It’s Fall y’all! Well…almost. While the weather hasn’t completely reflected the changing of the seasons, everyone is excited to get out their cozy sweaters and enjoy the cooler weather.
Can’t you just smell the hot cocoa and pumpkin spice lattes brewing? This presents another opportunity to encourage fair trade through another one of our favorite products — coffee!
Coffee is one of the most highly demanded products in the West. The coffee industry also has some of the largest concentration of forced and child labor in the world.
The International Labor Organization estimates as many as 250 million children are forced to harvest products for coffee and cocoa.
Consumers have the power to vote for fair trade and treatment of workers by purchasing products from companies employing fair trade and direct trade practices.
equal Exchange
Equal Exchange has a variety of coffee, chocolate, tea, and snacks. Based out of St. Paul, MN, this company pioneers a unique focus toward ethics to empower workers and farmers through fair business practices.
BLK & Bold
Another fair-trade coffee retailer you can find in stores like Target and Whole Foods is BLK + Bold. When purchasing these products, you give back to support youth-focused initiatives like teen homelessness and workforce development opportunities. BLK + Bold is based out of Des Moines, IA,!
Pura Vida
If you want coffee with the fair-trade certification and organic growing practices, Pura Vida offers the best of both worlds! The Shade Grown coffee products limit the environmental footprint left through production. Pura Vida is based out of Tukwila, WA and supports non-profit organizations dedicated to helping at risk children’s education and health.
Check out The Good Trade to explore more brands!
Every fair-trade coffee retailer sells online, and some can even deliver to your door! Here’s a challenge for this week: can you purchase a fair-trade coffee product and cast your vote for fair trade practices?
Learn more now, during fair trade month!
In celebration of Fair Trade Month, UAHT is hosting events to encourage viewers to ask questions and learn more about fair trade.
We will be airing a viewing of the documentary “The Dark Side of Chocolate” on Thursday, October 29th from 6-7:30 PM CST.
This documentary and discussion will feature a guest speaker to answer questions about what fair trade is and how consumers can get more involved in the movement.
We will also be releasing new episodes of Making Justice, including an episode with Equal Exchange.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to learn more information and hear about the impact that fair trade has on others!
We have to know the signs of labor trafficking and exploitation, and we need to be engaged as consumers if we truly want to create a world where all are free. Here’s how you can keep learning:
