There is a theme developing... Cheap rarely (hardly ever?) equates with ethical.
However cycling itself is a low material (metals/plastics/etc) form of transport, is highly maintainable, low emissions, and supports the local economy (bike mechanics and more).
http://pathlesspedaled.com/2011/08/economics-of-bike-touring/
Drifting back to the previous thread, I confess to preferring (for example) more expensive pumps with spares available (Topeak, Lenzyne and more) compared to the ultra cheap consumable varieties. Even if the initial manufacture proves equally unethical, at least the poor unfortunate will only need to make me one, rather than several.
Hmm, but then they'll be unemployed, so perhaps an ethically made consumable one would be better, but then that would be more environmentally problematic, unless it were also recycled, and then...
This stuff isn't easy to work through, and there are many more qualified on this forum to consider it than I!
Robert