In the wake of online activism, social media has become a prominent tool in spreading awareness through videos, graphics and even articles. Online platforms, such as Instagram and Twitter, have proven to be quick and effective ways for younger activists to mobilize. Recently, posts containing facts about poverty in Cuba have been circulating on apps. However, alongside important information, many can also misconstrue the truth on the internet. Through the examination of the validity of some popular online claims, one can differentiate the myths from the facts about poverty in Cuba. Here are five myths and facts about poverty in Cuba.

Myth: Salaries in Cuba do not exceed 1,000 non-convertible pesos a month.

Many rumored 1,000 CUP, which is the equivalent of $37, to be the top-ranking salary for Cuban professionals in an Instagram post. Although there are contradictory claims about Cuba’s median monthly earnings, a recent Havana Times article reported a national wage increase in 2019. The change could bring an 18% increase in the median monthly wage to combat international trade blocks. The Cuban government is also increasing the salary of professors to 1,700 pesos and government journalists to about 1,400 pesos.

A virtual interview with a Cuban native and Havana resident, Claudia Martínez, confirmed this wage increase. Martínez, who works as a historian at the University of Havana, has claimed that “The median salary of a Cuban is 400 to 500 pesos, a bit more now with the salary augmentation that they did. For example, I used to earn 530 CUP which is equivalent to 21 [U.S.] dollars or CUC monthly. Now, I’m earning 1,500 pesos which is equivalent to 60 CUC[…]”

Fact: Oil sanctions are devastating Cuba.

Amidst a political clash between the U.S. and Venezuela, the U.S. Treasury has sanctioned four companies transporting oil from Venezuela to Cuba. Cuba is now experiencing a shortage of petrol due to these sanctions.

Food production and public transportation have seen major cuts following the deficit. Factories have also shortened work hours as a way to conserve the island’s petrol supply. Cuban citizens fear that the oil shortage will eventually lead to mass power outages.

U.S.-Cuban relations have historically been rocky. However, development in economic partnerships has sprouted programs that bolster a positive relationship between the two countries, such as the Cuba Project by the Center for International Policy. Backed by a code of ethics, the project aims to facilitate sustainable business practices by Cuban citizens to uplift communities out of poverty while being environmentally conscious.

Myth: Stores are not accepting the national currency.

Cuba’s economic system uniquely includes two currencies: the national coin that people know as CUP and a convertible currency that is compatible with the U.S. dollar called CUC. In July 2020, the Cuban government opened stores that solely run on foreign currency as a way to generate revenue and fund social programs. The government stated that despite this addition, regular stores will continue to accept CUP and CUC for the public.

Martínez detailed the function of these MLC stores which stands for “Moneda Libre Convertible,” or freely convertible currency. She differentiates these businesses from regular stores stating, “In [MLC] stores, there are products that are normally expensive in other stores.” Martínez continued stating that “For example, [MLC stores] carry a 20-liter tank of cooking oil that costs 40 dollars, but other stores don’t carry this because it’s more expensive and it’s not what the average person consumes. But that they don’t accept national currency is not true. In fact, I went and bought cooking oil with national currency at the stores just the other day.”

Fact: There is product scarcity on the island.

With the harshest economic obstructions the country has seen as of late, Cuban citizens are seeing a lack of certain consumer products. Food and hygiene products, such as meat, cheese, soap and toothpaste, are hard to come by. These shortages will likely escalate if trade blocks do not disappear soon.

Caritas Cubana is a nonprofit organization that aims to help Cuba’s most vulnerable populations during times of crisis. In 1991, the Catholic Church established the organization, and its influence has been notable. A Boston-based sister organization called Friends of Caritas Cubana popped up in 2005, growing to be the largest international donor for the charity. With the help of donations from Friends, Caritas Cubanas was able to serve 48,153 people in 2019 with programs for senior citizens, children with disabilities, HIV and AIDS patients as well as those catastrophic natural disasters affect.

Myth: Boycotting the country will end economic injustice.

Tourists have wondered if avoiding politically-fragile countries, like Cuba, will help resolve corruption within the government. A recent Instagram post has reflected this belief of government exploitation.

However, studies show that tourism in Cuba “has the potential to help raise national incomes, increase employment in well-paying jobs, and contribute to Cuba’s greater participation in the world economy.” Considering tourism is one of the country’s most concrete methods to alleviate poverty, it should receive protection.

If tourists have any ethical reservations about visiting Cuba, there are alternative measures that one can take, such as boycotting government industries while traveling. By strictly consuming products and services from local businesses and avoiding extravagant resorts, visitors can invest in citizens while still getting to experience Cuba’s allure.

Usually, local tour guides are hard to come by without personal recommendations. However, the website Toursbylocals.com allows tourists to book private guides while traveling. This is a great start to developing local connections in Cuba so travelers can attend the best restaurants, boarding houses and other locations without government ties.

Exercising Caution When Reading Social Media

Avid social media users should be wary of the framing and intentions of online infographics. With a long history of unresolved political unrest, Cuba has been a target for other states hiding under the veil of “national security.” However, action against poverty is necessary despite political differences.

Generally, the recent global events have made the public more impressionable than ever, so caution is essential when interacting with posts. Users should review other media outlets to get the real facts about poverty in Cuba.

– Lizt Garcia
Photo: Flickr

The ability to reuse a product over and over again can have a huge impact on financial savings for an individual. If all people living below the poverty line were to do the same, it could greatly improve the lives of poor communities in multiple countries. William McDonough realized the incredible power of implementing this capability and called it “upcycling.” Upcycling aims to make this capability a reality for all production processes. The goal of upcycling is to eradicate the “cradle-to-grave” system of designing products and create a “cradle-to-cradle” process, where designs can be used again and again.

Co-founders of the McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC), Michael Braungart and William McDonough, conceptualized the Cradle-to-Cradle design philosophy as a solution to this problem. They outlined this model in their book Cradle to Cradle (2002) and updated it in their book The Upcycle (2013).

The authors think the most necessary change for all corporations is transitioning out of a Cradle-to-Grave philosophy. This methodology for design and processing creates significant negative output. According to the book, The Upcycle, there is no grave in a Cradle-to-Grave iterative process; there are only “landfills and incinerators” (McDonough and Braungart, 2013).

Manufacturer Involvement

During their research, Braungart and McDonough considered that manufacturers may be less opposed to improving the environment than as initially expected. However, the co-founders believe that significant change is possible if at least one individual crafts and proposes a strategy for change, no matter how minimal.

The founders realized that if product creation processes are able to create less waste and contamination, then waste reduction becomes a non-issue. They believe that the focus should not be on curtailing consumption or telling people what not to do. Instead, it should be on how action can be rooted in work that provides a better environmental future.

Company involvement in these solutions is far from impossible, and with brands like these, who continuously work ethically to fight poverty, the future for manufacturer participation looks bright.

Upcycling Removes Toxic Substances

Terry Pratchett’s theory of socioeconomic unfairness investigates the difficulty of impoverished individuals to buy expensive long-lasting products. Upcycling endorses that perhaps items that are forever reusable can be affordable and safe to use. In an interview with The Borgen Project, former Senior Chemist for MBDC, Howie Fendley described how his team worked to remove toxins from production companies they served as consultants for. He explained that his team often worked to present a design for continuous improvement, a method utilized throughout the MBDC.

With ongoing iterations, they were able to reimagine chemical substitutions for various products. For example, they consulted for a company called Shaw Carpeting and decided to use thermoplastic polyethylene instead of PVC. While the original PVC often clogged the machines used to recycle different types of carpet, this alternative does no such thing. This enables the recycling process to occur, perfectly demonstrating the purpose of upcycling.

According to Anne Gullingsrud’s book, Fashion Fibers: Designing for Sustainability, this toxin-removal process is particularly impactful for individuals who work in the garment industry (Gullingsrud, 2017). Gullingsrud addresses a wide array of ways to implement this concept in the garment industry in her book. She reviews a wide variety of fibers, including silk, cotton, and manufactured fabrics like polyester. She also proposes ways to implement the upcycling process and remove the toxic chemical scouring processes, both of which are necessary to assist those living in poverty.

Removing bioaccumulative toxins is incredibly helpful to garment workers living below the poverty line. It prevents avoidable diseases and illnesses that emerge with toxic cleaning and bleaching chemicals, many of which excessively impact people living in poverty.

Upcycling Reduces Poverty

Because low-income individuals are often the ones handling the clothing used in fast fashion, they often face the most adverse effects of it. Many impoverished communities are sought out as areas for companies to find relatively inexpensive labor, such as how certain companies view Ethiopia as a prime labor location. This perpetuates the cycle of poverty, as these individuals never earn a high enough wage to be able to escape poverty.

Furthermore, climate disasters disproportionately impact low-income individuals. Flooding, wildfires, and droughts ultimately affect the people who cannot pay to have resources imported or be evacuated. Upcycling provides a means through which governments, corporations, and individuals can help mitigate disasters that disproportionately impact vulnerable communities.

If upcycling becomes common practice among corporations, sustainable products will undoubtedly become cheaper. There will also be decreased demand for fast fashion, which uses unethical practices for its labor sources. Fendley explains that “the cradle to cradle methodology is good at measuring sustainability, but until there are global mandates to implement it, it will be hard to move out of the corporate sphere and into the lives of individuals.” However, it is possible that through the normalization of the practice, we can move away from the unethical aspects of fast fashion. This is a key step in addressing the disproportionate impact of fast fashion on those living in poverty.

Upcycling has a powerful influence at an individual level, but the possibilities for strong global impact are unlimited.

– Hannah Bratton
Photo: Flickr