With this blog TCI will continue to speak with our own voice about the true environmental and human costs of corporate actions.
The term “narrative” has been bandied about as if it is some kind of magical unicorn. In many sacrosanct human rights circles, once the term is uttered there is the knowing nod, the collective hum of acknowledgment and then a silent acceptance of what I call the Nike© approach to narrative – Just Tell It. But we must resist that…
Tourism has always been a commercial enterprise, yet it is increasingly intertwined with cultural and social upheaval as well as environmental degradation in the Global South. True Costs Initiative explores how the business of pleasure can become not so pleasurable business. On my most recent trip home, the friendly customs’ officer asked me with a smile, “Will you be visiting…
The Scandal of The Plastic Bag: Killing Our Environment One Transaction At A Time. Here in the US, it is typical to walk into a pharmacy or grocery store and leave with your purchase in a plastic bag labelled with the store’s insignia. For the most part, you won’t find that in Jamaica. Instead, it is typical to receive your…
Sound the Abeng: At The Brink of an Environmental Misstep in Jamaica. More than likely, you are familiar with the music of Jamaica’s iconic Bob Marley, its world-class beaches, and the dominance of the Jamaican sprint demi-god, Usain Bolt. You might even know that near the middle of this island lies a bountiful rainforest, known as the Cockpit Country, which…
A couple months ago, in response to my constant complaints about never having enough, time, energy or motivation to go to the gym, my husband suggested that I get a FitBit®. You know, the life-changing wrist technology that has been part of the fitness tracking phenomenon. “It will change your habits and get you to exercise more”, he said. I…
Six reasons why corporations like (and want) the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act even if they won’t admit it. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) gives US companies an invaluable tool to fight corruption abroad. It has also been an effective tool for foreign countries to reduce bribery, and it has led to billions of dollars in fines. President Trump has labeled the…