Fair Tuesday

WHAT?

Fair Tuesday (hashtag #FairTuesday) is a fair trade initiative created in response to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The goal of #FairTuesday is to inspire conscious consumerism and show how an everyday purchase can change lives in a whole community. We are featuring fair trade and eco-friendly brands and inviting other businesses to take a step towards sustainability.

WHEN?

Tuesday, November 27^th, 2012

WHY?

Launched by @GlobalGoods, a New York-based nonprofit, fair trade organization that supports over 40 women-led artisan groups in Asia, Africa and the Americas.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Whether you are an individual, organization, or a member of the press, you can join the #FairTuesday movement in two simple ways: by buying one fair trade item on Tuesday, November 27th, and by helping us spread the word about the movement on social media using hashtag #FairTuesday. If you represent a non-fair-trade business, tell us what you are doing to make your practices more green and fair.

BECOME A PARTNER

To become a partner, send an email to FairTuesday@globalgoodspartners.org telling us why you want to join the movement.

SHOP

World Fair Trade Day 2012

Celebrate World Fair Trade Day. Buy Fair Trade.

To learn more about Fair Trade, click here.

Ten Thousand Villages

Unlike other Fair Trade retailers,  Ten Thousand Villages is one of the founding companies in the Fair Trade world. Originating in 1946, this company has grown to be a source for “unique handmade gifts, jewelry, home decor, art and sculpture, textiles, serveware and personal accessories representing the diverse cultures of artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.” As an original member of the World Fair Trade Organization, all “product sales help pay for food, education, healthcare and housing for artisans who would otherwise be unemployed or underemployed.”

Ten Thousand Villages is a unique collection of many different products: earings, nativities, baskets, rugs, musical instruments, decorative mirrors, cards, notebooks, ornaments, games and puzzles, sea salt, and much more.

To read a story about an Artisan, click here.

To shop online, click here.

To find a store near you, click here.

To learn more about Fair Trade, click here.

Fair Trade Finder App

Although Fair Trade Certified products are becoming more popular, they can still be hard to find. Fair Trade USA has created a new App to make the search easier. This new App is called the Fair Trade Finder. The Fair Trade Finder allows you to find, add, tag and photograph Fair Trade Certified products wherever you go. You can easily search and find where Fair Trade products are available, making sure that every purchase matters.

Download now for FREE:

To upload the App for the iphone, click here.

To upload the App for the andriod, click here.

To learn more about Fair Trade, click here.

Fair Trade Certified Beverages

Here is a quick guide to Fair Trade Certified drinks you can find at your local grocery store or gas station:

Steaz:

Steaz produces several types of beverages that are all Fair Trade Certified: Iced teas, sparkling teas, and energy shots.

Guayaki:

A delicious yerba mate beverage that “has the strength of coffee, the health benefits of tea, and the euphoria of chocolate”. They come in large cans, bottles, or organic energy shots.

 

 

 

 

 

Holistics:

Holistics beverages are natural and have a wonderful fruity taste! They are one of the newest beverages to become completely Fair Trade Certified.

Your Guide to Fair Trade Certified Chocolate

Facts about Chocolate:

• 70% of the worlds cocoa comes from the Ivory Coast in Africa.
• More than 600,000 children who live in this region work on cocoa fields
• 284,000 children work in dangerous conditions
• In Cote d’Ivoire on the Ivory coast 40-50% of children between 5 and 14 years of age work full time.
• 15,000 are captured, beaten, forced to work, underfed and not paid.
• Many of these children are trafficked from other African countries like Mali.
• Major chocolate companies know this but still buy from the criminals who run these plantations.

Unless you shop at Whole Foods or another natural food store, you are not likely to find many Fair Trade Certified items. However, here are a few Chocolates you can find and a few you should stay away from.

Worldofgood.ebay.com

Ebay is a multi-billion dollar online auction and shopping corporation. While Ebay is responsible for a great deal of buying and selling on the internet, did you know your purchase from this company could have a positive impact on the world? If you shop at Ebay’s WorldofGood.com, you are promoting socially and responsible shopping. This website buys and sells artisan, handmade, and fair trade clothing and gifts from around the world. Basically, it is a “a global marketplace where every purchase makes a positive impact.”

As consumers, we leave imprints when buying products. So why not make a positive imprint that matches your interests and values? Every purchase makes a difference and leaves a “Goodprint.” There are four “Goodprints” that your World of Good product can be labeled as: people positive, eco positive, animal friendly, and support a cause (which contributes to the buyers favorite nonprofit). WorldofGood.com has partnered with 41 “Total Trust Providers,” which are organizations whose ideas are centralized around social good. These organizations provide verification of “the activity of their members or their members’ products to foster commerce that maintains and encourages transparency, sustainability, economic empowerment, and ethical business practices. Each seller, product, and producer on WorldofGood.com must maintain a verified relationship with at least one Trust Provider, and these relationships will be reflected in every WorldofGood.com listing.” A few examples of “Total Trust Providers” are Fair Trade Certified, Rainforest Alliance, World Fair Trade Organization, Fair for Life, and Women for Women International.

So next time you need to buy a new piece of jewelry or a unique gift, check out WorldofGood.com and see how your purchase can make a difference.

To find more information about Ebay’s WorldofGood.com, click here.

Fair Trade

What is Fair Trade? Although it continues to be more available, only a few products are found certified by the Fair Trade Federation. According to Green America, “Fair Trade is a system of exchange that honors producers, communities, consumers, and the environment. It is a model for the global economy rooted in people-to-people connections, justice, and sustainability.” In other words, it helps hold a high standard for economic practices, to insure that all are treated with respect, paid fair wages, given the proper rights by enforcing health and safety laws, while also contributing responsibly to the conservation of the environment.

There are Four Main Types of Fair Trade Certifications:

• Fair Trade Federation
• World Fair Trade Organization
• Faire Trade Certified
• Fair for Life

Cited from Green America.