Green Tip #24

“Fair Trade--A Fair Deal”

It was hard to decide on a topic to write about this week.  With all of the extra holiday junk mail, one thought was to write an article on how to stop (realistically, slow down) junk mail. 

For the past two weeks I have been dealing with manufacturers on four faulty products for my business and family.  Two of the items were inexpensive and made cheaply.  The other two items were high-ticket items (around two years old) that should not have any problems.  With all of the phone calls and emails to the manufacturer, conversations with my spouse and time taken to meet someone on site to deal with the problem, 15 hours is invested to date.  A lot of family and work time depleted.  Since both of these topics are a bit frustrating and stressful, I decided to write about something that is much more positive and cheerful—Fair Trade.

In several previous articles I have mentioned Fair Trade and have briefly defined it.  There is so much to share about Fair Trade.  One article won’t do it justice, but will highlight some important features.

My first introduction to Fair Trade was about five years ago through organic Fair Trade coffee.  In a nutshell, I knew that I was making a very big difference by making a conscious decision to purchase organic Fair Trade coffee instead of regular coffee.  The Fair Trade coffee I purchased was grown in the shade where the coffee plant would naturally grow.  As a result it works with the natural ecosystem and leaves existing plants instead of clearing land just to produce more and make more profit.  Shade grown coffee preserves biodiversity as birds, butterflies and insects find their home in the vegetation.  The roots of the plants clean the water and prevent erosion.  By leaving the vegetation, carbon dioxide is reduced, as this is one of the primary jobs of plants.  Harmful chemicals are not used. In addition to the environment being better off, I also knew that the workers/producers were making a fair or living wage and they had good working conditions.  

Although my first encounter with Fair Trade was coffee, I have learned over the years that there are so many other Fair Trade goods that can be purchased such as tea, cocoa, vanilla, wine, sugar, honey, bananas, rice, jewelry, baskets, toys, clothing, footballs, cotton, furniture and more.  Gradually, I build my list of Fair Trade purchases. 

Fair Trade’s roots started in 1946 when Edna Ruth Byler, a volunteer for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), visited an MCC sewing class in Puerto Rico.  She discovered that the local women had a wonderful talent making lace.  Despite their hard work, they were in poverty.  She brought the pieces back to the U.S. and sold them, returning the money to the Puerto Rican women.  This was the start of Fair Trade.

For a lengthy definition of Fair Trade and details including facts and myths, visit www.FairTradeFederation.org.  In simple terms Fair Trade is a system of trade based on respect for worker’s rights and the environment.  Fair Trade is not a charity.  It is a holistic approach to trade and development that aims to alter the ways in which commerce is conducted, so the trade can empower the poorest of the poor.  Workers do not have to endure sweatshop conditions and they receive a living or fair wage as opposed to many traditional producers who often receive prices that are less than the cost of production.  Fair Trade cuts out some of the Middle Man, so the producers get more profit in their pockets.  Children’s rights are ensured.  Families and communities are better off. 

A couple of months ago, I wrote an article entitled, “Respect Goes A Long Way”.  This article discussed how our purchasing decisions affect people and places far away.  The concept of Fair Trade requires us to think and ask a few questions.  Who made or grew this product?  Whom did the production process affect?  What role can we as American consumers play?  Can you take the 5% Fair Trade Challenge (shift 5% of your budget to Fair Trade), or even 1%?