Bargain Hunters

There's nothing wrong with a little retail therapy when you're down. Or is there? Sure, you can drop some cash on the latest fashion trend or pick up some new things for around the house, and afterward you might feel a little better — especially since you went to a bargain store! But what if by blowing off steam, you're possibly contributing to a much worse problem than whatever is upsetting you to begin with? Do you truly know where those goods come from? Are you certain that they are made by adults working in safe conditions for a fair wage? The short answer to those last two questions is likely "no." So, what to do? At the very least, you can educate yourself about the environmental and human costs of globalization by watching A Killer Bargain, a film that screens at 7 p.m. at the Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood Avenue; 314-968-7487 or www.webster.edu/filmseries) as part of the Webster Film Series and the Webster University "Year of International Human Rights." This documentary by Tom Heinemann (pictured) traces cheap goods like towels from their spots on consumers' shelves in Europe to the factories in India in which they're made. It's an eye opener, to say the least. Tickets cost $5 to $6 (which is a little less than that top you're wearing).
Tue., Sept. 30, 2008