Bearing gifts, we traveled so far

We shan’t be traveling so far this year, which will reduce our footprints, but what about gift-bearing? Our inability to meet loved ones in person may tempt us to go overboard on the gift-giving this year, so maybe we can use some of our COVID isolation time to make those gift choices greener. My thoughts on this include deciding who’ll be getting gifts, choosing eco-positive presents, and being proactive about where we shop.

The past couple of weeks, my family and I have had LOTS of discussions about gift distribution. We’ve discussed buying one item for the whole family, or each person buying just one present for others, all the way to no gifts at all, with various levels of donations to charity mixed in. We haven’t decided on a rule yet, but as self-appointed Christmas-Tzar, it has shifted my thinking to what one thing to give to my partner and kids. I have to say it is a bit of relief compared to my usual Christmas frenzy.

My extended family does really well with positive giving. Many of my relatives give to food banks / other charities in each others’ names. One of my sisters often makes T-shirts for everyone which is really practical, fun, and brings us all closer. Our other sister and her kids give consumables like fruit boxes and nuts. Again, always used and a treat.

I’ve always given books to my extended family, but this year they are getting a box of homemade goodies. As they may read this, I can’t say what it is, but it is a personalized, eco-friendly, healthy alternative to products made by one of the “Big” industries, as in Big Oil, Big Pharma, or Big Agriculture. I’ve been thinking of this present for years but I’ve not known exactly how to go about it and getting organized was apparently beyond me. But as I faced myself in the mirror this year, I had to acknowledge that with COVID-induced free time, this was the best chance to crack on and make these gifts. So they are in the works and I’m pleased to have learned more about this craft.

So, in my self-satisfied glow, allow me to list some options for increasing the positive impacts of gifts we give:

• Agree on fewer presents, or even none

• Give to charity in someone else’s name

• Donate to someone’s college / car / mortgage fund

• Give consumables: food, candles, hand lotion

• Give local, organic, and/or fair trade products

• Give second-hand items

• Make something

• Give the gift of your time

• Give a gentle eco-guide that bolsters security and wellbeing :^)

And lastly, we’d all do well to endeavor to buy from ethical distributors. So what about Amazon? We have been discussing this, some would say arguing about this, all weekend at my house.

My biggest revulsion to Amazon is because it is such a large business. According to marketwatch.com, amazon.com's revenue in 2019 was $280 billion dollars. This is greater than the annual revenue of all but 17 of the world’s nations. One, who shall remain nameless, could argue that not shopping at Amazon because of their wealth is punishing them for their success. But I would counter by saying that such a large income means Amazon exerts undue influence on tax laws, employment opportunities, worker well-being, and so forth. I’m generally leery of any ultra big company. I guess I assume they’ve practice unethical methods to get so big. Nonetheless such an inconceivably large revenue might be ok if any of the following were true: Amazon’s owner gave away vast amounts of money to charity so he weren’t among the richest people on the planet, Amazon paid more than 1/1000th of its revenue in taxes or Amazon’s workers were well paid and treasured.

But of course, none of those things are true. Mr. Bezos is the wealthiest person on the planet. During the COVID pandemic, his wealth has increased by $74 billion dollars, with other billionaires around the world increasing their wealth likewise by a whopping 24% from April to July this year. This obscene amassing of wealth is wrong when others are struggling to pay bills, being evicted, and going bankrupt. Losing jobs and health care. Losing loved ones.

In contrast to Bezos’ growing wealth, Amazon employees suffer some of the worst warehouse working conditions. A study of Amazon workers in California showed that 50% of workers last less than one year. The internet abounds with stories of long shifts, short breaks, and physical demands. And statistically, Amazon warehouses have twice the rate of serious injury as other warehouses, especially prevalent are musculoskeletal injuries which can stay with people for the rest of their lives. Adding to the grueling nature of the work, Amazon employees are required to wear personalized monitors that remind them to get back to work if a break is taking too long. Some workers have even been fired without any human being consulted because the monitor gave them 3 strikes. Sounds pretty Orwellian.

In addition to wealth inequality and poor working conditions, Amazon pays less than 1/1000th of its revenue in taxes. There’s no other way to put it than THIS PISSES ME OFF. I know the argument that businesses are encouraged to pump their profits back into their companies by being offered tax relief. The argument is that business growth is good for the economy by providing more jobs, more income tax, and so forth. But it just doesn’t sit well with me that Amazon only pays 1/1000th of their income in taxes. I don’t know if this reinvestment turns out well for the economy or not, but it sounds like trickle-down mumbo jumbo to me, which has been shown time and again to not benefit the average worker. Look at the growth of wealth inequality for starters. And when Amazon reinvests its profits in Amazon, Amazon becomes more valuable and their monopoly on goods distribution grows. Tax relief is helping Amazon reach its goal of dominating the global, multi-sectoral distribution of goods. Aside from disliking the monopolistic aspect of this, these economic models that focus myopically on growth are not sustainable. Instead, we need a circular economy. Parts of the Amazon company model fit into this, like the hugely efficient distribution system. But the growth, growth, growth part certainly is not sustainable. Nor is it ethical. Nor is it just.

So, to put my money where my mouth is, I am adopting a non-Amazon Christmas habit as the first of the 12 eco-habits I pledged to take on in my newsletter “The Power of Simple Habits”.

As a final chagrined note, I have to acknowledge that the inconsistency that “I’ll endeavor to have a non-Amazon Christmas” and “that my book is only sold on Amazon,” hasn’t escaped me. How to uncomfortably worm out of that one? I can’t really. I did spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to distribute my book without Amazon, but Amazon’s reach and the ease of its systems meant I published there first. I guess I will alter my personal Amazon-boycott to exclude items I can’t find elsewhere. I can certainly acquit my Amazon-publishing-guilty in that the sales of my book have not contributed significantly to the $74 billion increase in Mr. Bezos’ wealth. Or perhaps better yet, just acknowledge that I’m not perfect, shock though that may be to my gentle readers.