Consumer Stewardship

Politics, religion and social justice rarely see eye to eye but, through Fair Trade and a campaign called Fair Trade the White House, everyone can find common ground to work towards sustainability. While it’s convenient to take advantage of cheap prices, most would agree that that consumerism should not be at the expense of the environment, personal health or of humankind. This particularly puts consumers in an awkward position because the need of providing for family in the most economical way can take precedence over their conscience. In an effort to ease our minds, we break out our checkbook and donate to charity. While this may do some good, it doesn’t resolve the issue of conscientious living, nor does it come close to the familiar concept of “do unto others…”

Fair Trade offers a solution, allowing us to carry out our day to day lifestyle while positively affecting others at the same time. This practice of paying a sustainable wage allows us to be good stewards towards a better environment, healthier options for our body and greater social responsibility. If the solution is so simple, then what is keeping the phrase, “fair trade” from becoming a house hold name? Trade takes two. First, businesses have to offer something for the consumer to buy and second, the consumer has to choose to buy that product.

Currently, there are limited resources offered through the Fair Trade market and, while Americans love coffee and chocolate, we typically need more options to survive on a day to day basis (although, some caffeine addicts may argue). It’s for this reason that more and more business owners are taking the initiative to live and work ethically. In 2005, I, along with my husband and my twin sister, created Anti-Body (anti-poverty, beautiful body), a natural bodycare line, to make fair trade items more accessible to shoppers. Producing everyday products like soaps, lotions and lip balms with ingredients that have been traded fairly gives everyone another opportunity in the day to live responsibly. Now that there are fair trade options everywhere, from bodycare, to clothing and produce, Anti-Body initiated Fair Trade the White House, a campaign for organizations, vendors, churches and individuals who support fair trade to link arms and spread the message of sustainable living across the country.

Fair Trade the White House is an invitation to First Lady Michelle Obama to make her home a “Fair Trade home.” Regardless of political affiliation, this invitation allows Americans to voice their desire for ethical options and it also allows the White House to be a sounding board for fair trade. If the First Lady accepts the “Fair Trade the White House” invitation, the goal is to conduct a ceremony in May, 2010, “World Fair Trade Day.”

The concept of fair trade was started in the United States in 1946, yet the practice is still typically unknown. The beauty of fair trade is that it goes beyond organic – fair trade is fair to you, the environment and others. We can all do our part (just by shopping!) to make Fair Trade a house hold name. Fair trade is not a charity, it’s a lifestyle.

Shelby Moser is a Co-founder of Anti-Body (anti-poverty, beautiful body), an all-natural, fair trade body-care company based in California.

 

Sugarcoating Consumption

Newsflash: Cadbury to use Fairtrade cocoa in its Dairy Milk bar in the UK (Fairtrade–one word–is to the UK what Fair Trade–two words–is to the US).

This is big news. Enormous news. Cadbury Dairy Milk is the most popular chocolate bar in the UK. Thousands of Ghanaian cocoa growers will now be able to support themselves because of this commitment–literally tripling the volume of Fairtrade cocoa coming from Ghana.

Not to mention the pressure that this puts on other chocolate companies like Nestle and Hershey, both of which haven’t been exactly on the forefront of human rights. Even better news, big businesses are investing in Fair Trade all the time–Starbucks, Walmart and others have all started stocking fair goods.

So now we can start the day with a Fair Trade Starbucks coffee, go Fair Trade shopping at Walmart and nibble on some Fair Trade Cadbury and call it a night. This is as good as it gets, right?

Well, no.

And don’t get me wrong–if it is a choice between Cadbury selling Fair Trade chocolate or not, I of course would choose to have them do it. But let’s not confuse progress for perfection. Allocating funds to a humanitarian cause does not necessarily make a business humane. It is definitely a step in the right direction, but ultimately we should be looking for a world where all of the chocolate is Fair Trade, not just the product line of one of the big companies.

Another way to look at it: Which is better, a company that gives 1% of their spending to Fair Trade, or a company that gives 100%? Both are good, but the first one is a step in the right direction and the second is the ultimate ideal.

Consider one of Boston’s very own Fair Trade vendors, like the Haley House Cafe and Bakery (profiles of Boston’s Fair Trade hot spots coming soon!). In comparison to traditional businesses, shops like the Haley House put people as a first priority. Fair Trade coffee? Of course. Organic croutons? Why not! Employing people from transitional housing to give them a chance in this world? It’s only natural.

And this is the end goal that we have to set our sights on: individuals consciously supporting companies who protect the dignity of humanity, period. Businesses that buy Fair Trade not because it’s a good PR move but because doing anything otherwise is unimaginable. That is what we have to be working for.

In the end it is going to be the tiny, local coffee shops that will be making the enormous difference.

Tyler Sit is an intern for the Boston Faith and Justice Network. He is a student at Boston University and a candidate in the United Methodist ordination process.

 

Reflections of an Intern: Taking a Sip of Justice

On July 17, 2009 the Boston Faith and Justice Network (BFJN), one of several organization involved in the Fair Trade Boston campaign, once again united people for justice, this time with a screening of FLOW: For Love of Water. This documentary, which was shown at the Greater Boston Vineyard, was a wake up call for me–I had no idea the bottled water industry depended on such deceptive business practices and irresponsible stewardship of the land. And while the film was not specifically focused on the Fair Trade movement, it certainly joins Fair Trade in increasing awareness of how our everyday actions affect the lives of people on an international level.

Consciousness, after all, is the first step of change, and I could definitely hear the rolling thunder of change stirring in the basement of this church in Cambridge.

As the night began, I scanned the room with interest. How fitting to the BFJN model that a group of people–some Christian, some not; some social activists, some not–could all come together under the roof of the common value of human rights. There was a buzz in the air, and this stunning documentary was about to tap into it.

If you haven’t seen this movie, go out and rent it. FLOW’s poignancy comes in its stories. There are some stories of hope: a village in Kazakhstan that used traditional methods to irrigate and restore their barren lands, a grandmother in Michigan who brought together a community to stop Nestle from draining her lakes. Unfortunately, though, there are many more stories of exploitation: people in Africa drinking from polluted rivers because they can’t afford to buy into the privatized water system, people in India watching their farmlands being ruined by bottled water factory sewage.

After the movie finished we paused to reflect on what we just saw: How could something as basic as water be owned by a business? How could bottled water companies create an illusion of purity when their water is literally tap from the sink? How can I support a positive alternative to bottled water?

Fortunately for all of us, Corporate Accountability, Intl. (CAI), the founders of the Think Outside the Bottle Campaign, provided some direction. One of the representatives from CAI gave a talk-back after the screening, and we channeled our corporate disillusionment into individual empowerment. Through dialogue and collaboration, we all took personal steps to create change for our lives, our community and our world. Together, we:

• Signed a petition supporting Article 31, which urges the UN to adopt drinkable water as a tenant of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Pledged to withdraw our support from bottled water companies, such as Nestle or Coca-Cola. People decided to do this in a way that best for them–some promised to buy a water filter so they can flavor their tap how they like it, others said they would pass on drinking bottled water for six weeks or longer
• Bought our very own BFJN aluminum water bottles to fill and use as an alternative to bottled water
• Volunteered to be a part of the Think Outside the Bottle Campaign, a grassroots campaign launched to protect public funding for public water systems

This action, of course, is not the end of our commitment to justice but only the beginning. CAI will continue their campaign until bottled water companies stop exploiting the poor and the planet, just as Fair Trade Boston Campaign will continue to empower citizens of Boston to support positive change in their everyday consumption.

For more information about the Boston Faith and Justice Network, please contact Ben Cressy at bcressy@bostonfaithjustice.org.

Tyler Sit is an intern for the Boston Faith and Justice Network. He is a student at Boston University and a candidate in the United Methodist ordination process.

 

Shopping, anyone? FTB’09 presents over 15 vendors!

With only ONE day left till the big event on Saturday, get excited about being able to meet the numerous vendors and be able to to SHOP at Fair Trade Boston 2009! Here are a few…

Interrupcion: : “We are interrupcion, a stakeholder community that is working to build a sustainable future through responsible consumption, sustainable development, organic farming and fair trade.” They began in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2001 selling mostly candles and now have a huge collection of products, ranging from fair trade cherries and blueberries to fair trade chumichurri steak & vegatable sauce. Although they mostly sell in NY, if you are a MA resident and want to purchase something from them, go to “Cambridge Naturals” (www.cambridgenaturals.com). For more info on Interrupcion, visit their website: http://www.interrupcionfairtrade.com/index.php ANNNND definitely visit their table on Saturday!

Bikes not Bombs: “Bikes Not Bombs promotes bicycle technology as a concrete alternative to war and environmental destruction.”  They sell from 50 to 60 recycled and repaired bikes every day in Jamaica Plain in Bartlett Square. If you’re interested in learning about bike mechanics, you can even take classes with them for an extremely good price! You can also now take FREE summer classes with them if you want to learn about such topics like commuting in the city or fixing a flat tire…learn more about them on their website: http://www.bikesnotbombs.org/

 

Fair Trade Flowers: People are ALWAYS buying flowers..Birthdays, Graduations, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc. With the Fair Trade Certified label on your bouquet that you buy, you ensure that “flower workers, most of whom are women, can put food on their tables, send their children to school, invest in community development, and use sustainable farming methods” (http://www.transfairusa.org/content/flowers/). With Father’s Day coming up, you might want to stop by this table!

Remember, it’s not too late to RSVP to the event on Facebook (“Fair Trade Boston 2009″) or cancel all your other plans this Saturday Trust me, you won’t want to miss this!

 

Can Sports be Fair Trade?

Looking at the title of this blog, you might be wondering, “How in the WORLD can sports fall under the category of Fair Trade?!” Fair Trade coffee…got that one down…fair trade chocolate…yes please! Fair trade sports…how is that possible? Why wouldn’t it?

Fair Trade Sports (http://fairtradesports.com/) will be present at Fair Trade Boston 2009 as one of the vendors! Based in Seattle, WA, They are the FIRST company to bring North America sports balls that are certified green and certified Fair Trade. So now you can play soccer, basketball, rugby, volleyball, football and many more sports with fair trade balls! Take a soccer ball, for example, is made out of natural material. Do you know what this means? This means that the rubber that is used for the balls is literally tapped from a tree.  This means that when you purchase a Fair Trade Sports’ ball, you are making sure the workers are receiving fair wages for what they make.  In addition, FTS donates to kids’ charities, like Boys and Girls Club and Room to Read International  once taxes have been taken out. As a B Corporation, they “use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.”  Go Fair Trade Sports!

 

Fair Trade Boston 2009 will be having an awesome mini soccer match, so if you have kids, make sure to bring them to the event this Saturday for them to get all their energy out and run around with a Fair Trade soccer ball! They might not know the difference, but at least you’ll know that you’re helping other kids around the world by supporting their families! 

 

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE???

So have you ever seen any of these dance shows and said to yourself “I can do that!” I know I sure have. Have you ever wished you were there live? Well, you finally have an opportunity to witness all the action first hand. At Fair Trade Boston 2009, we will have premier dance crews. Come check out United Roots as they defy the laws of gravity while finding the beat in every note. This crew of b-boys and b-girls are insane!!! They have the hottest routine and even inspire the youth to break dance with their youngest member, Victor, being only 9 years old. Don’t let Vic’s young age fool you—he will do flips around any and all of the old school breakers—this kid is on fire!

Another interesting act at Fair Trade Boston 2009 is our step performance. “This Is Us” will be representing New England with their unique and eclectic step performance. Did you know that stepping is a dance tradition made popular by African American fraternities and sororities that involves a complex performance of synchronized percussive movements: singing, chanting, etc. It’s African lineage traces itself back to the “Gumboot Dance” which focused on precise foot movements and hand clapping. Check out 2 of the step team’s founders practicing some moves:

All I know is that the ”This Is Us”  is representing New England!

This is MUSIC to my ears…and YOURS

So once we get your adrenaline rushing at our show with such fabulous performances, we will play some of the best music on this side of the hemisphere. Join us as we enjoy tunes from BOSTON REBEL SOUNDS who masters anything in: Hip Hop, R&B/Soul, Dancehall, Reggaeton, Top 40, Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, and Cumbia.

TAKEOVER SOUNDS (http://takeoversound.com/) And if a little bit of African beats is more your style, prepare for Takeover Sounds to take over the party! They will be drumming to Haitian beats as well as performing a few reggae pieces. So, if your feet have been iching to dance—-Fair Trade Boston on 6/13/09 will not only show you how—but we will also play some of the hottest music that we will make a dancer out of you!!

 

It’s not just what you WEAR, it’s WHAT you wear

I have to admit that I love putting outfits together and keeping up with the latest fashion trends. Some people may thing clothes are just a superficial necessity, something that people just have to wear because of our culture and for sanitary reasons. However, I see it as an art that expresses who you are and is fun. Before I started interning for Fair Trade Boston, I had my own reservations about fair trade clothing because, honestly, I thought it couldn’t keep up with the latest trends. I had my own picture of what fair trade apparel looked like, but fortunately I discovered that I was wrong! Once I started researching different fair trade clothing websites, I learned that this is an industry that is progressing quickly and has styles to meet the needs of everybody: whether it’s classy and chic that you like or maybe you prefer athletic and casual or even urban and hippy! There’s clothing for children, teens and adults, males and females! The best part about fair trade clothing is that you’re helping the people who made your clothing by paying them a fair wage for the work they put into what you’re wearing! You’re supporting thier families and economies instead turning your eye to and ignoring sweatshops and chil labor. If you would like to learn about the various fair trade retailers that currently exist, you can do so in a very exciting and entertaining manner at Fair Trade Boston 2009…what can be better than a FASHION SHOW!!! Let me introduce you to some of the participants that will be displaying their clothes on our models:

Autonomie Project (AP): One of the main sponsors and organizers of FTB 2009, AP will be modeling their clothing, footwear and accessories. They are very unique in that they combine three important characteristics of ethical fashion: fair trade, eco-friendly AND vegan! They have a very hardworking crew that makes sure to stay on top of the most relevant trends that youth will want to wear! I love their mission: “To supply high-quality, stylish garmnets to consumers that seek to make purchases that align with their values without having to sacrifice their own personal style. All while making a positive social impact on our earth and raising awareness about today’s most pressing global issues.” So if you want the ultimate fair trade clothing experience, check them out: www.autonomieproject.com:

They offer sneakers with “custom screen painting and private label [s].” Check out the UK-based sneaker Ethletic at http://www.autonomieproject.com/footwear.html AP offers 9 styles of the ethical shoes along with eco-friendly flip-flops!

Other fashion retailers that will be represented at the Fashion Show include: Avatar, Amias, Fair Indigo, Kingdom Ventures and more! Don’t miss the most amazing Fashion Show on June 13th!!!

 

 

FTB 2009 presents Art for ALL ages

Regardless of your age or level of fascination of art, I am confident that you will find something artsy that will spark your interest at Fair Trade Boston 2009!

Artists for Humanity, one of our main sponsors and host, will be doing most of the art at the event. AFH has been around for almost 20 years now and has a mission to “provide underserved youth with the keys to self-sufficiency through paid employment in the arts.” Only five years ago, they moved into the Artists for Humanity Epicenter, which in 2005 was recognized internationally as “one of the twelve most environmentally sustainable buildings” and is currently the greenest building in Boston with its 100% renewable energy!  At AFH young urban teens are able to learn about social change and entrepreneurship through the creative arts by completeing a four-year program and learning from professional designers and artists. Sooo…we are extremely excited to have AFH doing a lot of the art at Fair Trade Boston 2009! Just to mention a few of the activities they’ll be putting on…

• Face Painting: If you haven’t gotten your face painted recently, decide what you want now because AFH painters will paint  it! (Butterflies, superheroes, animals?)
• Silent Auction: The youth have custom painted sneakers, produced by Autonomie Project (a fair trade fashion company and major sponsor…read more about them in our upcoming blog!) . Their inspirations vary from red hot race car driving to peaceful, serene symbols of love. If you win the shoe, your contributions support AFH´s mission.
• Fair Trade Boston goodie bags: individually designed goodie bags will be made once again by the talented AFH artists, so you can have a unique tote to put all the cool treats you pick up at the vendors!
• Sneakers and T-Shirts: we made sure to give you the opportunity to purchase the goods you see designed by AFH…and the best part is..nobody else will have the same thing because whether you buy a pair of sneakers or a T-shirt, it’ll be one of a kind.

Lastly, Spontaneous Creations will be bringing their very own STILT WALKERS!!! A community center that serves the neighborhoods of Jamaica Plain and Roxbury with art programs, dancing and music, Spontaneous Creations will add to the excitement of FTB 2009 with the talented giants!

So as you get greeted by the stilt walkers and pick up a goodie bag, enjoy your time shopping and observing the artists as they go all out on June 13th!

 

Food food food…we’re all about it at FTB 2009!

When it comes to food, EVERYBODY gets excited, right?! We spend so much time around the table, going out with friends to restaurants and cafes, looking up recipes, and preparing food. How could we NOT bring food to Fair Trade Boston 2009, especially when it comprises such a significant part of the Fair Trade movement. On June 13, you’ll get to meet many of the participants of the fair trade food industry, carrying everything from coffee and tea to smoothies and chocolate. Not only will you discover for yourself a new place to eat and shop, you’ll get to taste the food!

Here are a few organizations that will be participating in the event:

Equal Exchange: they will be serving a full mini cafe, where you can either stop by first thing to get energized before you visit the multiple vendors and watch all the festivities, or sip coffee while listening to Jonathan Rosenthal spea,k or simply just keep coming back for more coffee just because you love EE’s coffee (I think I might attempt to do all three!). If you haven’t familiarized yourself with Equal Exchange yet, visit their website: http://www.equalexchange.coop/

Harvest Coop Markets: If you’ve ever walked around Jamaica Plain or Cambridge’s Central Square, you must have noticed Harvest, because it’s always so fresh and vibrant! There are only two markets in the greater Boston area, but it’s worth the trip if you want “organic, natural, gourmet and conventional” food choices. They are another company who supports and sells certified fair trade products and care about environmental sustainability. I’m so excited to have them at Fair Trade Boston 2009 because for this event they are bringing a chocolate fountain with dipped bananas!!! (I think that’s at least one good reason to come to this event ) If you want to learn more about the Harvest and their products, visit their website at http://www.harvestcoop.com/

Boston Organics: they are a very unique company because they actually deliver fresh organic produce to their customers’ door: “We work directly with farms and wholesalers to deliver boxes of fresh organic produce to your door, year-round, on a weekly or biweekly basis.” (http://www.bostonorganics.com/ ) Their food comes from New England, California, Florida, Georgia, South and Central America (tropical fruits from the last two).  It’s ALWAYS fresh and of high quality, so you’ll never have to return any of the produce that’s delivered to your door. Come meet them in person at their booth at FTB 2009!

Veggie Planet: We’ve all heard of Veggie Planet, located in Cambridge’s Harvard Square. You’ve probably stopped for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner and are already making plans to go back. To quote the Patriot Ledger, “ Veggie Planet is out of this world. Who said that healthy, ethical eating isn’t fun?”

In addition to using only vegetarian ingredients, they “support local farmers, purchase organic ingredients when affordable, use organic dough from a nonprofit bakery doubling as a homeless service provider” and they give some of their profits to other organizations that support  social and environmental change.  For Fair Trade Boston, they’re baking fair trade brownies and banana chocolate chunk cake!  Yum.

Keep reading…we have more exciting updates to come!

 

Sneak Preview of Ida C. Benedetto’s Photo Essay!

At Fair Trade Boston 2009 you will have a wonderful opportunity to see Ida C. Benedetto’s photo essay!  This exceptionally talented photographer from Brooklyn, is also a researcher and media producer. Ida has interned at Magnum Photos, The Open Society, and Local Projects. Her international experiences include India, Guatemala, and Ethiopia and she uses ”visual media and digital technology to support storytelling, collaboration, and diversity.” 

Ida has exhibited her photo essay in various states and has had a huge success, drawing large crowds and stimulating great discussions. Titled, “From One Farmer To Another,” this collection includes the stories of Guatemalan coffee farmers and Indian tea farmers and their responses to each others lives in the form of images and handwritten postcards. From first-hand research, Ida was able to capture the daily struggles and hope that both these communities have and reveal the significance that fair trade has in their lives.

Visit Ida C. Benedetto’s 28 piece exhibit on June 13 at Fair Trade Boston and personally embrace the struggle and hope!