What is Fair Trade? | Impact
ENVIRONMENT
Around the world, farmers who struggle to make a living are often forced to engage in agricultural practices that compromise their land and surrounding ecosystems, such as deforestation and erosion, use of harmful toxins, and disposal of pollutants into the water supply. Fair Trade Certified environmental standards are some of the strictest in the industry. Fair Trade Certified ensures that farmers follow internationally monitored environmental standards, while empowering farmers and farm workers with financial incentives and resources for organic conversion, reforestation, water conservation and environmental education. By establishing Fair Trade prices farmers are able to practice sustainable growing techniques and are supported in learning new skills that will preserve their land for generations to come. This means that Fair Trade Certified products are not only better for the men and women who grow them, they’re better for the planet as well! Learn more about Fair Trade USA's Environmental Standards.
We have a fair trade at umm!!! check it out.
i thought this pertained to the class because of farming and economy issues we have have been reading about thus far.
I agree that this issue is very relevant to the class and not only that but it should be relevant to everyone. It really makes no sense that anything but Fair Trade exists but it does, and not only that but many businesses that you would assume to be Fair Trade because of their image are in fact not. The clothing industry is an example of an industry whose products are often fabricated by workers in extremely poor conditions. Just because one clothing company may appear more up market than others does not guarantee its trustworthiness. For example I remember a controversy a few years ago when it was revealed that the clothing company Gap had been using children in sweatshops http://www.theguardian.com/business/2007/oct/28/ethicalbusiness.india
ReplyDeleteIt is absolutely shocking that these atrocities are still being committed in our current societies. Unfortunately I don't think it is enough for us to assume that "good" brands will be Fair Trade or ethical, we need to boycott those brands that don't demonstrate their Fair Trade certificate to pressurize them to conform to standards that should be seen as the norm rather than a novelty.