Our Call to Care for the Dignity of Work
Rising sea levels, longer droughts, erratic weather, and more severe natural disasters—these events make it increasingly difficult to hide an undeniable truth: that the global climate, is indeed, changing.
All this is spurred by an ever-warming atmosphere largely due to human activity. We are all dependent on the earth in which we live. Providing food, water, energy—the earth is our basic source of life. But when we fail to protect the environment, we witness the result in an ecosystem that is facing greater challenges. We see the detrimental impact on local economies that rely directly on the earth—and this in turn hurts the viability of the global economy. As a result, we neglect the well-being of mankind, and this has the hardest hit on the most poor and marginalized.
On the small island of Bali, Indonesia, known for its beautiful landscape of pristine beaches and numerous volcanoes, nearly seventy percent of the economy relies on tourism. Critical to this tourism market are the artisans who create handicrafts attracting buyers from all over the globe.
Artisan in Bali silver workshop. Photo credit: Ten Thousand Villages
Mitra Bali, a non-profit, serves as a cooperative for local artisans. Mitra Bali works to support and protect artisans by ensuring gender equity, abstaining from child labor exploitation, promoting healthy working environments, and requiring the use of environmentally sustainable materials such as wood, coconut, and bamboo. The organization also helps artisans during tough times when orders are low, by loaning cows and providing no-interest loans.
Taking it a step further, Mitra Bali makes a strong effort to protect the land the artisans both live on and source their materials from, through a reforestation program. The program replants trees which provide natural materials for items created by artisans, as well as benefit soil health by preventing erosion. The land used to grow trees is rented from the artisans themselves, which offers another source of income and eases the financial burden of paying land tax–enabling them to keep both their homes and their source of livelihood.
Recycled Bottle Goblets. Photo credit: Ten Thousand Villages
Stewardship stems far beyond recycling and the prudent use of water. In today’s globalized world, the economic implications of abusing the environment affect us all.
As Pope Francis states in his recent encyclical, Laudato Si:
‘Reusing something instead of immediately discarding it, when done for the right reasons, can be an act of love which expresses our own dignity.’
Mitra Bali is one of several organizations that are taking proactive steps to protect the earth. You can take part in this economic initiative by purchasing eco-friendly products from ethical organizations like SERRV and Ten Thousand Villages.
Eco-friendly Blue on Brass Earrings. Photo credit: SERRV
In purchasing these products, you protect the environment, and even more, protect the livelihoods of artisans, farmers, and their communities across the globe.
Our care for the earth ensures that everyone is able to provide for themselves and live a life of dignity. While it has required dire circumstances to come to fruition for us to truly understand the consequences of our actions, we are now called—more than ever—to care for creation.
