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Get Involved in Fair TradeFair Trade Gifts Give Twice!Fair trade gifts impress your loved ones and provide a decent living for artists in the developing world. When planning to give, think Fair Trade first. Find a variety of astonishing fair trade gifts throughout our site!Find a Fair Trade Store Near YouAnd visit them regularly to discover original handmade treasures that will give you a glimpse into different cultures around the world. For a list of fair trade stores close to your home, visit the Fair Trade Federation or Ten Thousand Villages. If you can't find one close by, there are plenty of online and mail order catalogs.Help Spread the Word!The Fair Trade movement is only few years old in the US but it is much larger in Europe and Japan. Lets not stay behind, let your friends and family know about it. But first you need to be informed. The Fair Trade Federation is a good place to get you started.Say No to Inhumane Conditions, Sweatshops and SlaveryAsk your favorite gift store, home décor, or grocery to carry Fair Trade products. Show them you care and that you want to know the products you buy from them are made under decent conditions by people who are paid fairly and not exploited.Even though most of us prefer not think about "sweatshops" or "child slavery", these things do happen and they are very real in many places around the world. Many products we buy every day have been made by people that can barely make a living. They have little hope of escaping poverty. Fair Trade companies work directly with the producers, guaranteeing that they are paid fairly so they can build a better tomorrow for their kids. Read more about the implications of the global economy and fair trade here. Enjoy a Cup of JavaAsk your favorite coffee place and grocery to serve certified Fair Trade coffee and many small farmers in tropical lands will thank you for that. Fair Trade coffee farmers use traditional and organic methods so their plantations are also environmentally friendly. Coffee farmers are paid a price that guarantees a decent living. As opposed to coffee traded on the commodity market where prices paid to producers are hardly enough to sustain a living. Visit the Fair Trade Federation to find where you can get Fair Trade coffee, chocolate, teas and other food products.Buy Organic BananasAs with coffee, organic bananas are grown in environmentally friendly and small farms as opposed to huge banana plantations owned by international corporations that pay less than minimum wages to their workers and use pesticides. They do cost a little more sometimes, but when possible, support your grocery efforts by saying yes to organic products.Learn More About Fair TradeRequest a copy of the publication "The Conscious Consumer - Promoting Economic Justice Through Fair Trade" by journalist Rose Benz Ericson through the Fair Trade Resource Network. This attractive 20 page booklet provides an in-depth exploration of Fair Trade and answers questions like: How does Fair Trade differ from commercial trade? How did it develop? How are producers in developing countries benefiting? How is the Internet revolutionizing Fair Trade? How can you become more involved?" |
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