The cost of a rose...

There are many, many street floral "shops" in Quito where you can buy amazing amounts of flowers for practically nothing. Twenty five roses here typically cost $2, and with that bargain price here and the outrageous prices we see in the United States, there are of course, issues (clicking that link will lead you to a recent NPR radio story on this very topic). As one of the leading exporters of roses, this is big business in Ecuador for many people, and life support for others.

Here is an article that is now four years old (I posted it this spring on my other blog)...and yet it seems that nothing has changed. People are still worked to the bone, paid little, suffer health issues because of their work environment, etc., etc.. Too often purchases are made without knowing or even caring how these items came to be available to them in the first place. Perhaps we as consumers need to become more aware...if nothing else, let today's post be an educational piece.