What's your number?

Mine is 34.

This is disturbing.

This is heart-breaking.

This is worrisome.

This is reality.

How many slaves work for you? It is no secret that the practice of slavery is still alive and well. 10 to 30 million men, women, and children around the world spend years of their lives toiling away in fields, mines, and factories in order to make life comfortable for people they will probably never meet. They provide us with cheap food, affordable clothing, faster technology- things that they might not have the luxury to own themselves.As a college student who tries to be both environmentally conscious and aware of human rights abuses by the companies/businesses I interact with, it is a constant struggle to make the 'right' choice as a consumer. Recently, I had a conversation with some of the other girls at work about grocery shopping. One girl mentioned that she was probably going to stop by Trader Joe's to pick up a few groceries. The other asked us if we had ever really looked into the company. I had only been to a Trader Joe's once, so I had never taken the time to do so. She went on to inform us about their unethical labor practices, particularly in Florida where workers are paid pennies (aka far below minimum wage) for the bushels of produce they pick. This is how they manage to keep their prices so low. Can I buy a pack of Trader Joe's tomatoes over the costlier ones at a local market, knowing that these are the kinds of consumer choices that keep their workers from being able to feed their own families?

How much do we really know about the companies that affect and surround us every day? Do we choose to buy the cute sweater that is on sale at Urban Outfitters for $14.99 or do we step back when we look at a tag that is clearly labeled "Made in Bangladesh"? Do we think of the outrage caused one year ago when we learned that the president and founder of the brand had donated thousands of dollars to the campaign of Sen. Rick Santorum, a politician who is notorious for his anti-gay rights rhetoric?

There lies the problem. I am a human. I am a consumer. I am an activist. And I am on a budget.

Yet a living wage, enough to meet a workers' basic needs, and the needs of his or her children, seems like a fundamental common sense part of any company's responsibility. When some of the world's top retailers were asked what they were doing to ensure workers were paid a living wage, fashion giants Gap and H&M both replied that they were working towards paying a minimum wage to workers. In production countries this is often less than half what a worker will need to care for and feed his or her family.

Gap in previous years has received top marks for holistic plans to deliver on wages. But after hitting hard times like so many other companies, Gap decided to discard its best laid plans to pay a living wage, and chose to instead focus efforts on checking that the legal minimum is paid. Swedish fashion giant H&M is similarly dragging its heals. It is still failing to commit to the concept of paying a living wage in its code of conduct, let alone taking action to make it a reality.

We can take action now to call on these companies to do better. By doing so you stand in solidarity with the people who make the clothes you wear or pick the fruits you eat. Be smart, be creative, and be ethically conscious the next time you go shopping. Buying local produce is always a good place to start. Trade clothes with friends and family members. Look at labels. Together, we can ensure that everyone is given the chance to break free from the chains of slavery and lead lives they can be proud of. 

Note: Be honest when you are taking the quiz. It might result in a higher number than you expected, but you will also learn a great deal about the products you buy and where they come from.