as for me, will be to help them put their theological values into practice. Other readers may be a little suspicious of what may appear to be a "liberal social justice agenda." But I suspect these readers will be moved by Julie's accounts of the real-life impact of our consumption patterns on those who are considered "the least of these," and may find their theology shifted in subtle ways. But all of us, if we have ears to hear, will be moved a little closer to truly obeying the gospel. And that's a good thing.