Fair Trade rugs

Courtesy of RUGMARK Foundation, you can also get Fair Trade rugs.

It's a global nonprofit organization working to end illegal child labor in the carpet industry and offer educational opportunities to children in India, Nepal, and Pakistan. It does this through loom and factory monitoring, consumer labeling, and running schools for former child workers.

The house we just bought had this fairly new beige carpet in most of the house, but we also knew that hardwood floors lurked just underneath. A few peeks under the carpet showed thick, virtually intact boards. Carpet is nice, but not as nice as hardwood floors, so Foodgoat ripped off the carpet from the dining room. And what does he find? A great big paint spill in the middle, with lots of paint splatters all around the room.

Argh.

Foodgoat has already spent much time scraping off the paint with plastic putty knife, but the big white smear, which seems to be the result of stupid contracters trying to wipe up a spill, is still there.

Now I see why my parents always like to buy brand-new houses!