I don't think most people realize how important Fair Trade really is. They think, "If I had enough money I would give to charity... maybe send money to a poor family in a poor country." What is Sally Struthers always saying? " For the price of a cup of coffee a day, you can make a difference in a child's life." Now that is literally true. When you buy coffee (or anything produced in a poverty stricken country) that is Fairly Traded you will be making tremendous differences in the lives of many children and their families.
Below is a series of clips brought to you by Oxfam. Each one is a powerful message on how the current (unfair) trade system has its effects on those in poor countries, and how Fair Trade can help.
October 16, 2009
For Just the Cost of a Cup of Coffee, You Can...
I'm a Master Naturalist and an outdoor enthusiast -- mostly kayaking, and I live on a Peninsula in the Chesapeake Bay. I'm the author of The Nature Fan, Nature Fan Activists, Green Earth Almanac, and Amanda's Geographic. Formerly, I ran the nationally syndicated column "National Green Activism" for The Examiner, and I was a key factor in the success of many campaigns. Make sure you don't miss a post, and subscribe by email! Thanks for reading.
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Thanks for sharing this. It's a great reminder that what we choose to buy really does make a difference...it's easy to forget that in day-to-day choices.
ReplyDeleteThat's right. It's possible that fairly traded coffee may cost more than regularly traded coffee. Why do you think that is? It's because the workers are paid fair wages and are able to support their family when otherwise they wouldn't. So... you basically are contributing to charity whenever you buy fairly traded anything. That's worth it!
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