Fairtrade
fortnight started yesterday. Initially pulled in by the opportunity to create a
‘mini marcher’, I logged on to the website to sign their petition. Despite the
comical nature of the little cartoon character I created for myself, there really
is nothing to laugh about. Infact, it makes for a pretty depressing lunchtime
read while I’m munching away unwittingly.
It’s
shocking that 50% of the world’s hungry are farmers who work tirelessly to
produce food for the rest of the world. When many of us wouldn't think twice
about throwing a soggy bag of pre-packed salad into the bin, these third-world
workers are churning out food for everybody else just to scrape a living. The
low wages paid to these farmers comes as a consequence of unethical trade. It means
that we can afford to feed our families for less while those actually producing
the food simply do not have that luxury.
To
be totally honest, Fairtrade goods don’t normally spring to mind when I’m
shopping, but does that make me a bad person? Unfortunately, I associated
Fairtrade with the dusty shelves of charity shops stacked with a variety of
dated cotton shirts which were undoubtedly the choice of the ‘Head Volunteer’. Still,
if I was presented with a bar of rich, dark chocolate which was Fairtrade, I
definitely wouldn't say no. I may even buy two. Until I became aware that
Fairtrade week was in action, I’d never visited their website or ever really
thought about what it does or what it means.
So
today I present any readers with a little challenge and I want to know how you
get on. The Green Achiever Scheme actively encourages businesses to source
their goods from either local or Fairtrade suppliers. Why not make it your goal
for this fortnight?
- For
your office kitchen, Clipper tea and coffee is all Fairtrade certified. At the office we must get through at least
15-20 teabags a day with one coffee drinker single-handedly making her way
through the delicious medium roast Arabica coffee granules. Boxes of teabags
and barrels make for easy storage and, of course, can be recycled. Perfect! Find
out more here.
- Also,
Mother’s Day is coming up. It falls on the final day of Fairtrade fortnight so,
for all those sons and daughters who are often caught rushing to the petrol
station for a bunch of sorry-looking flowers on the day, why not get her
something now and earn double-smug points for preparedness and ethical
sourcing? Green and Blacks chocolates are 100% Fairtrade and taste gorgeous. Visit their website for more info.
- For
anything else, look here. Check out the wine and the Tropical Wholefoods Fairtrade Mango!
Although these Fairtrade products are too good
to waste and have an instant feel-good factor, there is something that you can
do today. Sign up to the Fairtrade petition for Smallholder Farmers. This will
be given to David Cameron before the G8 summit. It takes barely any time. Just follow
this link: http://step.fairtrade.org.uk/
Please take a look at our latest article on Business Green - my top tips on greening your business and maintaining those changes to feel long term benefits. 
