Fairtrade Fortnight 2008
February 25th, 2008 by Nigel
Fairtrade Fortnight begins today and runs for, guess what, 2 weeks! If you want to learn more visit http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/fortnight .
Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.
Posted in The Wider World
February 26th, 2008 at 9:59 am
I propose that everything we purchase for WBC is Fairtrade. Coffee, tea, sugar etc.
We can’t promote Fairtrade in any more appropiate way than to use Fairtrade products.
What say all?
February 26th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Fairtrade isn’t perfect; fairtrade coffee for example isn’t seen as the most ethical form available.
There is a good article on this here.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/politics/brassneck/feb08/fairtrade.htm
February 27th, 2008 at 9:51 am
It’s more ethical than Tesco Value…
February 27th, 2008 at 11:56 am
I agree Richard! It’s normally better quality/tastes better anyway!
February 27th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Tesco Value isn’t the best example; we should be researching where we get each of our items from. To just go by the fairtrade lable would be lazy and we as a church have a responsiblilty to go the extra mile.
Proverbs 31:8-9
8 “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
You can read about some of the misconsecptions about Fairtrade here.
http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/George-Moore-3206/gourmet-coffee-26545.php
February 28th, 2008 at 9:38 am
There is an interesting response to that article here from Christian Aid and Tearfund. These two Christian organisations clearly feel that Fairtrade does what it says on the tin:
http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/news/?NewsID=1677
February 28th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
If there is a more effective alternative that looks after our hard working brothers and sisters in far off lands, please suggest it.
If there isn’t, then we should support Fairtrade until there is.
I would say that overall, Fairtrade products secure a better deal for poorer producers than non-Fairtrade. Otherwise it simply wouldn’t exist.
But I am always open to be stood corrected…
February 28th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Fairtrade guarentees the producers get a decent value for their crops as both articles say but it does not guarentee the workers get paid any better and in there is where fairtrade products can fall down. There are a lot of fair trade products out their, some will be better than others and we should look to find the best ones or possible alternatives.
As for suggestions, from my research one name keeps popping up (Café Britt) regaridng coffee. I’m looking into where it’s available from. This coffee actually doesn’t qualify as fairtrade.
March 1st, 2008 at 10:15 pm
There’s been quite a debate about this in the past couple of weeks and I actually agree with Richard AND Jimmyd …. perhaps we could compromise …. buy Fairtrade until we have time to research into which products are most ethical …. it would be good to ‘practise what we preach’
March 2nd, 2008 at 8:43 pm
I think that’s a good idea.
March 10th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Just see PG Tips new advert to say that they are part of the rainforest alliance - a partnership to ensure that producers and workers of produce such as tea coffee and chocolate are all given a fair deal and good work conditions.
These are the websites:
http://www.pgtips.co.uk/teas/ethical.aspx
http://www.ethicalteapartnership.org.
March 14th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Re 2, 5&6: It’s just highlighting how careful you have to be where you source articles from. All of those articles are fairly partisan - one from an organisation that loses out from fair trade, one from an American supporter of Free Trade (who, by default, will be anti fair trade), and one from two members of the Fairtrade organisation.
Jill’s idea is great, and I’d recommend pushing forward with this ASAP, but not just with buying Fairtrade tea, coffee, sugar, etc. It’d also be good to look to get eco-friendly soap for the toilets, washing up liquid for the kitchen, recycled loo roll and so on.