One SIMPLE thing you can do to avoid supporting sweatshops

Hundreds of Phnom Penh workers camped outside their shuttered garment factory to demand Walmart and H&M pay them the wages they are owed.

According to this week's Phnom Penh Post, Cambodians working in factories supplying Walmart have been subjected to horrific workplace abuse ranging from forced labor to sexual harassment.

45000 Cambodians work in factories supplying Walmart alone. And according to this report, "Walmart’s commitment to labor rights in Cambodian factories is next to zero."

Disgusting. Walmart you make me sick. 

This is real for me. My neighbors work in these factories. Literally, on the other side of my kitchen wall lies a garment factory, where young women toil hunched over sewing machines, around the clock.

I know this issue.

I know these people.

And I don't want to support Walmart. I don't want to participate in a system that exploits my neighbors - overworking them, underpaying them, and then spitting them out like a stale piece of department store gum. 

"But what choice do I have?" comes the immediate cry. "I have to buy clothing." - or even "I can't afford to pay decent prices for clothing. I'm forced to buy cheap stuff."

Well, there is a very simple solution. It has been my own approach to avoiding sweatshop exploitation for many years now. And I offer it to you now. Consider making a commitment to this practice, out of solidarity with those who are exploited by these corporate thugs.

Buy second hand clothing whenever possible.

Simple. I know, it's not rocket science right? Perhaps, you thought it would be more complicated or subversive....

But this is truly the best way I can think of, to meet my basic need for clothing and self-expression, but without contributing to evil corporations like Walmart.

SO, what are you waiting for? Get over to that thrift shop and stick it to the man....