la vie en rose

I had no idea that there were still tribes out there that are "uncontacted." And yet here is a story about a group of people living in the Amazon that are living exactly the way that their ancestors did, untouched and uncorrupted by modern civilization. The Brazilian government chose to release some aerial photos of the tribe to bring attention to the issue of illegal logging in the Amazon rain forest. I think the pictures are fascinating and I hope that the government's gamble of showing them will pay off in increased awareness. We need to be more aware of all the products that we buy and the businesses we support, that they are not engaged in unlawful and immoral practices. I remember awhile back when people found out that Kathie Lee Gifford's clothing line was made in sweatshops - people quit buying the clothes in protest. But when we go to Wal-Mart, et al., are we in that mind-set? Or do we buy things because they're a good bargain (for us anyway)? Today I had the choice between buying the cheap milk or buying the milk that was hormone-free and a little more expensive. What's more important - keeping my body free of chemicals and unnatural substances, or saving a few dollars on my groceries? Buying a $7 t-shirt made in Indonesia, or reading the labels and shopping with a conscience? It's a hard choice when there isn't a lot of money to go around. But J and I have really amped up our efforts to be more responsible when it comes to our bodies, humankind as a whole, and our planet. We're always learning new things (and I still accidentally throw away things that could be recycled), but I hope that doesn't deter people from just starting out - we've all got to start somewhere!