A recently released report from MCL Global indicates that the Vietnamese garment industry is causing severe environmental impacts and increasingly exploitative incidents among its work force.

“The Sustainable Sourcing Map” published by the research organization implied that extremely poor levels of safety and health were found in the Vietnamese garment sector, alongside several instances of excessive overtime. Nonetheless, the country is proving a magnet for investors from neighboring countries where wages are rising such as Taiwan, China and Hong Kong.

The countries included in MCL Global’s Sustainable Sourcing Map are China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Turkey, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Pakistan, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Philippines, Myanmar. The report covers the environmental, labor rights and economic impacts of the garment industries in all included countries, with a detailed summary of the reasons behind investing in and sourcing from these countries. The major problem highlighted in terms of labor rights is that although wages may be rising, they amount is marginal, and the conditions for workers are only deteriorating.

In Vietnam, the wages for the garment manufacturing sector are predicted to rise by 15 percent, but not necessarily for the laborers on the lowest rungs on the industry’s ladder.  No only are the health and safety concerns in the country escalating and overtime exceeding legal limits, but the industry’s main industrial parks in Ho Chi Minh City are discharging over 6,700 tons of waste daily. Up to 2,000 tons of this waste are industrial toxins. With the increased investment in the local garment industry and politically charged increase in export-led growth, this level of pollution doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.

After the globally covered tragic incident of Rana Plaza in 2013 that raised general awareness of the injustices and exploitation of the garment industry have caused manufacturers in Bangladesh and India to come under scrutiny, many are turning to their Eastern Asian counterparts in Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam. Vietnam has in fact experiences a 13.14 percent growth in bookings for apparel shipments compared to India’s 7.5 percent growth, while Chinese factories are slowing down due to rising wages. As the global landscape of the garment manufacturing industry changes, the exploitation it has fostered may only escalate and impact different regions if not addressed by consumers, buyers and large name brands alike.

Image: Ika-Ink

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Basic dishes you might consider getting on a plane for. 

Travel isn’t travel without eating. You can’t get to know a place without tasting the local specialties, and food is often one of the best mediums to explore a culture. Be it in a market, on the street, at a restaurant, or in someone’s home, food gives us a very personal look into another culture. Sure, not all your travel culinary experiences are always good ones, but even when you try a local food that doesn’t suite your palate (pickled herring isn’t for everyone) at the very least, it makes for a good story.

When you travel, it can be fun to choose one local food to always go after. In my experience, being on the hunt for something in particular often leads to interesting adventures. Whether you like to travel to eat, or are just looking for an excuse to plan a summer trip, here are eight local meals worth traveling for.

1. Socca: Nice, France

The local street food of Nice, socca is a crepe made from garbanzo bean flour. While street food often makes its way around the world – you can get a döner kebab in just about any city –  socca is a little harder to track down. Even in Paris, there’s only one guy making it. Here are a few recommendations on some of the best ones you can find in Nice. Just make sure to get a chilled glass of rose while you’re at it.

2. Pho: Hanoi, Vietnam

Pho is one of those dishes that has made a name for itself outside of its homeland. In most food metropolises it’s easy to track down a few Vietnamese restaurants that top local foodies’ list of recommended places. But pho is best consumed on a hot street corner in Hanoi, sitting on a small plastic chair and drinking a cold beer. Go all out on the dish of garnishes that is served with it: a bowl full of broth, cilantro and lime is a good thing.

3. Stroopwaffel: Netherlands

A bike ride in Amsterdam followed by a stroopwaffel: is there any better way to spend a trip? Stroopwaffels are cookies made from two layers of thin waffles and held together by a sweet caramel. They’re all over Amsterdam, both sold in bags and packages at stores and markets as well as larger versions as street food. Hint: the day before you head home, go to the local grocery store and buy a few packages to take home with you. They’re that addictive.

4. Asado: Argentina

They’re not for the vegetarian, but asados are acclaimed events, barbecuing many kinds of meats at one time. Argentina is known for its steak, and raised on wild grasslands, you’re assured a leaner meat than standard feedlot-fed US cattle. Try a traditional asado in Patagonia, grilled by local gauchos.

5. Smørrebrød: Denmark

The Danish open-faced sandwich is one you’ll find on almost any traditional Danish menu. It’s a buttered piece of rye bread topped with an assortment of options, from cured meats to cheese. For a truly Scandinavian meal, get one with shrimp and pair it with a local light beer.

6. Accras: French Caribbean

Most Caribbean countries have some form of the accras, a fritter made from fish or shrimp. Accras de morue are popular appetizers in Guadeloupe and Martinique. The word “accra” is most commonly used in the French-speaking part of the Caribbean, but you will also see them listed as fritters in the English-speaking parts. You’ll often find them served as street food and they make for a great snack.

7. Pa amb tomaquet: Barcelona, Spain

Bread rubbed with olive oil and tomato might sound basic, but sometimes, it’s the simplest foods that are the best. Such is the case with Pa amb tomaquet, the classic Catalan dish (pan con tomate in Spanish) that you’ll find in almost any tapas bar. The oilier and juicer the better. If a place does it well, you can be sure that the rest of their menu will be up to par.

8. Amok Trey: Cambodia

This popular Khmer dish is made of steamed fish and coconut milk. With an emphasis on zesty flavors, it has a softer and less spicy taste than most curries. The fish is wrapped with other ingredients in a banana leaf and steamed in the coconut milk.

Images: katinalynn, Tran’s World Productions, sindy, dr_pablogonzalez, fredrikrynde, SnippyHolloW, Jen SFO-BCN, Ben Yapp

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Edgy jewelry made by local artisans in five countries, using materials like naturally discarded buffalo horn and reclaimed bombshells.

When launching her new jewelry label, Edge of Ember, designer Lynette Ong knew she wanted to ensure the pieces were not only going to be beautiful, but also made in the most ethical way possible. “The inspiration for Edge of Ember first came to me two years back when I was in Ubud, Bali where there were tons of silversmiths and art workshops,” says Ong. “Most of them had an open workshop concept where customers could see the artisans working on these uniquely handcrafted pieces. I found these gorgeous works of art absolutely amazing. Yet with the overwhelming trend in the marketplace towards mass production, customers get either machine-lasered fare from factories or designer handmade items that were exorbitantly priced.”

Fueled by a desire to share the stories and skills of these local artisans with the rest of the world, Ong, who was living in Hong Kong at the time, traveled extensively though Asia to find and form parnerships with the five local non-profit, fair trade organizations and artisan groups in Cambodia, Nepal, Vietnam and Indonesia that she works with today.

Designer Ong has not had any formal design training, and calls the brand’s aesthetic a reflection of her personal style. “I have always loved jewelry,” she says. “I think accessories complete an outfit and showcase an individual’s personality. But it was only when the Edge of Ember idea came to me that I started dabbling with jewelry design. I love combining simple, classic pieces and bolder jewelry to create a look that is versatile enough to wear for both casual and formal occasions.”

Edge of Ember’s first collection is called SARAT (which is the Khmer word for “beauty”) and features handmade jewelry pieces from Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam, with organic hand-hammered metals, bold geometric studs and ethnic-inspired tassels that are accompanied by an elegant mix of crystals and pearls. “The studs and spikes give an edgy and raw feel that I translated from bustling developing cities like Phnom Penh and Hanoi, the crystals set in antique-plated bezels show a hint of vintage and Art Deco, and the pearls and tassels add a touch of old school glamour,” says Ong. “I like to contrast the edgy and feminine, and the ethnic and the contemporary in pieces.”

The matte gold plated geometric studs and spikes used in many pieces are made from bombshells rescued from Cambodian land. The local artisans Edge of Ember work with are all part of the Rajana Association, a fair trade organization that helps create jobs for skilled craftspeople. The horn bangles are made in Vietnam, where local artisans use naturally discarded buffalo horn to delicately create these stunning pieces. All hammered pieces – which are Edge of Ember’s signature style – are made in Indonesia, where artisans meticulously hammer metals by hand to create the soft-textures, versatile pieces.

The brand also gives back to the local communities where their artisans live and work by channeling 10% of all proceeds into the Ember Project, the brand’s philanthropic arm. The Ember Project sponsors projects that focus on issues affecting women and children, and charities that address the problems women face because of the inherent gender inequality in these developing countries. Two of the initiatives, Daughters of Cambodia and Shakti Samuha in Nepal, rescues women from prostitution and sex trafficking and provides them with the skills to sustain their new lifestyle, while the specific Room to Read program by the Girls’ Education Program in Vietnam, helps young girls to complete their secondary education.

Says Ong: “I see these pieces on a confident, stylish woman who isn’t afraid of having fun or taking risks, who can throw together a perfect outfit from seemingly disparate elements and is assertive, intelligent and socially conscious.”

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Love comes in all shapes and forms.

Vietnamese women work really, really hard. From Hanoi to Siem Reap, women are weighed down by baskets full of fruits and vegetables swinging from shoulder poles. They cook street food. They work in markets. On Halong Bay, they stand on bows paddling with a single oar for miles until they reach tourist boats and try to sell Oreos, Pringles and water. Along the highways, they bend over in rice paddies, the tops of their conical hats just visible.

In Hoi An, some women sew all day long while others hustle people into market stalls to buy custom dresses. In every city, clad in skinny jeans and four-inch heels, they drive motorbikes, or sometimes ride sidesaddle balancing a toddler or a laptop case. They wait tables and serve cold beer. And near the temples in Angkor Wat on a recent trip, our guide said not to buy trinkets from kids because they were trying to teach them better habits. But when a four-year-old girl followed us for about a mile in 100-degree heat and humidity, I caved and bought four wooden beaded bracelets – insisting on paying double what she asked ($2).

Midway through our three-week trip through Vietnam with a stop in Cambodia, my husband, Erik, and I were in Nha Trang. It felt like Miami (and let me pause for a moment and say that I adore South Beach – for real – but I wouldn’t fly 20 hours to get there). Tall, swanky hotels filled with barrel-chested tourists (Russian in Nha Trang, midwestern in Miami). Honestly, after one day at the beach and taking in the breathtaking Long Son Pagoda, Erik and I were kind of over it. Then we met Johnny.

We were crashed out at a cafe drinking beer when a friendly-faced local approached. He said his American nickname was Johnny and that he’d be moving there soon to go to school. After a few minutes, he said, “My friends own a resort near my town and I know the only guy in my town with a car. It’s the most beautiful place you have ever seen. Come to my home tomorrow and meet my mom.”

Now, usually, I would have said no, or smiled politely and lied a “maybe.” But, there was the beer. And the fact that, already sunburned and wise to the fact that the beach didn’t have enough umbrellas, we really had no idea how we were going to spend the next few days. It didn’t hurt that Johnny was dressed like a member of the chess team – complete with glasses sliding off his nose. He seemed harmless. Erik and I did the glance and shrug and said yes.

The next morning, Johnny and the guy with the car showed up at our hotel. The driver was the Fonz to Johnny’s Richie Cunningham. Had we met him first, there’s no way we would have gone. With them, was a girl.

“This is my Aunt Trang, she’s moving to America to marry a very rich man. She will live in Alaska. She doesn’t speak English, which is why she is here, to talk to you and learn – and also because we have the car and will stop and get her papers.” I thought this was a little weird, but in a way, it explained Johnny’s eagerness to hire a car for the day because we’d pay the driver and he’d get his errands done.

As the resorts and the Lotus Building faded into the distance, I got nervous. We were leaving tourist Vietnam and heading into what, I didn’t know. I wanted to be back in the hotel having had the amazing experience of doing something like this without actually having to do it.

To distract myself from the reality of being in a car with strangers, I asked questions about the pending nuptials. What we worked out is this: Trang is 20. Johnny is 24. His other aunt married a different guy from Alaska back in the 70s and arranged the union that would bring Trang and Johnny to America. Trang is super cute. She had cell phone charms, a red and white-stripped shirt that looked a lot like the American flag and a flowered cloth mask covering her mouth – which was common, but seemed odd in the air conditioned car. Her future husband is 47, red-faced and pretty much a dead ringer for the guy you’d cast to play the guy who mail orders a child bride.

Keeping an upbeat tone, I asked if she liked him. She giggled a little and shrugged. I asked Johnny. He said, “70% money, 30% love. He’s really, really rich.”

30% seemed high. I asked if she was excited. She shook her head, wide-eyed. “Scared.” I asked what she would do in Alaska. Through translation I learned that she wanted to do nails but that her husband wanted her to stay home. Red flag, I thought, going through my mental address book for a contact in Alaska, eager to think of someone she could call when this goes to hell. No one. “Tell her it’s really important to make friends,” I said to Johnny. It was the best I could come up with so I said it twice.

After an awkward conversation where duck and dog became confused (turns out the soon-to-be-husband actually wants her to cook dog), I determined that she’s moving to Alaska to be a sex slave and maid. At least that’s what it seems like from my American, feminist perspective. I wanted to save her. At the very least I wanted to drop the fake excitement from my voice and sound as horrified as I was. What I wanted to ask was, “Are you seriously okay with this?” And, “Why the hell are you going?”

As the day continued and I learned more about her family and her village, I began to understand two things: She didn’t really have a choice and it was very much an act of love.

Her village looked like a postcard – bright blue skies and sea with blue and red boats docked on the white sand, their painted-on eyes facing the horizon. Small homes dotted the streets – most didn’t have front walls, which gave them the exposed look of stages. Inside, we saw motorbikes parked in living rooms, altars filled with offerings and incense, and people napping in hammocks or watching TV. Outside, kids ran around sucking on bright straws stuck into baggies full of fresh-squeezed fruit juice, and women worked roadside stands.

We stopped to buy fruit at a stand and then headed to Johnny’s mom’s place where she made us watermelon shakes while his brothers peeked around corners. In the living room, Johnny showed off the certificate from the government celebrating his English skills. His diploma and photos of him posing with Americans hung next to it on the wall over the couch. He told us that he was the only guy in town with these credentials. But without Trang, even Johnny the golden child didn’t have a ticket to America.

I recently read the novel The Lotus Eaters about a female combat photographer in Vietnam. While in some ways a love story in the traditional sense, it was clear that the country itself was the leading contender for everyone’s affections. I think there’s an argument to be made that our new acquaintance Trang was marrying for love – love of her family and her village. While she didn’t seem to have a choice in the matter, she wasn’t angry and seemed to have an appreciation for what her ambitious nephew could do for her family – which was most of the village – with more opportunity.

We ate lunch at another woman’s house – the only quasi-restaurant in town. We sat out back in plastic chairs on a cement slab with a view of the ocean. Here, unlike in Nha Trang, only laundry drying on lines obstructed the view. Over frog, among other charcoal-grilled foods, rice and cucumbers, Johnny told us his plan: go to America, go to graduate school, come back and open a coffee shop in the village. He may have some competition, he added, telling us very casually, that the land we were on was to be developed into resorts and that the entire village would be moved inland about 10 miles.

The village and Trang herself were to be sacrificed in the name of Western-style progress.

How, we asked, would it survive as a fishing village? He shrugged. His plan, he continued, was to apply for government money to clean up the environment – which, frankly, needed some help. Littering was commonplace and despite the beauty of the landscape, there was trash everywhere. I wondered how people would get their boats to the water and how it would be to live with the smell of salt and fish for a lifetime and have it suddenly disappear. I wondered if the fish in Alaska would be comforting to Trang.

After lunch, as planned, we stopped at a fenced-off government building, and the three of them went in. Johnny came out and explained that he had to run home because he forgot something – he took off in the car and we waited. Then I realized Erik had left his bag with all of our money and our passports in the backseat.

Panic set in. My chest tightened and I looked at Erik. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I was suddenly sure the whole thing about the visa and the fat Alaskan had been a scam, that Trang spoke perfect English and the conversation we had where we taught her to say “watermelon” was a joke. I was certain that all of the “Oh, that was so long ago,” talk about the war and resentment of Americans was total crap and that we were about to find out how people really felt.

I was 100% sure that Trang had gone out the back door of that building and hopped a moped with the Rico Sauvé driver – by now I had created a story in my head that they were having an affair that she would be forced to give up to marry the American. I half hoped they had run off together, despite the fact that we were stranded an hour from the city with nothing and my palms were sweaty. After 15 minutes, the car pulled up and the crisis I had invented was over.

I was so quick to lose faith in these people – people who had been nothing but welcoming and gracious for the entire day, people who were willing to sacrifice their happiness and freedom for a shot at even a chance at the kind of life I was born into. People who carried no anger toward me for being an American tourist – snapping photos of their real, ordinary lives – only one generation removed from the War. I felt like a total ass. And I was really, really glad I was wrong.

When Trang came out of the door of the building, we gathered around to look at the passport photo stapled to the necessary paperwork. Her smiling face was framed by her thin headband and American flag shirt. She looked happy. We hugged her and offered congratulations. Then, the five of us got in the car and headed back to Nha Trang so she could get to the passport office by 4pm and take the next step toward her new life as an American woman.

The post Women’s Work: A Vietnamese Love Story appeared first on EcoSalon.

VideoAdventurous travel, one dish at a time.

A two week trip in three minutes, this beautiful food-and-travel video by Perrenial Plate just might make you book a ticket to Hanoi.

As they put it, “WARNING: do not watch if you are hungry and are without easy access to Vietnamese food.”

A Taste of Vietnam from Daniel Klein on Vimeo.

We love the art of storytelling, so every weekend we bring you videos that have been making the rounds at EcoSalon. Enjoy!

The post Video: A Taste of Vietnam appeared first on EcoSalon.

If these photos don’t make you wanna quit your job and travel the world, we don’t know what will.

Asia’s diversity never fails to astound. Nowhere on Earth can you find a greater variety of cultures, languages, races, ethnicities, religions, climates, and geography. It’s mind-numbing.

These photos provide just a taste of what Asia has to offer. They’re also an important reminder of the need to protect what makes the world’s largest continent unique. Though the scenes depicted here may seem worlds away, our choices always have an impact wherever we may roam, reminding us to tread lightly.

(above) Penang, Malaysia

Bangkok, Thailand

Great Wall, China

Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh

Hong Kong

Polomok, Philippines

Bali, Indonesia

Maldive Islands

Nha Trang, Vietnam

Lhasa, Tibet

Huashan Mountain, China

Udaipur, India

Cassava farm near Luang Prabang, Laos

Bali, Indonesia

Singapore

Koh Samui, Thailand

Tokyo, Japan

Tainan County, Taiwan

Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Seoul, South Korea

Abseron, Azerbaijan

Busan, South Korea

Kampong Thum, Cambodia

Shanghai, China

Himalaya Mountains, Uttarakhand, India

Binh Thuan, Vietnam

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Meizhou, China

Koh Samet, Thailand

Dornogovi Province, Mongolia, from the Trans-Siberian Railway

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Ratchaburi, Thailand

Yangon, Myanmar

Eastern Vasayas, Philippines

Makalu Base Camp, Nepal

Kyoto, Japan

Taj Mahal, Agra, India

Elephant orphanage between Colombo and Kandy, Sri Lanka

Angkor Wat, Cambodia 

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The post 40 Gorgeous Photos of Asia appeared first on EcoSalon.

Seven photos to inspire your culinary travel adventures. 

Do you travel to eat?

That might be taking it a little far, but if you’re a food lover, culinary experiences probably make up a large part of your travels, from tracking down macaroons in Paris to pasta induced food comas in Italy to yak butter tea in Tibet. Ok, maybe less so on the latter.

In honor of all the good food we love to eat when we travel, and to inspire a little sense of wanderlust, this week we are bringing you some of our Foodspotting faves from around the globe, from Vietnam to Denmark.

Pho, Vietnam

Nutella Crepe, France

Chole Poori, India

Moroccan Pastries, Morocco

Strawberry Cake, Denmark

Chile en nogado, Mexico

Happy traveling and eating!

In Foodspotting Friday we highlight one of Foodspotting’s – or our own – top picks from our Foodspotting guides. Be sure to check them out and tip us off to your own favorites in our Readers’ Picks guide. Want to start spotting food on your own? Join Foodspotting and take part in the food spotting revolution. It’s visual, it’s positive, it’s global and we are in love with it.

Images: Bay Area Foodie, Thirsty Pig, ButtercupD, amits, charline, annemette, Aleito1

The post Foodspotting Friday: Globetrotter Edition appeared first on EcoSalon.

In southern Vietnam, the population depends on healthy farming for its livelihood, but several factors challenge that goal: discharged animal agricultural waste into open gutters and community waterways, as well as using traditional fuels  – such as wood and coal for cooking – which causes deforestation, hurting land productivity through drought, flooding and erosion.

The solution? Biodigestion, a method for treating animal waste to produce a  methane-based biogas that can be used for cooking or lighting. This source of clean and renewable energy aimed at helping some 50 families is being funded by people like you and I through Ecodana.

The San Francisco-based for profit social enterprise is seeking to better the lives of the poor in rural areas around the world by identifying and facilitating funding for sustainable projects in their communities. In terms of acquiring the biogas systems, the funds raised will cover the subsidy ($11) and training provided with each installation ($9) bringing the cost per family at $20.

Ecodana has a number of ongoing sustainable grassroots projects around the world, and depends largely on the internet to spread the word and get people involved.

Recycle Plastic to Fund Scholarships: In rural Vietnam, this program was set up to reward schools for raising the environmental awareness of theirs students by collecting plastic waste and recycling it. Over 100 million tons of trash accumulates in the country each year with only a small fraction being picked up.

Building Dry Composting Latrines in Guatemala and Cambodia: Coming to the rescue of families who mostly rely on Pit toilets – shallow holes in the ground that are breeding grounds for disease-carrying flies, parasites and other microorganisms that spread cholera, typhoid and infectious hepatitis. The latrines are ecologically-sound and in high demand in areas prone to flooding during the rain season.

Ecodana was founded by filmmaker and photographer Marc Henrich in 2008, who was raised in five countries and speaks several languages which helps his international awareness. The idea for these grassroots projects was sparked when he moved his family to Laos and became involved with Sunlabob, a renewable energy company.

In creating his global grassroots mission, he located various partners in the areas he is helping. They include Thien Chi (Goodwill), an independently operated Vietnamese non-profit organization helping with the agricultural projects; the Cambodian-based charity MaD; and the Asociacion Amigas del Sol, a multi-ethnic women’s organization promoting communities in the southwestern coastal region of Guatemala. The projects chosen are often overlooked by larger organizations as too insignificant, but they can make a big difference in lives, according to Ecodana.

“We believe these small grassroots projects can be hugely influential and deserve to be supported,” says Henrich. “By harnessing the power of technology, we can bypass the issues of large institutional giving and get people directly involved with grassroots projects anywhere in the world.”

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