ABC's Sam Champion Touts 'Old Yogurt Cup' Razors; Fair Trade

ABC weatherman and liberal environmentalist Sam Champion touted "fair trade" products on Thursday's "Good Morning America," as well as recycled razors that he encouraged viewers to purchase of with this enticing visual: "Consider this to be old yogurt cups."

Champion opened the "Just One Thing" segment, an occasional part of GMA that allows the weatherman to push his environmental agenda, by enthusing, "And this morning, green your morning routine with some toiletries that actually work on fair trade issues and are made from sustainable materials." Champion never bothered to define fair trade or mention that it's a liberal economic policy that encourages inefficiency and the adoption of socialist-style economic policies.

Fair trade is the practice of paying a higher, more "fair" price for products such as coffee and bananas. The intention is to provide greater revenue for poor workers and farmers in developing nations. Of course, Champion made no mention of conservative criticisms of fair trade and the fact that the practice actually discourages innovation and competition. Chris Berg, of the Institute of Public Affairs, a conservative, Australia-based think tank, explained it this way:

The program carries a great deal of ideological baggage and fair trade certification is full of requirements that can limit economic development rather than encourage it. For example, to achieve certification, coffee producers are required to structure their organisations not as the small businesses that have been so successful in capitalist economies but as democratic worker co-operatives.

For fair trade advocates, the only way the developing world can compete in a global coffee market is by adopting the quasi-socialist communal structures that have constantly failed to compete in other industries.

There's also the issue of the massive free advertising that Champion provides during these segments. If any product is the slightest bit "green," it deserves minutes of free air time? However, the ABC meteorologist may not have done any favors for Crystal Rock deodorant. After claiming that it's free of chemicals and doesn't burn your skin, Champion allowed, "I'd just tell you, it didn't really work for me. All right, let's get over to the-- But that could just be my personal problem."

In the past, the GMA weatherman has fretted over whether or not "billions" will die from global warming and gushed over the beauty of "green weddings."

A transcript of the January 17 segment, which aired at 8:32am, follows:

SAM CHAMPION: This morning in our "Just One Thing," we love it when we can find things that we can pass along to you. And this morning, green your morning routine with some toiletries that actually work on fair trade issues and are made from sustainable materials. Now, I got note cards because we got a lot to get through here. We found this company called Lush, by the way. All of their packaging, recycled paper and reusable tins. One of the things we thought was great about this, [points to product] this right here is a shampoo bar. Instead of using liquid shampoo and all of the plastic bottles that never get recycled and always get made, you could use a reusable tin and a shampoo bar. Just suds up your hair without the products, by Lush. Another one, Method Products. They have a hand wash, lotion and a body wash. They are 95 to 99 percent natural without parabens. Parabens, I'm sorry, or other harsh chemicals. That's the chemicals we're really not sure we should be using anyway, but are in a lot of products. And these don't have those. Also, we-- This has been out for a long time, the Crystal Rock deodorant. And it is all natural. Again, it doesn't have the chemicals, the aluminum. And it doesn't have the alcohol in it that can be irritating to your skin. I know some people have tried it and it's worked for them. You might want to try it for a little while. I'd just tell you, it didn't really work for me. All right, let's get over to the-- But that could just be my personal problem. This, the shaver here is natural. It's actually made from recycled material. Consider this to be old yogurt cups. And that's what we're talking about, getting disposable razors to be a little bit more recyclable friendly. That's the kind of product we're bringing to you with green your morning routine.