We hope that you had as much fun as we did eating Fair Trade bananas, hosting movie screenings, baking delicious Fair Trade goodies, recycling Halloween costumes, and giving out Fair Trade chocolates.

We especially liked Equal Exchange’s video about the Potong Cooperative Tea Garden in India. With your help, Equal Exchange was able to donate 10,000 tea bushes to farmers in India.

If you haven’t taken advantage of our Fair Trade Month promotion, sign up now! Join Global Exchange for $35/year and we’ll send you a gorgeous customized Global Exchange tote bag from Handmade Expressions women’s cooperative in India, a No-Nonsense Guide to Democracy, Globalization or International Development and a bag of Equal Exchange chocolates!

Also, celebrate Dia de los Muertos and honor loved ones. Get tips on how to Build Your Own Fair Trade Dia de los Muertos Altar.

Happy Fair Trade Halloween!

P.S. Check out our Halloween staff picture on Facebook. It’s a hoot!

Our 31 Days of Fair Trade has begun!

Have you heard? Global Exchange along with our friends at Equal Exchange and Green Halloween have set up 31 days of fun ideas and activities (and a contest!) that will have you eating Fair Trade bananas, hosting movie screenings, baking delicious Fair Trade goodies, recycling Halloween costumes, and giving out Fair Trade chocolates to trick-or-treaters.

So far so good!

So far this month, we’ve had folks getting in the Fair Trade habit and watching a movie about Potong Cooperative Tea Garden in India. (With every viewing, Equal Exchange is donating a tea bush to farmers in India.)

And we’re just getting started…the month has barely begun, so there’s lots of actions still ahead to look forward to. Let’s take action together.

Here’s how to TAKE ACTION:

• Check out the calendar of 31 Days of Fair Trade Action activities so you can take action daily to support Fair Trade
• Visit FairTradeHalloween.org for the whole list of actions
• Follow us on twitter @GXFairTrade or on Facebook where we will deliver your daily action each morning at #fairtrade31.

Looking forward to taking action with you.

For 31 days we’ll set out fun ideas and activities (and a contest!) that will have you eating Fair Trade bananas, hosting movie screenings, baking delicious Fair Trade goodies, recycling Halloween costumes, and giving out Fair Trade chocolates to trick-or-treaters.

So Oct. 1st, check out our website for the whole list of actions, or follow us @GXFairTrade or on Facebook where we will deliver your daily action each morning at #fairtrade31.

We’re thrilled to announce that Equal Exchange is selling organic milk chocolate minis and organic dark chocolate minis in bulk, so this Halloween you can support cocoa farmers (including children!)  by passing out delicious, socially responsible chocolate to trick-or-treaters. Equal Exchange will be taking orders starting October 1st.

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Also, consider joining me at the second National Fair Trade Campaigns Conference Oct 26-28! Fair Trade enthusiasts from all over the country will come together to share experiences and resources, sharpen leadership skills, and build momentum for Fair Trade. Register for the event.

Looking forward to working with you to Fair Trade your Halloween!

Check out our website for the whole list of actions, or follow us @gxfairtrade or on Facebook where we will deliver your daily action each morning at #fairtrade31.

This is a re-post of a blog from November 12, 2011when Equal Exchange staff Beth Ann Caspersen and Lynsey Miller visited coffee producers in Uganda.To read more about their travels, visit Equal Exchange’s blog series.

Portrait of a Gumutindo Coffee Farm

Lynsey describes walking through a coffee farm on their fifth day:

 Looking Up

There is so much to take in on Jennipher’s small farm in Nasufwa. Banana trees tower above us, as if keeping watch over the activity below. The bunches of bananas are still to green, not yet ready for harvest to sell, not yet ready to mash into matoke and enjoy.

Eye Level

The coffee trees look good, the first red cherries will soon be picked. Many more green cherries will ripen in the coming weeks. We pass an older coffee tree and Beth Ann and Jennipher talk about options for replacing this old tree with a new seedling. A new tree will produce at least three times the coffee that this aging tree is mustering, but there is a trade off: the seedling will take a few years to get to that peak level of production. When is the right time to cut your losses on the aging tree, forgoing its small harvest for several years of no harvest, but knowing you’re investing in a better future return? Every decision on this farm is thoughtful.

Waist High

I keep bumping into this intriguing plant. Its giant leaves sway slowly, and this morning’s rain still clings to it. I am surprised to learn that it’s a yam plant. What a showy display for a root crop.

Down Low

At first glance the lower plants look like a chaotic array of tropical weeds. Of course that isn’t so. A patch of chard is to the right, beans climb to the left. Just visible through the branches of the coffee tree is a patch of brown the size of a small room. The lumpiness of this unassuming plot is a giveaway for the potatoes growing underneath.

The Soil

The ground itself gets as much attention as the plants that sprout from it. Jennipher composts her family’s food waste. She has a trench to capture soil during floods, to later redistribute it instead of losing it. She has a whole system for turning her cow’s manure into organic fertilizer.

The Sounds

I’ve never strolled through a coffee plantation, where rows and rows of coffee are all that the eye can see. I’m told they are silent, devoid of animals, birds, and even of most insects. This farm is raucous: cows are braying, birds are chirping, bugs buzzing and – best of all – the family who lives on this farm tells us all about it, proudly.

TAKE ACTION!

Join Global Exchange for $35/year and we’ll send you a gorgeous customized Global Exchange tote bag from Handmade Expressions women’s cooperative in India, a No-Nonsense Guide to Democracy, Globalization or International Development and a bag of Equal Exchange chocolates!

Pullman strikers outside Arcade Building in Pullman, Chicago. Source: Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project.

The history of the labor movement in the United States is filled with ambitious, hard-working Americans planting the seeds of their dreams in hopes for a prosperous future. In 1894 in Pullman, IL the employees of the Pullman Company railroad car factory walked-out, marched and demanded access to decent living wages and safe working conditions all to no avail after their strike was declared a federal crime. But that didn’t stop protesters from taking an unpaid day off to promote the holiday and when President Cleveland gave into their demands, Labor Day was born!

But there is still a lot of work to be accomplished. For example, the 2011 struggle in Wisconsin for state worker’s bargaining rights is proof that we are far from actualizing labor justice.

Additionally, international obstacles need to be addressed and overcome before everyone in the world can equally enjoy the recognition and fruits of their labor. As world trade crosses borders, the labor movement calls for recognition of labor standards around the world. In many places around the world, farmers and workers still struggle for living wages and hazard-free working conditions. One way to support those farmers and laborers is through Fair Trade —a pathway toward a more just labor system.

By purchasing Fair Trade products, consumers are participating in an alternative economic trading system that, according to Fair Trade USA, is oriented toward empowering farmers and workers everywhere. Today consumers have a choice that has the ability to stimulate the livelihoods of the individuals who toil for coffee, cocoa, vegetables or handmade crafts.

The women of Fair Trade artisan cooperative Maya Works in Chimaltenango, Guatemala. Photo copyright by Global Exchange.

Products that are Fair Trade Certified are guaranteed to support safe working conditions, access to health care and sustainable incomes. These wages allow producers, especially women artisans,  to save money and keep their children in school. Some Fair Trade cooperatives in various countries specifically support education-related developments, such as building schools, financing uniforms and tuitions or providing healthy meals for students.

For example, according to Equal Exchange, The National Confederation of Dominican Cocoa Producers, an organization in the Dominican Republic, is able to use its premiums for community development projects. Members distribute their income to purchase school supplies, build wells for community water and obtain the appropriate medicine for their health clinics.

Another tremendous benefit of Fair Trade is that it is not simply charity. Small producers gain autonomy by developing long-term trading relationships and no longer have to rely on international aid efforts, which can be inconsistent and scarce due to the vulnerability of the fluctuating global market.

Check out this great infographic from Fair World Project about global labor struggles. More at http://fairworldproject.org/justeconomy

Therefore Fair Trade is a crucial component to the labor struggle. By supporting Fair Trade, consumers are agreeing to advocate and demand opportunities for those living in poverty—dispersing wealth to those at the bottom of the pyramid—the 99%. In doing so, lives are positively transformed and connected to the global market, ultimately working toward the intended goal—to alleviate poverty.

This Labor Day season you can show your support for hard working individuals everywhere by shopping Fair Trade. Check out Global Exchange’s Labor Day Sale at a store near you.

Kids everywhere love Divine Chocolate!

At Global Exchange we love to celebrate Fair Trade all the time, but this Easter, things will get even sweeter with free chocolate!

Come by anytime Saturday April 7 through Sunday April 8 and you’ll get a free piece of Fair Trade chocolate with any purchase of $20 or more at our Global Exchange Fair Trade stores. From handmade baskets to colorful spring gifts, Global Exchange is excited to help make your Spring have a positive global impact.

For some, Easter means nibbling cute chocolate bunny rabbits, but for many others, especially in West African cocoa-exporting countries, chocolate is a terrible reminder of the harsh reality of child slave labor.

Global Exchange remains committed to supporting Fair Trade cocoa producers around the globe and generating a better world for all of us, kids and adults alike. You too can show your support this Easter by purchasing chocolate from two amazing Fair Trade chocolate vendors: Divine Chocolate and Equal Exchange.

What makes Divine Chocolate so divine and Equal Exchange equally as inspiring? The cooperatives that produce the cocoa, of course!

How Fair Trade has impacted the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative in Ghana and CONACADO in the Dominican Republic:

Fatima Ali, proud member of Kuapa Kokoo. Photo courtesy of Kuaka Kokoo.

Just listen to the shouts of “papa paa!” from the farmers of Kuapa Kokoo in Ghana, a cocoa cooperative started in 1993 which now owns 45% of the Divine Chocolate company itself. “Papa paa” means “best of the best” in the Twi language of Ghana, and is a motto which extends beyond the high quality of the cocoa grown by the farmers and into the cooperative’s commitment to Fair Trade and the betterment of members’ lives.

The social premium that members receive through the cooperative’s  Fair Trade certification translates into real benefits for the community at large, such as clean water wells. Kuapa Kokoo also has a strong focus on gender empowerment, which means that women like Fatima Ali, a local Kuapa Kokoo Society recorder and proud owner of a 5-acre farm, can aspire to leadership positions they previously thought impossible.

CONACADO producer & the bright orange cacao pods that become chocolate bars. Photo courtesy of Equal Exchange.

For over 25 years the worker owned co-op Equal Exchange has been advocating “Small Farmers, Big Change”– and it’s working. In the Dominican Republic, Equal Exchange’s farmer partner cooperative CONACADO has been able to sell over 40% of their cacao on the Fair Trade market.  By participating in Fair Trade, CONACADO has been able to provide school supplies and scholarships for members’ children as well as launch the “Cacao Route,” an eco-tourism project that also generates local income.

One woman who came by the San Francisco store said the other day, “It’s so great that kids these days can eat really good chocolate!” It sure is! And not only that, when you buy Fair Trade chocolate it means that cocoa-producing farmers benefit.

TAKE ACTION!

• Check out this awesome recipe for Chocolate Satsumas, perfect for enjoying the marvelous citrus fruits that are in season at your local farmers’ markets. Or make a delicious Earl Grey Chocolate Tea Cake for your Easter Sunday brunch–(our stores sell Fair Trade tea too!) Have a great Fair Trade chocolate recipe? Share it in the comments!
• Don’t forget to get your free Fair Trade chocolate. Come by the San Francisco, Berkeley,  Arlington, VA or D.C. stores  on Saturday April 7 & Sunday April 8.
  

• Don’t celebrate Easter? Check out our Fair Trade program’s four tips on how to make this Spring a Fair Trade one, including a resource to bring Fair Trade to your Passover Seder.

Reverse Trick-or-Treating is back for it’s fifth year to give you the opportunity to treat-n-teach your neighbors!

This Halloween, you can help end the exploitation of children in the cocoa industry and raise awareness of Fair Trade! Trick-or-Treaters will be handing Fair Trade chocolate back to adults, with informational cards attached, to explain the problems of the cocoa industry and how Fair Trade presents a solution. By providing children with a way to be active, hundreds of thousands of households in the US are getting the message that child labor and forced labor will not be tolerated by our kids.

You can take part by visiting www.reversetrickortreating.org and ordering your kit today. This year, Global Exchange is offering a limited quantity of kits to individuals so be sure to get your order in quickly! 

Each kit contains 15 mini chocolates, informational cards and an instruction leaflet. The kits are free, you pay just $7.50 for shipping, but we are asking participants to round up if they are able, to help cover costs.

If you don’t manage to get one of the kits, you can still take part! Download free flyers here and pass them out on Halloween. You can purchase Fair Trade chocolate at any of our Global Exchange Stores, or check out one of the Fair Trade companies listed below.

If you are part of a group, school or organization and want to purchase a group kit, please visit Equal Exchanges order page.

Reverse Trick-or-Treating is an initiative launched by the human rights organization Global Exchange in cooperation with Fair Trade companies Equal Exchange, Sweet Earth Chocolates and Coco-Zen, and is a collaborative effort of countless children, youth, and adults supported by institutions including nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, Fair Trade companies, and schools.

Get your kit today!

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Photo Credit: Equal Exchange

EQUAL EXCHANGE ORGANIC BAKING COCOA ON THE BIGGEST LOSER TV SHOW!

Fair Trade has been making the rounds on TV lately. Last week Ben & Jerry’s brought Fair Trade to late night television. This week, Equal Exchange invaded reality television. The TV show The Biggest Loser slipped Fair Trade into the mix; Equal Exchange’s Organic Baking Cocoa, to be specific. The reality show cast members used the cocoa during one of the episodes to make low calorie treats. You can watch the entire episode for free online here.

Photo Credit: Village Markets of Africa

WITTENBERG UNIVERSITY INCORPORATES FAIR TRADE INTO ITS CURRICULIM
Village Markets of Africa, the Fair Trade mission of the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church, recently partnered with Lutheran affiliate Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH to make its Fair Trade business model a hands-on case study for Wittenberg’s entrepreneurial department curriculum.

This partnership will teach business students the social ethics of Fair Trade and provide them real world work experience so they are prepared to make a positive change when they graduate and enter the workforce. Many universities have gotten involved in the Fair Trade movement, but according to Village Markets of Africa Founder and Managing Director Jacob Schmalzle, Wittenberg University is the first to so dynamically incorporate Fair Trade into its curriculum.

Schmalzle shares this about the news:

This really is an exciting and innovative development in Fair Trade. Students at Wittenberg are visibly excited with these opportunities that combine a reputable business degree with hands-on experience in the social ethics and business of Fair Trade. It makes sense that Fair Trade education needs to take place here in the US if we are to expect our future business leaders to incorporate a Fair Trade approach in their ventures. Who knows where tomorrow’s leaders will take our Fair Trade movement!?!

For more information, visit the Village Markets of Africa website.

INTERESTED IN HOSTING A FAIR TRADE KOSHER CHOCOLATE EVENING?
With Passover and Purim around the corner, Fair Trade Judaica is working with synagogues and other Jewish organizations around the U.S. to host a series of events in early-mid April, linking child labor in the cocoa fields with our Passover theme of liberation, and inspiring people to choose fair trade chocolate as an alternative.

Fair Trade Judaica will provide a DVD of The Dark Side of Chocolate (a documentary about children working in the cocoa fields in West Africa), discussion guides, educational materials and a Haggadah supplement to use at your home or organizational sedar. We are also working on a grant to support Fair Trade Kosher chocolate tastings.

For more information: email ilana@fairtradejudaica.org or call 510.926.2056.

UPCOMING FAIR TRADE CONFERENCE: LAST CHANCE FOR EARLYBIRD REGISTRATION
If you’re planning to register for the 2011 Fair Trade Federation Conference in Milwaukee, WI, you’ll save yourself $100 per person if you sign up by this Friday, March 18.

This conference is all about building up Fair Trade, and it’s happening May 6-8, 2011. The conference will feature practical training on the business of Fair Trade combined with opportunities for networking and community building.

For more information: Visit FTF’s website.

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Article: West Africa issues global trade deal ultimatum
Article: Ivory Coast crisis: Cocoa embargo hurting small farmers
New blog: Human Trip India, all about Fair Trade travels in India
Book: Free Trade Doesn’t Work: What Should Replace It and Why by Ian Fletcher
Press Release from Fair Trade USA: Mainstream Consumers Drive Fair Trade Certified Sales Up 24 Percent

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Check back here on our Fair Trade blog for more Fair Trade News Round-Ups…your one-stop shop for current Fair Trade news and events. And if you’ve got big Fair Trade news to share, email me!