“This is the kind of fast day I’m after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’
(Isaiah 58:6-9, The Message)
Additional Readings
From Simply in Season : “Justice, Java, and Hurricane Mitch” (2005 p. 270 / 2009 p. 284); “Spending the extra dime” (2005 p. 239 / 2009 p. 285).
Guest Post
This week’s guest post is by Donielle, who blogs at Naturally Knocked Up
In the most basic sense, Fair Trade is an organized social movement that helps growers and farmers, in developing countries, obtain fair wages. (To find out exactly how the monies for regularly traded coffee beans is distributed, go check out this interactive tool and try and figure out where the money goes! I’m pretty sure you’ll be as surprised as I was!)
And yet it is much more than just a fair price! Farmers who become part of the Fair Trade certification enjoy the freedom of association, safe working conditions, and forced child labor is prohibited (many of the growers are families and children have been known to work on the family farm – just like here in the U.S.). They are also able to trade directly with importers which eliminates unnecessary middlemen and helps the growers establish great business skills. And beyond the farmers direct benefits, both Genetically Modified Crops (GMOs) and harmful agrochemicals are strictly prohibited which promotes environmental sustainability and protects the farmers health for years to come.
In addition, farmers must also invest some of the money they earn in community projects within their own neighborhood. So the farmer wins and the community they are a part of win as well.
Where can you find Fair Trade items locally?
Fair Trade covers a wide range of goods, from foods like coffee, tea, chocolate and bananas, to handcrafts like clothing, households, and decorative arts. You can find certified Fair Trade items within many stores now a days and while local health food stores seem to carry to most variety and quantity, even supermarket chains have begun to sell at least fair trade coffees and chocolate. While this list contains national store chains, it will give you an idea of what to ask for/look for in your own town.
But is this what we are limited to? What about products that don’t have to be imported?
Beyond the logos and symbols of Fair Trade certification are the artisans and farmers within our local communities. In today’s world economy, where profits rule, small growers and crafters are left in the dust while large corporations take over. Many have found it impossible to start their small business or they have to soon shut down for lack of profit and the resources available to large companies are not available for them. It’s important to buy certified Fair Trade imported items, but just as important to buy “Fair Trade” when shopping locally! The money you use to purchase local goods, goes directly to the producer. No middle man is involved to take their share.
- LocalHarvest. Search for local farmers markets to keep the money within your community! Here in Grand Rapids, MI we have over 30 farmers markets within the city and it’s outlying areas. Many of these markets offer everything from hand made goods like jewelry, clothing, and beauty products, to fresh vegetables, meats, cheeses, and baked goods.
- Etsy! A great way to find crafters and you can select a city in which you want to search for goods.
- Local craft sales. Everyone has seen ads and posterboard stapled to telephone poles advertising craft sales! These sales are a great way to get out and spend money locally and support the crater directly!
- Locally owned stores and boutiques are great sources of different local products. Here in GR, we have a few shops that specialize in locally made goods – one of them being Hopscotch childrens store.
- Food Co-ops are also good resources for Fair Trade items.
- The Ten Thousand Villages Site includes different locations for finding fair trade items.
Ethics
So we’ve talked a bit about what Fair Trade means and where you might be able to find it, what is the true reason we might want to take the time, and sometimes spend a bit more money, to find and buy fair trade products?
We are called to action.
Proverbs 31:8-9 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
James 2:17 – In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
We are called to give.
Deuteronomy 15:7-11 You should be happy to give the poor what they need.
We are also called to love.
Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
God is the God of the poor, just as He is God of the rich. He cares about the growers and artisans working for a pittance of pay while the companies at the top of the chain become wealthier. We are to take care of the poor both locally and globally.
This Week’s Challenge
Questions for Reflection (share your response below for any one of these for an entry in this week’s drawing) ?
- Share whether you currently buy fair trade items. Why or why not?
- How does fair trade fit into an overall ethic of basing one’s diet on local, seasonal food? Does the fair trade label automatically make something a wise choice?
Challenge to Action (post on your blog and add a link below to the specific post about this challenge or post about it in a second comment below before Friday for an additional entry into this week’s drawing).
- Try one new fair trade product and share your experience – how did you find it, why did you choose it, and did you like it?
- Find a fair trade store in your community. Visit it, and share your impressions.
The prize: This week I’m giving away a set of three small wooden bowls that I bought in Uganda from a women’s artisan co-op. Aren’t they cute?
The winner this week was Jen who blogs at The Big Binder.
Nicely done! For only the second time in this series, I am not too confounded by the issues to make a coherent post out of my thoughts. Unfortunately, I am between blogs this weekend, so I’ll be back with a post about Fair Trade.
I buy local, seasonal fruits, veggies and even meats, but I do need to educate myself more on other products.
I buy locally whenever possible and feel buying american is very important.
Good point, but I just can’t give up my coffee, vanilla, tea, and other items that we don’t make in the U.S.
I do and buy fair trade items when I can – I find some great options at Whole Foods. However, I don’t think that just because an item is fair trade means I should buy it. I have to consider whether or not I actually need it and if the price is reasonable as well.
If it isn’t available locally, I buy fair trade where I can.
These bowls are lovely items that come under the fair trade rules and help undeveloped countries make the jump to notable.
Have always bought locally at farmers markets and grew up hleping my Dad with our family garden, now I help my son with his garden. It does not take acres to grow a lot of good food for a family. When I was a kid so much food was called seasonal because it was only available at certain times of the year because of distance but modern transportation and refrigeration has solved those problems but I find that food that has been trucked across the country just isn’t worth the money so I still am a buyer of local foods in season and I freeze much of that which I buy. I buy fair trade because if offers me products that I cannot get anywhere else or that are way overpriced in specialty shops. I don’t mind paying a good price for an item but when you add a store profit on someone else’s labor that isn’t fair.
I definitely do buy fair trade items, but I don’t always find them. If there is a choice, I will always buy the fair trade option.
I currently do not purchase fair trade items because it is hard to find availability of them in my area. I do think the concept is great though.
I don’t know much about fair trade items, but I always wanted to learn more about it.
I buy at local markets, and on etsy.
I make an effort to buy fairtrade. Indeed my favorite chocolate is now proudly fairtrade. YAY!!!
If I understand it correctly, Fair Trade means the producers, growers, pickers et al, all receive a fair living wage for their product. Like the others posters, I try to buy locally produced products. If I see a Fair Trade announcement, it is a positive in relation to buying the product. However, if the cost of the product is higher, far and above the competitive products, I may not necessarily buy it.
I PREFER TO BUY FROM LOCAL ARTISTS EITHER AT FAIRS OR FESTIVALS – THESE BOWLS ARE AMAZING!!
I don’t because this is the first time I’ve heard of it.
I do not currently buy fair trade items. At least I don’t seek them out (I might have purchased some unknowingly). Honestly, I just haven’t given it much thought. I am always looking for healthy items for my family. I do like the fair trade philosophy though so I will have to keep a lookout for those items and see how they fit into our lifestyle.
I buy locally as much as it can fill my needs…
I buy at local shops and farmers markets as much as possible. Know where things come from and what’s in it is very important to me. Thanks.
The hubby and I tried fair trade coffee recently. And then on a trip to Honduras visiting a friend, we were able to hike to and visit with a coffee farmer that uses sustainable practices. We really enjoy supporting local peoples in every way we can! We like to shop local when it comes to produce, but fair trade is good when buying exported products (like coffee!)
There are some things I buy that are Fair Trade–coffee is one of them. While buying locally is the best policy, it is not always possible. California grows a lot of things, but last time I looked things like coffee, tea, coconuts, pineapples, etc. are not among them. And, of course, handwork and crafts are unique to the culture, and can be found nowhere but where that culture exists. We can live without these things, but life is richer with them. With a Fair Trade label you can feel some confidence that the people that produce them get enough out of their work to put food on the table and, hopefully small children working 12 hours a day in a dark factory somewhere had no part in making them.
By the way the bowls aren’t cute, they are beautiful.
My daughter started buying fair trade items at Whole Foods and has convinced me to do the same.
Yes I do buy fair trade as often as possible. I love 10,000 villages for their fair trade stance. I try to get fair trade for bananas and chocolate and other products as I see them.
I have not bought fair trade items yet
We try to buy fairly traded coffees, teas, sugars, and chocolate. I find the chocolate to be the most difficult because it is incredibly expensive and when you eat it fairly often that adds up!! This is a good reminder that I should not buy fair trade only when it’s convenient for me but need to make it more of a priority as I think through where my money actually goes when I buy something! We have also been buying more gifts (and making some) in order to be able to support local and individual artists and crafters.
I do try to find fair trade items but sometimes they are hard to find. Produce and other perisibles I buy at the local farmers market. When traveling I always prefer to shop the locally made items rather than the touristy items stamped with the name of the place but who knows where it comes from.
That is so funny but so true! They always have the same items at each tourist trap, just different names imprinted LOL.
I linked back here with my Why Local? Wednesday post…great topic and article this week (yours, that is!)
I try to implement fair trade items, but it’s sometimes a challenge to find a dealer locally to carry a wider variety of items. I am sort of a one-stop-gal and hate it to make a stop just for one item.
I don’t because I have no idea where to get fair trade items in the sticks.
We do not drink coffee, so we don’t have to worry about that. But this year we have really tried to only buy fair trade chocolate. We’ve slipped a few times (cheap chocolate is hard to resist sometimes) but the quality is always better with fair trade. We’ve also been trying to make our clothes or buy secondhand this year too. This was a great post – thank you!
Fair Trade items are becoming easier to find because they are labeled and promoted. But there is a lot more education to be done. I find that blogs are opening up our eyes and awareness. We buy coffee from Green Mountain Company .
I buy locally as much as possible – our needs are small so we’re not rabid consumers. I also give locally, both in goods and in time.
I buy locally as much as possible and joined a local CSA last summer, it’s so nice to have fresh produce throughout a lot of the year that I know where it came from. I also buy Fair Trade products whenever I can, especially things like coffee and tea from countries where many workers are exploited.
I like to support local entrepreneurs. The bowls are quite lovely.
Yes, we have been buying fair trade items for several years – particularly from local farmers markets. Not only does it help promote the economy of our community, we have family ties within the farming industry and besides, there’s nothing like fresh produce! 🙂
I have been looking more into fair trade items, especially coffee.
The only fair trade items I’ve
ever used were Chocolate and coffee that I can recall off hand but I need to get into this more actively. It’s a system we can all profit and live by for sure if you ask me.
we try to buy locally…living in so cal we have alot more opportunities to do so
I buy fair trade when I have the option. Also, I have participated in co-ops to buy locally grown and seasonal organic food.
As a vegan we tend to buy mostly fair trade items and local items. There are of course, exceptions and times we are not certain in life but we do our best!
the only thing that is fair trade that i buy is coffee. I feel like i should only buy fair trade but i haven’t made the leap yet.
I buy foods from a local market. I’m not really aware of anything I have bought that is fair trade. If I was given the choice of items I would buy fair trade.
Well, I’m of many thoughts on this- We try to buy fair trade when possible and have a great world market in Little Rock, as well as some fabulous online shops we frequent, but I believe that we should support global efforts as well as local. We ALL need to get by in this world, and I know that there are times my money is better spent on something NOT made locally.
Whenever we can get good locally produced fruits and veggies and whatnot we do, but I like to buy things that just aren’t grown or made here. I think we hit a pretty good balance- one we are comfortable with, and that is what we all need to do, whatever that means to us.
That being said, when the prices are more than quadrupled and I have a family to take care of and bills due, it is not always feasible.
The bowls are absolutely gorgeous, btw.
the bowls are beautiful. i buy from local grocers, farmer’s market.
I do try to buy fair trade but admit to sometimes being confused about what is and isn’t fair trade. Those are GORGEOUS bowls. Beautiful craftsmanship from the people of Uganda. Thanks.
I recently discovered an ebay website called World of Good that showcases fair trade items from around the world. I’ve made some purchases from them. I love the idea of locally created items that showcase ethnic or geographical specialties. Thanks.
I don’t buy fair trade items because I don’t know where to go for it locally. I think buying locally grown food is very good for everyone. It boosts the economy where you live and it’s much healthier to eat foods that are in season.
I do not because I’ve never heard of this product
I buy fair trade when I can a lot of time it comes down to cost, but I do try and would like to more.
I don’t buy fair trade items. It is difficult to find fair trade items here. It seems the campaign hasn’t reached here.
I did a post, it’s a review of Green Mountain Fair Trade coffee here: http://www.thebigbinder.com/?p=2157
I don’t know if I do or not. I purchase a large variety pf products and haven’t looked.