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Fair
trade has become a highly organized social movement and market-based
approach that was, in its conception, a framework to help small farmers
and producers of coffee, fruits, and durable goods in developing
countries, and promote sustainability.
Just
like the name would suggest, fair-trade is supposed to provide a "fair
price" as well as social and environmental justice for farmers and
craftsmen in areas related to the production of a wide variety of
goods. Fair-trade products are bought by corporations and wholesalers
from developing-country producers and in turn are sold in the markets
of developed countries.
For most consumers, a fair-trade label
means that the products they are buying have been purchased at a fair
price and are environmentally friendly. However, in some cases this is
not what is happening.
Despite all the good intentions of
consumers who have chosen to live up to their social convictions, they
really have no idea what percentage of their money makes it to the
people they hope to help. Critics of these fair-trade organizations
have found out that too many fair trade dollars wind up in the pockets
of certification organizations, wholesalers, retailers, middlemen, and
in some cases the nonprofit organizations who are supposed to be
helping these producers.
Coffee is one of the best examples of
the imbalance of prices paid to the farmer and the eventual cost to the
consumer. For example, a coffee farmer in Honduras sells a pound of
coffee for $1.26, just slightly higher than the commodity rate of
$1.10. The consumer pays a premium price of anywhere from $6 to $10 per
pound. Critics of these fair-trade realities question the disparity.
They also question the criteria governing certification of fair-trade
producers.
The Fair-Trade Labeling Organization, just one of
many, defines producer eligibility for labeling as: "…family farm that
is a part of a large democratic cooperative. Farms cannot be
“structurally dependent on hired labor,” which means that hiring even
one laborer year-round makes a farm ineligible for certification. Even
more controversial is the cooperative requirement. Rather than deal
with individual farms, the FLO exclusively certifies large cooperatives
composed of hundreds of small land-owning farmers, each with a single
vote on how to best spend the Fair Trade profits.
Despite the
veil of corruption and unfairness, there are communities and
individuals that have, and will continue, to build upon the core
principles of fair-trade. It is the responsibility of the consumer to
make wise choices and, when possible, work toward a fairer, fair-trade.
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Going
green has come to mean everything from buying compact florescent lights
to installing a solar array on your roof. Each brings its own set of
benefits and unique price range. A perfect time to begin your
transition to “green” is when home repairs and remodeling are needed.
And you don’t even have to spend a lot of money to transition from
products that are unsustainable and damaging to the environment to
those that have been made from recycled and/or are produced with proven
sustainable methods. But to choose your products, you will have to do
your homework. Identify your project, create a list of items needed,
and then research an ever-growing list of green alternatives. Review
the choices for a wide variety of recycled and environmentally friendly
products from local and chain building suppliers. This research can
most likely be done on the websites of these stores, which will save
you time and gas in the process.
Repair or Update Your Porch or Deck –
Look for a ‘green’ label on your lumber. The Forest Stewardship Council
approves wood products that are taken from a healthy forest by
identifying them with a green logo with their initials, FSC, and a
half-check/half-tree symbol. If you want a more worry-free deck or
porch, you will want to choose wood that has been treated to resist
insects and rot with a copper formula, ACQ, and not arsenic or chromium.
 New Floors –
There are several choices for new and durable floor coverings. Bamboo,
cork, and what is called ‘true linoleum' is three. Bamboo grows
profusely across the world and therefore is considered a viable
renewable resource. Cork flooring is a byproduct of the wine industry –
made from the wasted cork after wine corks are punched out. Both bamboo
and cork are durable, reduce noise, and are easy to maintain. True
linoleum is made from wood and cork "flour", limestone dust, rosin
(from pine trees), and colorants all mixed with linseed oil (from flax
seeds) and baked onto a jute backing. An acrylic sealant is added as a
topcoat. Presumably, when it's time to remodel, true linoleum can be
shredded and turned into compost.
New Countertop for a Green Kitchen –
Changing your countertop might not seem like a significant move from
conventional to green, but if you are considering a new one then you
should consider Paper Stone. Its name says it all because it is a
countertop created from recycled paper fibers and resin, but is durable
and heat resistant. It looks and performs like stone but doesn’t
require land-damaging quarrying.
Greening Your Bathroom – A
simple change of water fixtures in your bathroom can help to conserve
water use. Most households consume 75% of their yearly water intake in
the bathroom with showers, toilets, and sink. Simple steps don’t even
involve new fixtures, like turning off the water while shaving or
brushing your teeth. However, if you really want to reduce water waste,
replace worn shower heads with a low-flow or adjustable water head and
replace old toilets with full/half flush systems.
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How
many of us are dedicated recyclers at home – but think nothing of
tossing a plastic water bottle or aluminum soda can in the trash can
during a day at the park or pool? How many of us walk proudly
displaying our organic cotton t-shirts with slogans like “Save the
Rainforest” or “Love Our Mother” as we eat our lunch from a Styrofoam
container?
Media campaigns produced by any number of environmental groups, and now
mainstream news shows, have brought awareness of widespread pollution
in our oceans and inland waterways from plastics and other recyclable
materials we use and discard. Millions of tons of this debris are now
circulating out in the ocean being ingested by fish and ocean mammals
and causing more disease and death – exacerbating the pressure on these
animals from global climate change.
It
is fairly evident that recycling away from home is less convenient –
but should we take a “time out” from recycling and making good choices
when it is more difficult to do so?
There are ways in which to
avoid these decisions: carrying water or other beverages in bottles
from home, taking your cans and bottles home to recycle, choosing to
eat in rather than carrying out from restaurants, and taking dishes and
cutlery from home when attending picnics and potluck dinners. These
simple steps will help you reduce your carbon footprint and eliminate a
few more pounds of trash in our landfills and oceans.
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In This Issue:
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Updates from My Office
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Quick Tips
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Decline a receipt when using your ATM or buying gas at a pay at the pump station. You will save paper and clutter!
When
you find that towels, pillows, jackets, and blankets are too tattered
or stained to use or donate for resale, give them to your local animal
shelter. They are always in need of new bedding and towels for drying
animals after their baths.
Defrost food in your refrigerator
instead of on a counter or in the microwave. Takes a bit of
pre-planning but the upside is that it helps keep the temperature down
in the fresh food compartment and saves energy!
Get informed about environmental issues so that you can make the best eco-friendly decisions for yourself and your family.
Get involved in the environmental issues
that affect your community. Take action to establish sound practices in
your city, town, or county.
Use natural cleaning products made from plant-based, biodegradable ingredients like corn, coconut, and lemon.
Use Services like www.buymytronics.com, www.myboneyard.com, and www.greenphone.com that will recycle or refurbish your electronics, which keeps them out of landfills – and pay you in the process.
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