Venezuelan consumers embrace all-natural, eco-friendly alternatives amid store shortages

[Bacchus4.0]

Source: AP

CARACAS, Venezuela — Cloth diapers, baking soda to make deodorant and vinegar to mop the floor. That's not the shopping list of an eco-friendly hipster, it's how an increasing number of resourceful Venezuelans are making do in a time of severe shortages.

With the South American country entering what looks to be a third year of empty store shelves amid a deepening economic crisis, Venezuelans are turning to old-timey, all-natural methods to replace their favorite products.

At a smog-choked makeshift market under a downtown overpass, street vendors compare their preferred method of keeping the insects away, now that DEET bug spray is all but extinct here. The matter has taken on new urgency as a painful mosquito-borne illness, chikungunya, sweeps the country.


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Home to the world's largest proven oil reserves, Venezuela is nothing if not a consumerist culture, despite the anti-materialist ideology proffered by the nation's 14-year-old socialist revolution. In the 1970s, Venezuelan shoppers in Miami earned the nickname "dame dos," Spanish for "give me two." And with the highest per-capita gas consumption in Latin America, the country isn't about to win any recognition for its environmentalism.



Read more: http://www.startribune.com/world/283296981.html

[hughee99]

1. And THAT, my friends, is how you polish a turd! n/t

[7962]

11. Man, I havent heard THAT in a long time!!! Thanks for the memories! nt

[FrodosPet]

2. The people in Venezuela are not living with shortages

They are pursuing a more Earth-friendly model of sustenance.

For example, the trees are full of leaves! So who really needs toilet paper when nature provides?

[jwirr]

3. We had better pay attention. Our shelves will be full but we will not be able to afford what is on

them.

Our attitude toward them is "the world's largest proven oil reserves" and no insect repellant to combat chikungunya. The first is why we do not help with the last.

[Bacchus4.0]

4. Venezuela isn't asking for our help, and we aren't offering.

The oil reserves are Venezuela's to manage. Currently, they are sending oil at discounts to Cuba and other countries, using it to pay off loans from China, and subsidizing it domestically where it is purchased at ridiculously low prices. None of these policies brings in revenue they need to develop non-oil industries domestically, or import food and essential items.

Thus, the people using their own resourcefulness for everyday needs.

[jwirr]

5. I am old enough to remember when Standard Oil (Exxon) owned Venezuela and their problems did

not originate with Chavez and socialism. And it just as bad then as it is today if not worse.

They may not be asking us for help but are they asking world health organizations? Do we have influence over these organizations?

I am sorry that I do not hate Venezuela but I have been watching us steel the resources of too many small nations not to be suspicious of our own motives right now.

[Bacchus4.0]

6. What motives? These are Venezuela caused problems

I don't know who Ven is asking for help for the current virus outbreak. Investigate that if you like. Cuba sends doctors to Ven for oil while the doctors are paid little and work and live in horrible conditions.

It is true that Ven history is repeating itself with its inability to move beyond reliance on oil. Chavez didn't do anything to correct that. When oil prices were high, any idiot could have run the country (other than Maduro). Things are good with high oil prices, very bad when they are low. Add to that the inept and corrupt government, and its worse than its ever been. I don't recall Venezuela being this bad ever. Maybe during the pre-oil era.

[christx30]

7. And a lot of those doctors have left Venezuela

and defected to the US and Brazil due to those conditions and poor pay. Can't say I blame them one bit.

[EX500rider]

13. "And it just as bad then as it is today if not worse." Actually, no.

A oil-exporting economy that is so badly mismanaged that real (inflation-adjusted) per capita GDP today is 2% lower than it was in 1970, despite a ten-fold increase in oil prices.

http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/venezuela-economic-underperformance-by-carmen-reinhart-and-kenneth-rogoff-2014-10#CpVeQJqlWD3zQc0E.99

[jwirr]

14. Back then it had nothing to do with how it was managed. It was who was taking all the profits. And

it was not Venezuela or their people. I am 73 years old, I remember further back than 1970. In fact in the 70s that is when Standard Oil started to realize that they could lose the who thing if they did not straighten out their act. As it turned out it was too little too late.

[harun]

8. 2 Minute Hate against Socialism has shown up on time.

Vive Venezuela! Vive Chavez!

[Bacchus4.0]

9. Re-useable tampons is what Che was fighting for!!!

Chavez muerto!!! Che muerto!!!

[snooper2]

10. oh no no no, this is a GOOD thing!

All natural baby-

Pretty soon people won't worry about shaving anymore-
No more bad chemicals in cabinets-
No GMO in food, fuck it, no food-
All education will be free, everybody gets home-schooled, home schooled doctors-


It's the dream coming true! Vive Maduro!

[7962]

12. Ahh, the hero worship of the brutal Ernesto Lynch begins!

Chavez was never able to achieve the same levels of brutality before his early death. Dont recall Chavez wanting to jail gays either. Or having women and children executed. But I'm sure if give enough time it may have been different.
But you keep up the cheerleading while the "revolution" crumbles into despair and anarchy in the next couple years!!